What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar is elevated but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. If left untreated, it often develops into diabetes, a very serious condition. Untreated prediabetes can also cause problems with your blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and heart.
Who is at risk for getting prediabetes?
You risk of developing prediabetes rises if you:
- Are over 45
- Are African American, Latino, Pacific Islander, or Native American
- Had gestational diabetes in the past
- Have a family history of Type 2 diabetes
- Are overweight
- Have high cholesterol
- Don’t exercise
While meeting any of these criteria increases your risk of prediabetes, you can still get it if you do not match these factors.
What are the symptoms of prediabetes?
Unfortunately, prediabetes exhibits no symptoms, making it harder to catch. However, some people experience blurred vision, fatigue, increased thirst, and the need to urinate more often.
How is prediabetes diagnosed?
Early detection and treatment are important to reduce the risk of the disease developing into Type 2 diabetes or causing other harm to your body. The team at Prima Medicine are experienced at screening their patients for prediabetes.
Certain blood tests are used to measure your blood sugar levels. These tests include:
- Fasting plasma glucose test
- Oral glucose tolerance test
- Hemoglobin A1C test
When the disease is diagnosed early, simple lifestyle changes can be made to reduce the risk of the disease developing into Type 2 diabetes.
How is prediabetes treated?
While prediabetes can become serious if left untreated, certain lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of the disease progressing. These include:
- Losing weight if overweight
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Quitting smoking
- Lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure if they are elevated
While it can be difficult to change certain lifestyle habits like smoking, the dividends to your health for doing so are priceless.
Call or go online today to schedule your appointment with the team of doctors and nurse practitioners at Prima Medicine, and learn what you can do to effectively manage your prediabetes.
