Pre-diabetes, a threat to young population: Expert

According to a notification from the National Urban Diabetes Survey indicates that 14% of the Indian population has prediabetes.According to a paper presented by Dr. Chandan Choudhary, a leading Nephrologist associated with NephroPlus, out of the global burden of 88 million pre-diabetic patients, 77 million belong to India.

Pre-diabetes is a highly prevalent disease in the Southeast Asian region with an epidemic rate of 8.9%. Patients with prediabetes are more likely to fall prey to premature morbidity than others. About 2% of all deaths in India are due to prediabetes, observes WHO.[1] Prediabetes is a preliminary condition of diabetes characterized by a high blood sugar level; higher than normal but lower enough to not be considered type 2 diabetes.

The pancreas secretes insulin which is designed to distribute sugar in all body cells; however, due to the increased sugar content in blood, there is less secretion of insulin which ultimately diminishes the functioning of the pancreas. 

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Since the progression of prediabetes to diabetes is not inevitable, early detection can help remit and prevent the disease.

Consulting a nephrologist trained in the diagnosis and management of kidney disease to recognize risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes and to seek consultations for dialysis or kidney transplant treatment when the kidneys fail, is the first step to precaution followed by regular consultations.