About 10 thousand patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and two-thirds are over the age of 65. According to Passi data, in Ulss Dolomitesfrom 2008 to today, the percentage of adults aged 18-69 who report a diagnosis of diabetes has remained stable over time at around 4%.
It is the photograph taken by Ulss 1 Dolomiti in the province in the context of the diabetic disease for which yesterday, November 14, was world day: this moment was born with the aim of raising awareness on the prevention and treatment of the disease, to improve the quality of life of patients.
If he type 1 diabetes mellitus is of autoimmune genesis that appears above all in children, adolescents, young adults (rare after 40 years), the diabetes mellitus 2 it develops due to the concurrence of risk factors in more adulthood, especially after the age of 65.
For type 1 diabetes mellitus there is currently no evidence that it can be prevented. However, it is important to recognize it in a timely manner. Initial symptoms may develop over a short period of time: seven intensenecessity of urinate often, tiredness, weight drop are the most characteristic symptoms. Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the vast majority of cases, in the early stages of the disease, however, does not give significant disturbances and is often diagnosed during blood tests performed as check-ups.
So the invitation is to prevention, keeping in mind that there are more and more treatments for diabetes.
«The prevention and control of diabetes are based on a healthy lifestyle» observes Sandro Cinquetti, director of the Prevention Department of the Ulss Dolomiti «A diet rich in fruits and vegetablesand’regular physical activity (at least three hours a week), theabstention from smoking and the moderate alcohol consumption they are rules within everyone’s reach, of any age, with great scientific evidence of their ability to reduce the risk of the disease, even in genetically predisposed subjects”.
«The therapeutic equipment of the diabetologist has been enriched in recent years and will continue to grow. Diabetes therapy will increasingly be “tailored” to the patient. To win the challenge, however, one cannot ignore the active role of the patient who must become aware of the pathology», comments Corradina Alagona, Head of Diabetology.