Prediabetes (Hidden Diabetes)

HIDDEN DIABETES / PREDIABETES

Plasma glucose levels that are higher than normal but do not meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes are called “prediabetes.” Accordingly, IFG (impaired fasting glucose) and IGT (impaired glucose tolerance), formerly referred to as “borderline diabetes” or “latent diabetes,” are now considered “prediabetes.” In other words, prediabetes means the same as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. Both are among the major risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Prediabetes is a state of being a candidate for type 2 diabetes. If you know you have prediabetes, you have a chance to prevent type 2 diabetes. Through lifestyle changes, people with prediabetes can prevent or delay its progression.

To identify prediabetes, doctors check fasting blood sugar measured after 8 hours without food, postprandial blood sugar measured after a glucose load, and HbA1c, which reflects the average blood sugar level over the past 3 months.

How Is Hidden Diabetes / Prediabetes Treated?

• Exercise and regular walking (this will also help you lose weight)
• Medical nutrition therapy (should be prepared individually for each patient by a dietitian)

Excess body fat triggers the development of insulin resistance. For patients who are overweight or obese, a diet program and nutrition plan aimed at weight loss should be prepared.

• People with prediabetes have been reported to have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. It is therefore also helpful to be aware of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If a patient has one or more of these conditions, it is very important to treat them and keep them under control.
• Smoking and alcohol should be avoided.
• If medication is required and has been started, it should be taken regularly as prescribed.

What Are the Risk Factors for Diabetes and Prediabetes?

• High blood pressure,
• Low HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride levels,
• A family history of diabetes, genetic predisposition, gestational diabetes,
• and a history of giving birth to a baby weighing more than 4.5 kg are counted among the risk factors.
• Being overweight and over the age of 45 is also a risk factor for prediabetes; it is recommended to see a doctor and have the necessary tests done.
• Even if prediabetes has not been diagnosed, a person who has any of the above risk factors should be tested for hidden diabetes every 3 years.
• If prediabetes has been diagnosed, a hidden diabetes test should be done every 1–2 years to check for type 2 diabetes.

What Are the Symptoms of Prediabetes?

It is difficult to diagnose and usually develops without symptoms; it is most often noticed through tests done when a person visits a healthcare facility for another condition. Common signs include:

• frequent thirst and very frequent urination,
• craving for sweets and excessive hunger,
• weight gain, insomnia, weakness and fatigue.

Pregnancy and Hidden Diabetes

Some hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to or contribute to the development of insulin resistance. This may also appear as gestational diabetes. The symptoms of hidden diabetes in pregnancy are similar to those seen in other patients. If this condition is present, it must be monitored and treated. Otherwise, both mother and baby may be harmed by health problems that can develop. Monitoring the mother's blood sugar levels and keeping them under control throughout pregnancy is very important for the health of both mother and baby.