Pre-Diabetes, Diabetes and Weight Loss Injections at The Reduce Clinic
Diabetes UK gave an estimate that the number of people with Diabetes in the UK was 4.4 million with an extra 1.2 million people also having it without being officially diagnosed. 90% of these have Type 2 Diabetes making it by far the commonest type. When I see patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes in surgery there are 2 messages I want them to take away with them from the consultation.
Firstly, problems in diabetes are due to the accelerated rate of furring in the blood vessels which increases the risk of future problems such as heart attacks and strokes, damage to the kidneys and damage to the eyes – all caused by blockages and narrowing in the vessels.
The second important message was that fighting Type 2 diabetes can be helped by reducing fat intake as much as sugar intake as being overweight is a major factor in developing the high blood sugar of type 2 Diabetes.
These simple messages are equally important for patients diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes sometimes referred to as Borderline Diabetes or coded on medical records as Impaired Glucose Regulation, Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Non-Diabetic Hyperglycaemia.
This is when the blood tests show that the blood sugar marker is above normal threshold but not at the level high enough to be classed as Diabetes. On the usual HbA1C blood test this is usually a level between 42-47 with 41 or less being within normal range and 48 or more being in the Diabetic range
Some patients are at higher risk of developing Pre-Diabetes such as people with a family history of Diabetes, people of South Asian, Black African or African-Caribbean descent, patients with high blood pressure and patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. As stated previously being overweight or obese is probably the most important factor as it is very treatable.
Although the bad news is that 1 in 10 patients with Pre-Diabetes go on to develop Diabetes each year, the good news is that 1 in 10 patients revert back to a normal level of blood sugar. The challenge for patients and doctors is to try and be in the latter group and lower the risk of becoming Diabetic.
It will be no surprise to learn that the 3 main ways to reduce sugar levels and prevent progression to Diabetes is to exercise more, eat a healthy diet and lose weight. The American Diabetes Association found that a 7% loss of weight in patients with Pre-Diabetes reduced the risk of developing Diabetes by 60%
Incretins which are the active medication in the weight loss injections, reduce sugar levels by helping the pancreas produce insulin and preventing other organs like the liver releasing sugar into the blood. They also help to bring about significant weight loss of up to 20% which helps prevent Diabetes as well as reducing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol.
Although the Incretin medication can lower blood sugar, it tends to help produce Insulin only when the blood sugar is high and so the medication is not usually associated with low sugar (Hypoglycaemia) episodes.
As a precaution, the doctors at the clinic will not at present prescribe Incretin medication for patients formally diagnosed with Diabetes and on treatment. This is to avoid interaction and avoid confusion with medication already prescribed by your usual doctor.
However, for patients diagnosed with Borderline or Pre-Diabetes the medication would be very suitable for those who are overweight or obese.
At “The Reduce Clinic” we will monitor your weight and advise you on exercise and diet. We can refer you to our specialist Dieticians who are experts in diets tailored for you as an individual. We will prescribe and regularly assess you while you are on the weight-loss medication to give you the best chance of keeping your blood sugar under control and getting you as healthy as possible.
Together we can help prevent Pre-Diabetes becoming Diabetes.
