The best way to prevent this preliminary form of diabetes and type 2 diabetes in older people is to immediately alter the diet to include foods and fruits with more nutrients and fibre. Also, cutting down processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and salt is recommended.
If prediabetes develops into type 2 diabetes for older people, the risk of further conditions is inevitable. This happens because the older one gets, the weaker is the immune system. This coupled with other health issues and medications often escalates the blood sugar level and results in some sinister conditions such as kidney failure, stroke, adult-onset blindness, and even amputation of limbs in certain cases.
The treatment mostly involves getting a lifestyle in order. Prediabetes does not need anything more than that unless your doctor suggests otherwise. In the case of type 2 diabetes in older people, depending on the severity of the case, medical treatments like metformin, insulin therapy, and more may be prescribed.
Old age diabetes should not be taken lightly.
Type 1 diabetes in older people: What should you know?
Now let’s talk about type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually happens in children due to autoimmune diseases, wherein the ability of the pancreas to release insulin gets affected. As a result, blood sugar levels shoot up. Although most of the adult diagnoses over the age of 40 are of type 2 diabetes, in some rare cases, type 1 diabetes may also pop up. So, how do you recognise type 1 diabetes in people of older age?
Some warning signs are:
- Drastic changes in the mood
- Frequent trips to pee
- Blurry vision
- Constant lethargy
- Sudden weight loss without any workout or dietary changes