Diabetes Symptoms Health Guide | Can the risk of diabetes be reduced in patients with HIV?

Diabetes Symptoms Health Guide | Diabetes involves an increase in the level of blood glucose or blood sugar in the body. Glucose is the main source of energy that comes from the food we eat. Insulin is a hormone that can help the body use glucose from the blood in any problem in the production of insulin or the action can lead to diabetes. Diabetes can cause certain health problems such as heart, blood vessels, stroke or kidney disease. Fortunately, we can control diabetes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, doing some exercises and taking certain medications that can reduce the risk of diabetes. 

Diabetes is of two types:

• Type 1 diabetes: it can develop due to the deficiency of insulin that causes glucose to accumulate in the blood.

• Type 2 diabetes: can develop a cause due to insulin resistance in the body.

Diabetes Symptoms Health Guide | Some common risk factors that can increase the development of diabetes include:

• Age over 45 years

• Family history of diabetes

• Obesity

• sedentary lifestyle

• High blood pressure

• Alcohol addiction

• Use certain medications such as steroids

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Frequent urination

• Extreme hunger

• Blurry vision

• Unusual weight loss or weight gain

• Slow healing of injuries such as cuts or bruises

• Frequent infections

HIV and Diabetes

In patients with HIV, there is a greater likelihood of developing diabetes, first, due to the disease itself, and secondly due to medications. Certain medications, such as the nucleoside reverse transcript as inhibitor (NRTI) and the protease inhibitor (PI), which can increase the level of glucose in the blood and cause type 2 diabetes. The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) ) is used to measure the amount of glucose in the blood after the person has fasted for 8 hours. This test is one of the diagnostic tests to diagnose diabetes. Some tips that can help the patient with HIV to reduce the risk of diabetes are the following:

• Before starting any anti-HIV medication, the patient must monitor their blood glucose levels.

• Ask caregivers if you have a higher than normal glucose level.

Diabetes Symptoms Health Guide | People should monitor their blood glucose levels by using the blood glucose test after using anti-HIV medications. Doctors can prescribe other medications if the tests show a change in glucose level. A change in medication may be necessary in some patients.

Patients with HIV may seek help from the health care provider by asking about the link between diabetes and anti-HIV drugs, about the risk of diabetes and about the best evaluation option.

Diabetes can be administered by:

• Maintain blood glucose level in an almost normal range

• Control blood pressure

• Maintain blood cholesterol and lipid levels at normal levels

• Decrease health problems related to diabetes

[Diabetes Symptoms Health Guide] | Try to maintain a healthy diet by including plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and protein-rich foods such as lean meat.