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Nearly one in four Singaporean adults is at high risk of having a heart attack because they either have diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance which means their bodies are resistant to insulin, said Kevin Tan, consultant endocrinologist and chairman of the committee for 2002’s World Diabetes Day Singapore.

He added that these individuals have the same risk of having a heart attack as those who already have coronary heart disease. Furthermore, if diabetes is left untreated, elevated blood sugar can also result in kidney failure and blindness.

However, having diabetes is not all bad news as today, with all the advances in medicine and research on this silent killer, sufferers can lead long and happy lives.

WHAT IS DIABETES?
It is when the body is unable to control levels of sugar in the blood. According to the National Health Survey 2004 compiled by the Ministry of Health, 8.2 per cent of Singaporeans between the ages of 18 to 69 have diabetes. Also, startlingly, about 50 per cent of individuals suffering from diabetes are not aware that they have the condition (source: National Health Survey 2004 by the Ministry of Health, Singapore).

There are two types of diabetes - Type I which is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes and Type II which is known as non-insulin diabetes and the most common. Type I is diagnosed in younger people before age 30 and frequently during childhood, while Type II sets in later in life, affecting the middle-aged and elderly. If you are over the age of 40, have a family history of diabetes, are overweight, and have hypertension (high blood pressure) or high cholesterol, you should screen yourself yearly for diabetes.

LINK BETWEEN HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES
High blood sugar can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.

Diabetes can also increase your blood cholesterol. When cholesterol is too high, the insides of large blood vessels become clogged and narrowed, a condition called "atherosclerosis". Such blood vessels make it harder for enough healthy blood to get to all parts of your body. This in turn can cause chest pains (angina), heart attack or cardiomyopathy.

Clogged and narrowed blood vessels leave a smaller opening for blood to flow through, leading to high blood pressure. Diabetes and high blood pressure often go hand-in-hand. If you have heart, eye, or kidney problems from diabetes, high blood pressure can make them worse.

WHY MONITOR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?
Measuring blood sugar (glucose) levels will enable you to control your diabetes where you can then make adjustments to your meal plan accordingly. Monitoring blood sugar levels is much more accurate and reliable than urine testing.

Home blood sugar monitors like Sof Tact are virtually painless as they draw blood from an alternate site like the forearm instead of the traditional finger prick where the nerve endings are more sensitive. Furthermore it allows you to keep an accurate record of up to 450 levels in between your regular check-ups where you can detect abnormal blood sugar levels early and seek appropriate treatment or diet modification.

The aim of diabetes control is to keep your blood glucose level between 4 - under 10 mmol/L (80 - under 180 mg/dL) at all times. In the long run, this will prevent or slowdown the onset of serious complications and allow you to lead a quality life. For control of your diabetes, you need to balance your meals, exercise and take medications so that your blood glucose level lies between 4 to under 8 mmol/L (80 to under 140 mg/dL) before a meal and 6 to under 10 mmol/L (120 to under 180 mg/dL) two hours after a meal.

KEEPING TRACK
Keep an accurate record of your blood sugar levels in a book. Show it to your doctor at each check-up visit so that he or she will be able determine the effectiveness of the treatment that you are receiving.