Department of Health (DOH) Central Luzon Center for Health and Development (CLCHD) encourages individuals diagnosed with diabetes to undergo regular Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) tests for control and monitoring.
Knowing one’s FBS is the key to addressing the disease and other effects of diabetes.
DOH CLCHD Non-Communicable Disease Cluster Senior Health Program Officer Agnes Alipio encourages patients with controlled diabetes to go through a FBS test at least once per quarter or four times a year while those who are susceptible to diabetes or experiencing symptoms of diabetes should also consult healthcare professionals.
“Those susceptible to diabetes are patients with clinical symptoms such as polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, non-healing wound, or pruritus; pregnant women; overweight and obese adults; and adults with no symptoms ages 40 and above,” she explained.
Also, individuals with first-degree relatives with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Acanthosis nigricans, Tuberculosis, and Schizophrenia.
Standard screening tests for diabetes include FBS, which requires at least eight hours of fasting; two-hour plasma glucose or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test; and Random Plasma Glucose.
“According to the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence rate of diabetes in Filipino adults is approximately 6.3 percent, which means that out of 63 million adults in our country, almost four million have diabetes,” Alipio furthered.
In Central Luzon, the province of Bulacan has the highest reported cases of Diabetes Mellitus with 14,042 cases.
Some complications of diabetes are stroke, eye problems, heart attack, kidney failure, infections in sexual organs, nerve damage, and foot problems.
To counter diabetes, a well-balanced diet, regular blood sugar test, exercise, and proper intake of medicines must be observed.
World Diabetes Day is observed annually every 14th of November. This year, it carries the theme “Access to Diabetes Care.” (CLJD/GLSB-PIA 3)