Whilst diabetes does not increase your risk of catching Covid-19 it can make the infection. When diabetics get an infection their BG (blood glucose) can rise rapidly - a state known as hyperglycemia. As the BG rises ketoacidosis (ketones in the blood). This is more common insulin dependant diabetes. This usually occurs as BG passes 14. However, with a Covid-19 infection this occurs earlier at around 10 or even below. Therefore if you are diabetic and develop a fever or continuous cough it is important to check for ketones as well as well as your BG. Fully blown ketoacidosis is very unpleasant and potentially fatal.
Test strips can be prescribed by your GP or DSN (diabetes specialist nurse).
Please note this is not fake news. You can Google for articles by Professor Partha Kar one of the country's top diabetes consultants.
Written by
MichaelJH
Heart Star
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This is no attempt to scare people with half truths but to help them protect themselves. Professor Partha Kar is National Specialty Advisor, Diabetes with NHS England and co-lead of Diabetes GIRFT with NHS Improvement. Therefore he is better qualified that you to comment on diabetes!
so type 2 diabetics on diet control only wouldn’t suffer hypoglycaemia Michael?.. when i was in hospital 3 weeks ago my blood sugar was 14.. my diabetes nurse told me when i was diagnosed that i didn’t have ro self test
Ketoacidosis develops when there is elevated BG and too little insulin. It occurs rarely in Type IIs on diet alone or diet plus Metformin. The same group rarely suffer hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) although it can occur if someone skips breakfast and expends a lot of energy. Hypoglycaemia can occur with some of the newer treatments for Type II.
I always suggest Type IIs test their BG, at lease occasionally, to ensure they achieve a reasnoble Hba1c by good control and not a BG that bounces around between extremes.
I agree! The problem is with infection BG can rise rapidly even if the person is still taking their insulin. Covid-19 lowers the point at which ketoacidosis develops which is the reason I highlighted the issue.
what dose one do when the doc or who ever dose not want to know
Think you miss my point and you say that ONE expert says. Well if we all go by one expert then the A and E will be back the way it was. Overrunning with panic. I don’t have diabetes and would never claim to know anything about it but I am sure there will be a forum for people with diabetes and like our Heart ❤️ forum normally full of good advice.
You need to know about a subject to dismiss. I clearly stated I don’t and still can’t work out way this is being discussed on a heart ❤️ forum. Or am I missing something
I was diagnosed pre-diabetic last year but with help from this forum I no longer am. One of the complications of diabetes is heart disease. Michael is a life long diabetic who also has heart disease. As I see it in this post he is giving helpful advice to those with heart disease and diabetes in relation to CovID. So it is totally relevant!
A discussion about Diabetes along with any other factors effecting the function of the endothelium are very relevant
We all need to take care of our endothelium a much under rated ' organ ' of our body.
I am off to sit in the sunshine as sunlight is used by the skin to make nitrates which my body is deficient in due to my severe microvascular endothelial dysfunction
I am relatively new to this forum. But one thing I am noticing is that certain post by certain people cannot be questioned. A bit sad and regret that I don’t have such professional experience in so many areas.
But the sun is shining and my repaired heart is beating just fine so I will enjoy the rest of the day.
Are you sure your repaired Heart Is Fine ?? it has been known to go wrong even after surgery. I tend to be Quarrelsome on Political Matters not Medical. Some people by studying just the one aspect of their problem become experts !!!
It needs to be weighed up against my skin cancer risk....I've had 2 episodes of skin cancer already....I have a lovely scar on my forehead to remind me
The sunlight helps my angina too along with eating beetroot
Hi Both of our sons run Ultra Marathons and Ironman and they swear by Beetroot but not for me. Mind you neither are Ultra Marathons and Ironman competitions
Not in the least! Michael passed on potential life saving information relating to those with diabetes. He also quoted the source - one of the country's leading diabetes consultants.
The first response was from StillConcerned who chose to use terms like "fake news", "people don't need scaring" and "half truths"! That is why I reported him. Many people are worried and scared in the current climate, and do not need phrases like this thrown in!
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