Posted by Diabetes is a complex endocrine disease that causes multiple changes in body function. Patients with diabetes experience disruptions in the function of the cardiovascular system and peculiarities in metabolic processes in the body. In addition, the regenerative capacity of the epidermis is also disrupted. Severe diabetes can lead to obesity, blindness, disability, and the deprivation of a person’s mobility. Patients with complications from diabetes require specialized care.
Diabetes affects the structure of the brain, triggering the development of degenerative processes. The reverse changes that occur in the patient’s head can adversely affect his life. Such patients should be under the supervision of a qualified nurse who can ensure that all the doctor’s recommendations are followed correctly. Strictly following your treating physician’s instructions is your best chance of minimizing the complications of diabetes.
Types
The classic classification identifies the types of diabetic disease as:
- The first is insulin dependence. The pancreas stops producing the required amounts of hormones, or it doesn’t produce hormones at all. Young people are prone to this type. It occurs in severe forms, in which patients lose a lot of weight.
- The second type is insulin-independent. This is a situation where hormones are present in the body, but cellular metabolism is disrupted. This condition only occurs in older people who are overweight.
- There are other forms, such as gravidity, which are typical symptoms of pregnant women that disappear immediately after delivery.
Features of caring for patients with diabetes mellitus
Diabetes is classified as a chronic disease. In order to go through life without feeling sick and depressed, you need to treat diabetes as a lifestyle, not a disease. Therefore, the success of disease treatment depends on the patient.
Today, after being diagnosed with diabetes, you can live and work normally and lead an active lifestyle. Sometimes, however, as the disease progresses and is under the influence of other conditions, diabetes can lead to changes in the kidneys, eyes, and heart, increased blood pressure, and damage to nerve fibers.
According to statistics, 50% of diabetic patients have vision problems. Higher than normal blood sugar levels can cause structural changes in the walls of blood vessels in the eyes, heart, and other organs. This leads to the development of various diseases.
By following your doctor’s recommendations and engaging in certain activities, you can reduce your risk of developing complex diseases that can worsen a person’s condition and life. Proper and professional care is essential to the ability of people with diabetes to live a normal life. Qualified nurses can provide competent care.
The main measures to help avoid exacerbations and worsening of the condition are to monitor blood sugar levels in the body and take medications (insulin) in a timely manner. There are two ways to determine your blood sugar levels at home:
By urine. Use special test strips. Compare the color palette of the urine-wet test strips to the levels recommended in the test instructions. Check your urine 2-3 times a week and several times a day.
By blood. Use test strips (they work the same as urine tests). A blood glucose meter is a device that displays blood sugar levels digitally on a screen. It is necessary to use the device to measure your blood sugar levels every day before going to bed, eating, or engaging in physical activity.
What are the nurse’s tasks when providing assistance to a patient with diabetes?
Stick to the diet. Diet is a major component of diabetes treatment. It, combined with other preventive and medical aspects, allows you to keep your blood sugar at acceptable levels. Every diabetic patient must adhere to a certain diet. It can be formulated by a professional nutritionist based on the patient’s personal habits and preferences.
The food that goes into the body contains vitamins, minerals, salts, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The latter affects blood sugar levels. Therefore, the patient’s diet should be healthy and balanced, containing a minimum amount of carbohydrates.
However, caring for diabetes is hard work. People with this disease require constant monitoring by their primary care physician. To ensure that treatment proceeds as planned, it is worth placing the sick relative under the supervision of a specialist. By contacting an older people’s boarding house that provides medical care, ‘Trust’, you can ensure that your loved one will receive the necessary qualified help, including access to a range of essential diabetes care products to support their day-to-day management and wellbeing.