In a major study in Spain, researchers have concluded that abnormally high blood sugar may worsen outcomes and mortality rates for Covid-19 patients, including those without diabetes. The findings show patients with abnormally high glucose levels were more than twice as likely to die from the virus than those with normal readings.
11,000 non-critically ill hospital patients in Spain were in the study, published in the journal . It adds to evidence that high blood glucose (Hyperglycaemia) is associated with a higher chance of death independent of a diabetes diagnosis. Hyperglycaemic patients also have an increased need for ventilator and intensive care admission (ICU).
Advocacy Action: Do public health messages warn about high blood sugar levels? Is testing encouraged – not just for diabetes?
Nigerian Government Under Pressure to Tackle Diabetes
An endocrinologist, Dr Afoke Isiavwe has charged the Federal Government to enact realistic policies in order to reduce the incidence of diabetes.
In a webinar series entitled “Understanding Your Wellness: Diabetes” Dr Isiavwe explained that the best protection against the complications of diabetes is prevention against the disease in the first place.
“There should be policies in place in Nigeria to ensure that people are able to exercise every day so that they do not come down with diabetes. Lagos is a bit saner nowadays, but we do not have enough gardens and parks or pedestrian walk paths for people to go about exercising. What we need are enabling policies to help create an environment that is conducive for wellness.”
He claimed the best treatment or cure is not to have diabetes in the first place through a healthy lifestyle, exercise, diet, and weight control.
Advocacy Action: Does your country have a public health plan covering exercise, diet and weight, with targets, to help prevent diabetes?
What’s Happening in Your Country?
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