Questions and answers

I have type 2 diabetes – what should I know?

(Bild: Krone KREATIV,)

More and more Austrians are affected by a disorder of the sugar metabolism. This is often caused by being overweight and lack of exercise. Dr. Christian Maté, general practitioner, has all the information and contact points for diabetics and those who want to find out more here and on KroneMED.

In diabetes mellitus, the utilization of sugar in the body does not work as it should. The special hormone insulin plays a central role. In type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin, but it does not work as it should. Sugar from food remains in the body and leads to high blood sugar levels in the long term. With lifestyle measures and medication, it is usually possible to regulate blood sugar levels well.

Type 2 diabetes: what you need to know
Type 2 diabetes is a widespread metabolic disorder that is favored by obesity, lack of exercise, poor diet or cases of diabetes in relatives

The most common symptoms include increased urination and constant thirst. Those affected often feel tired, experience a drop in performance, lose weight unintentionally, have visual disturbances and calf cramps. However, there are often no noticeable symptoms at the beginning. 

Anyone with diabetes should make sure they exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet to fight the excess kilos. It is also important to measure your blood sugar regularly and carry out regular laboratory checks, as well as having your retina examined by an ophthalmologist once a year and having your feet checked by your GP to prevent diabetic foot syndrome.

A healthy foot (left) compared to a foot with diabetic foot syndrome (right).

(Bild: Panumas - stock.adobe.com)

Untreated diabetes can have serious long-term consequences, such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage and visual impairment. 

Quick help on the Internet

The health hotline 1450 is available to answer health questions, even at night and at weekends. You can also find information on common health issues in the GP practice at kronemed.at. On the Internet, the health portal at www.gesundheit.gv.at offers a comprehensive range of information.

These contact points will help you

General practitioners
The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can cause anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed for many people affected. Type 2 diabetes is usually discovered during routine check-ups. The fasting blood sugar (fasting for at least 8 hours beforehand!) should be below 100mg/dl. From 126mg/dl in the blood sample, there is diabetes, in between this is called "glucose tolerance disorder", i.e. a preliminary stage of the disease. It is therefore important to diagnose diabetes as early as possible, as good regulation of blood glucose levels can reduce the risk of late complications

Diabetologist
As most patients unfortunately experience a gradual worsening of the metabolic disease over time, treatment should be adjusted accordingly. This can be done by a family doctor or a diabetologist. There are a variety of different medications that can be taken individually or in combination. The so-called HbA1c (haemoglobin A1c) can be used to check whether the therapy is working sufficiently. This value should always be 7 percent or lower. For older patients and patients with multiple diseases, however, the target can be set somewhat higher and therefore above 8 percent or 8.5 percent.

A healthy diet is an important part of diabetes treatment.

(Bild: Roman Möbius, stock.adobe.com)

Changing unhealthy eating habits is also important for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Dieticians can advise you on what you should eat and how to make the change. Free diabetes training is available through the ÖGK and is very useful.

Special outpatient clinics
Diabetes outpatient clinics come into play for patients who cannot be adequately treated in a general practitioner's or specialist's surgery. Such outpatient clinics also offer diabetes training (can also be carried out online, e.g. free of charge at www.therapie-aktiv. at) and dietary advice.

KroneMED - your new health portal 
On KroneMED, you can find everything you need to know about your medical condition and find out directly which is the right place to go for your complaints. Click through the clear and interactive KroneMED navigation.