Many people only discover they have diabetes after the disease has\ncaused complications, even though it can be controlled if recognised\nearly and managed consistently. Chairperson of the Indonesian Diabetes\nEducators Association (PEDI), Dr.\u00a0Ida Ayu Made Kshanti, Sp.PD-KEMD, said\nlow health literacy remains a key reason people delay visiting health\nfacilities. \u201cWhy do our people come to health facilities when it is\nalready too late? Because our health literacy is not yet evenly\ndistributed. Many people also still delay or even deny it despite having\nrisk factors,\u201d Dr.\u00a0Ida Ayu said during a media discussion titled\n\u2018End-to-End Diabetes Ecosystem Support: From Prevention to Long-Term\nManagement\u2019 held by PT Kalbe Farma Tbk in Jakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to her, some people feel fine because they exercise\nregularly or do not have severe complaints. However, a healthy lifestyle\nalone does not always eliminate the risk of diabetes, especially if\nthere is a family history of the disease or other risk factors. Dr.\u00a0Ida\nAyu reminded the public not to stop merely at blood sugar test results.\nAfter knowing the numbers, a person also needs to evaluate other risk\nfactors, such as family history of diabetes, body weight, lifestyle, and\ncomorbid health conditions. \u201cWhen you finish checking your blood sugar\nand get the result, do not stop there. Understand whether the number is\nstill normal or needs further attention. Also look at the risk factors,\nincluding family history,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She explained that diabetes symptoms are not always the same for\neveryone. Some experience clear complaints, but others only feel mild\nchanges that are often ignored. One symptom to watch for is excessive\nthirst accompanied by frequent urination, especially at night. This\ncondition occurs because high blood sugar levels make the kidneys work\nharder, causing the body to lose a lot of fluid. \u201cIf someone frequently\nurinates at night due to high blood sugar, that is already a warning\nsign,\u201d Dr.\u00a0Ida Ayu said. Another fairly typical symptom is constant\nhunger despite having eaten, yet weight actually decreases.\nAdditionally, sufferers may experience unexplained fatigue. \u201cDo not keep\nlooking for excuses or consider it normal. If the body gives signals\nthat are different from usual, especially if you have risk factors,\nimmediately find out the cause,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
According to Dr.\u00a0Ida Ayu, managing diabetes is not enough with just\nmedication or health technology. Continuous education is the foundation\nfor patients to understand their disease and remain compliant with\ntherapy and lifestyle changes. \u201cThe success of diabetes management is\nnot solely determined by medication. Patients need to understand their\ndisease to be able to carry out medical management consistently.\nContinuous education helps improve therapy adherence while preventing\ncomplications,\u201d she said. Based on data from the International Diabetes\nFederation (IDF), Indonesia ranks fifth in the world with more than 20\nmillion people with diabetes. Meanwhile, the 2023 Indonesian Health\nSurvey (SKI) shows the prevalence of diabetes reached 11.7 percent among\nthe population aged 15 years and above. However, adherence to treatment\nand routine check-ups remains relatively low, especially among the\nproductive age group. Dr.\u00a0Ida Ayu emphasised that early detection,\neducation, and long-term assistance are key for people with diabetes to\ncontrol their disease and avoid complications such as heart disease,\nkidney disorders, and nerve damage.<\/p>\n
During the Media Discussion, Pharma Director of PT Kalbe Farma Tbk,\nDr.\u00a0Selvinna, M.Biomed., said diabetes is not a disease that can be\nmanaged with short-term therapy. People with diabetes need assistance\nfrom understanding risk factors, undergoing early detection, starting\ntherapy, to managing the disease in the long term. \u201cWe believe no person\nwith diabetes should go through their disease journey alone. At the same\ntime, successful diabetes management also requires patient compliance in\ncarrying out medical management as recommended by health professionals,\u201d\nshe added. This approach is also relevant in daily clinical practice.\nChairperson of the West Jakarta Branch of PERSADIA, Dr.\u00a0Marshell\nTendean, Sp.PD, Subsp. E.M.D., FINASIM, explained that the biggest\nchallenge often arises after patients receive a diabetes diagnosis. Many\npatients face difficulties maintaining therapy adherence and long-term\nlifestyle changes. This condition increases the risk of complications if\nnot followed by continuous assistance. \u201cIn daily practice, we see many\npatients come when complications have already started to appear. This\ncondition often occurs because diabetes is detected late or therapy is\nnot carried out consistently. In fact, adherence to medical management\nis the key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing\ncomplications.\u201d<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/early-detection-key-to-preventing-diabetes-complications-doctor-says-1785981104", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }