What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition that can lead to diabetes. In many cases, adults with prediabetes have no obvious symptoms, but their blood sugar levels are higher than the norm. For reference, typical blood sugar levels range from 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL. However, in prediabetic individuals, blood sugar levels could rise to 110 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL. Though these levels are high, they don’t meet the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis, which is why many people aren’t aware they have prediabetes.
Besides potentially leading to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Once diagnosed with prediabetes, it’s important to check every one to two years for advancements to type 2 diabetes. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends rescreening every three years if the initial results are negative for prediabetes. The best way to prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes, a risk that’s as high as 70%, is to make lifestyle changes such as eating healthier and staying active.
What Causes Prediabetes?
There are certain things that can increase your risk of developing diabetes. These include:
– Being overweight or obese, especially if your body mass index (BMI) is over 25 kg/m^2
– Having a family history of diabetes (if a parent or sibling has it)
– If you’ve had diabetes during pregnancy (known as gestational diabetes)
– Being part of certain ethnic groups that have a higher risk, including African Americans, Hispanics/Latinx, Native Americans, or Asian/Pacific Islanders
– Having high blood pressure
– Not being physically active
– Having high levels of certain blood fats: either ‘good’ HDL cholesterol under 40 mg/dL for men or under 50 mg/dL for women, or triglycerides over 250 mg/dL
– Suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Keep in mind that having any of these factors doesn’t mean you will definitely develop diabetes, but rather, they increase your chances.
Risk Factors and Frequency for Prediabetes
Predetermined diabetes is quite common in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that roughly one in three American adults, or about 84 million individuals, currently have prediabetes. Yet, it’s alarming that nearly 90% of these people aren’t aware of their condition and the potential health risks that it carries.
The number of diabetes cases worldwide is also rapidly growing. Every year, around 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with this disease. This rise is closely tied to the increasing rates of obesity.
Yearly, diabetes ranks as the seventh leading cause of death in America and costs about $245 billion. Because of these serious circumstances, preventing the spread of diabetes should be a top national health priority. Although medical management and diagnostic studies are important, emphasizing prevention is critical since diabetes can be prevented.
- About 84 million American adults, or one in three, have prediabetes.
- Roughly 90% of these people are not aware they have prediabetes, adding to the health risks it poses.
- Each year in the US, around 1.5 million individuals are diagnosed with diabetes.
- There is a correlation between the rising rates of diabetes and obesity.
- Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death annually and costs approximately $245 billion in the US.
- Focusing on prevention is a main priority in battling diabetes, as it is a preventable disease.
Signs and Symptoms of Prediabetes
Prediabetes usually doesn’t show any symptoms in most patients, making regular health screenings particularly important, especially for those with a family history of diabetes. However, a small number of patients might experience symptoms like:
- Increased appetite
- Unexplained weight fluctuations
- High Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Feeling weak or fatigued
- Excessive sweating
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing of cuts or bruises
- Repeated skin infections or bleeding gums
The key sign of prediabetes is higher-than-normal blood sugar levels (but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes) detected by a blood test.
Testing for Prediabetes
To check for prediabetes, there are several tests your doctor might use:
The 12-hour fasting blood glucose test requires not eating or drinking anything except water for 12 hours, and then having your blood sugar measured. If your blood sugar is between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL, this could indicate prediabetes.
The two-hour glucose tolerance test involves drinking a solution that contains 75 grams of sugar. Your blood sugar will be measured before you drink the solution and two hours after. Levels between 140 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL could indicate prediabetes.
The glycated hemoglobin test measures your average blood sugar over 2 to 3 months. Known as the Hemoglobin A1C test, if your result falls between 5.7% and 6.4%, it could indicate prediabetes.
A random plasma glucose test measures your blood sugar at any random time, regardless of when you last ate. A reading between 140 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL may indicate prediabetes, but additional tests would be needed for a firm diagnosis.
Screening for prediabetes generally starts at ages 30 to 45 and is often repeated every 3 years. However, if you’re at high risk, your doctor might recommend starting earlier and testing more often.
Treatment Options for Prediabetes
The primary treatment for prediabetes involves lifestyle changes and significant weight loss. The goal is to lose 7% of your body weight through a low-fat diet and roughly 30 minutes of exercise each day. Though about 70% of people with prediabetes will eventually be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, this isn’t inevitable. With proper management, prediabetes can be reversed, preventing diabetes and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Some people might also need medications, particularly those who haven’t managed to maintain a healthy lifestyle or are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The most commonly prescribed drugs for prediabetes are metformin and acarbose. These can help prevent diabetes from developing and have minimal side effects, making them suitable for people with prediabetes.
What else can Prediabetes be?
- Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, which are conditions that affect how your body processes sugar
- Insulin resistance, which is when your body doesn’t respond effectively to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood sugar
- Metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels
Possible Complications When Diagnosed with Prediabetes
Long-term or severe health conditions can result in a variety of complications. Some of these include:
- Kidney failure (End stage renal disease)
- Loss of sight (Blindness)
- High blood pressure (Hypertension)
- Difficulty in processing insulin by the body (Insulin resistance)
- Damage to peripheral nerves (Peripheral neuropathy)
- Amputation of limbs (Limb loss)
