Diabetes can be defined as a group of diseases characterized by abnormally elevated blood levels which leads to chronic exposure of body cells to abnormally high blood glucose levels.
Advances in knowledge has made the prevention of diabetes mellitus feasible and the translation of knowledge to action will expectedly provide for a longer healthier life, this achieved mainly by the creation of awareness of the disease amongst the populace.
Prevention is carried out mainly on two levels-the primary level and the secondary level Primary prevention of diabetes mellitus This aims at identifying susceptible individuals early and ensuring lifestyle modification in them by; 1) Encouraging healthy lifestyles 2) Encouraging good diet habits 3) Quit smoking 4) Living physically active lifestyles These people who are at risk include; a) people above the age of 40 years b) people that have relatives that are diabetic c) people living sedentary lifestyles with little or no exercise d) obese people e) smokers f) people with poor dietary habits Secondary prevention of diabetes mellitus This aims to control and manage diabetes very well in people already diagnosed with the disease with the aim of detecting early and prevention of development of complications.
This involves the use of proper anti diabetic drugs in the proper manner and dosage so as to reduce the risks associated with diabetes as well as retarding the progression of diabetes mellitus complications.
Exercise and diet control are also added to the use of anti-diabetic drugs for proper and good control.
It also involves the good and tight control of lipid profile[the level of fat in the blood],Blood pressure is also controlled and monitored very well.
it must be maintained around 135/85mmhg A diabetic needs to know the drug options available to him/her, the advantage of one group over the others and the appropriate way of using the drugs.