What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
- Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose, or sugar, get from your blood into your cells. Without insulin, your blood sugar levels can get too high.
- Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body does not make enough insulin or does not use insulin well. This can also cause your blood sugar levels to get too high.
Symptoms of Diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes can vary depending on the type of diabetes you have. However, some common symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow-healing sores
- Frequent infections
Risk Factors for Diabetes
There are a number of risk factors for diabetes, including:
- Family history of diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Unhealthy diet
- Certain ethnicities
- Age
Complications of Diabetes
Diabetes can lead to a number of serious complications, including:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Eye damage
- Nerve damage
- Foot problems
- Amputations
Diagnosis of Diabetes
Diabetes is diagnosed with a blood test that measures your blood sugar levels. There are two types of blood tests that can be used to diagnose diabetes:
- Fasting blood sugar test: This test measures your blood sugar levels after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours.
- Oral glucose tolerance test: This test measures your blood sugar levels after you have drunk a sugary drink.
Treatment for Diabetes
The goal of diabetes treatment is to keep your blood sugar levels under control. This can be done with a combination of lifestyle changes and medication.
Lifestyle changes that can help to control blood sugar levels include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Getting regular exercise
- Losing weight if you are overweight or obese
- Taking medication as prescribed by your doctor
Medication for diabetes can include:
- Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose get from your blood into your cells.
- Oral medications: There are a number of different oral medications that can help to lower blood sugar levels.
- Injectables: There are also a number of different injectables that can help to lower blood sugar levels.
Diabetes and Metabolism Centre SGH
The Diabetes and Metabolism Centre SGH is a world-renowned centre for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diabetes and other metabolic disorders. The centre provides a comprehensive range of services, including:
- Medical consultation
- Nutritional counselling
- Exercise counselling
- Insulin pump therapy
- Continuous glucose monitoring
- Diabetes education
The centre is staffed by a team of experienced and dedicated healthcare professionals who are committed to providing the highest quality of care to patients with diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Why Choose the Diabetes and Metabolism Centre SGH?
There are a number of reasons why you should choose the Diabetes and Metabolism Centre SGH for your diabetes and metabolic care, including:
- The centre is a world-renowned leader in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
- The centre provides a comprehensive range of services, including medical consultation, nutritional counselling, exercise counselling, insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring, and diabetes education.
- The centre is staffed by a team of experienced and dedicated healthcare professionals who are committed to providing the highest quality of care to patients with diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
- The centre is located in a convenient location in Singapore.
Contact Information
The Diabetes and Metabolism Centre SGH is located at:
SGH Campus
10 Hospital Drive, Block 5, Level 2
Singapore 169608
Tel: +65 6321 4608
Fax: +65 6222 4055
Email: [email protected]
Table 1: Symptoms of Diabetes
| Symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Frequent urination | Needing to urinate often, especially at night |
| Excessive thirst | Feeling very thirsty, even after drinking plenty of fluids |
| Unexplained weight loss | Losing weight without trying |
| Increased hunger | Feeling very hungry, even after eating |
| Fatigue | Feeling tired all the time |
| Blurred vision | Having trouble seeing clearly |
| Slow-healing sores | Sores that take a long time to heal |
| Frequent infections | Getting infections often, such as skin infections, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections |
Table 2: Risk Factors for Diabetes
| Risk Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Family history of diabetes | Having a parent or sibling with diabetes increases your risk of developing the condition |
| Obesity | Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes |
| Physical inactivity | Not getting enough exercise increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes |
| Unhealthy diet | Eating a diet high in processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes |
| Certain ethnicities | People of certain ethnicities, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans, are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes |
| Age | Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases as you get older |
Table 3: Complications of Diabetes
| Complication | Description |
|---|---|
| Heart disease | Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems |
| Stroke | Diabetes increases your risk of having a stroke |
| Kidney disease | Diabetes can damage the kidneys, leading to kidney failure |
| Eye damage | Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to vision problems and blindness |
| Nerve damage | Diabetes can damage the nerves, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain |
| Foot problems | Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in the feet, leading to foot problems such as ulcers, infections, and amputations |
| Amputations | Diabetes can lead to amputations of the toes, feet, or legs |
Table 4: Benefits of Managing Diabetes
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Reduced risk of complications | Managing diabetes can help to reduce your risk of developing complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage, nerve damage, foot problems, and amputations |
| Improved quality of life | Managing diabetes can help to improve your quality of life by reducing symptoms such as fatigue, thirst, and frequent urination |
| Increased lifespan | Managing diabetes can help to increase your lifespan by reducing your risk of developing complications and premature death |
