Recognizing diabetes:

The onset of diabetes is often sudden and abrupt, and may include symptoms such as:

Abnormal thirst and dry mouth
Frequent urination
Extreme tiredness / lack of energy
Apetito constant
Sudden weight loss
Slow wound healing
Recurrent infections
Blurred vision

The same symptoms listed above may also affect the type 2 diabetes, but usually the symptoms are less obvious. The emergence of type 2 diabetes is gradual and therefore difficult to detect. In fact, some people with type 2 diabetes show no symptoms evident at first. They tend to be diagnosed several years later, when various complications are already present.

Potentially fatal complications:

Without adequate production and action of insulin, glucose stays in the blood, generating chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). This can create complications in the short and long term, many of which, if not prevented and treated, can be fatal. All have the potential to reduce the quality of life for people with diabetes and their families.

The most common complications in the long term are:

Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), which can generate total kidney failure and need dialysis or kidney transplantation.

Diabetic eye disease (retinopathy and macular edema), lesions of the retina of the eye that can lead to vision loss.

Diabetic neuropathy (nerve disease) which can lead to ulceration and amputation of feet and lower limbs.

Cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and blood vessels and may cause fatal complications such as coronary heart disease (which causes myocardial infarction) and stroke.

Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in the world. Each year 3.8 million people die from causes related to diabetes.

Diabetes can be prevented
Changes in the environment, and early detection measures proven to prevent diabetes can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, delaying the onset or at least reduce its impact. In the case of people with type 1 diabetes is not yet possible to prevent the disease. However, much can be done to prevent or delay diabetic complications if people have access to care, medication and an adequate monitoring equipment.