Are Diabetics More Susceptible to Swine Flu?

Experts are warning of a pandemic of swine flu is coming. With a world epidemic, some segments of the population may be more at risk than others - for example, diabetics

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Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes is often called, is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels.

World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes three types of diabetes:

Diabetes type 1 (insulin injections are needed) Type 2 Diabetes (can be treated with medication) gestational diabetes (can happen during pregnancy)

All three species have similar signs and symptoms, but each has a different cause.

Diabetes and treatments can cause many complications.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site, diabetes can make the immune system more vulnerable to severe cases of influenza. People with diabetes who went down with the flu can become very ill and May even have to go to the hospital.

blooming with the swine flu in more than 24,000 cases in the world and spread to over 42% in the United States within just a few short weeks, it is critical that people with diabetes to plan ahead and take precautions.

Preparations and Precautions

CDC warns that illness itself can raise blood glucose levels. In addition, the disease can be prevented eat properly, which further affects blood glucose levels.

Here are the daily actions you can take to stay healthy.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Influenza is thought to be mainly transmitted person to person through coughing or sneezing by infected people. If you become ill, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others.

Here are some tips from the CDC:

Be sure to continue to take diabetes pills or insulin. Do not stop taking them even if you can not eat. Your doctor will advise you May even be more insulin during sickness. Test your blood glucose every four hours, and monitor results. Drink extra (calorie-free) fluids, and try to eat as usual. If you can not eat normally, try to take soft foods and liquids that contain the same amount of carbohydrates that are commonly consumed. weigh every day. Losing weight without trying is a sign of high blood glucose levels. Check the temperature every morning and evening. Fever may be a sign of infection.

CDC also advises that you call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if any of the following happen to you:

You feel too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours. you have severe diarrhea. you'll lose 5 pounds or more. Your hotter than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.33 Celsius). Your blood glucose less than 60 mg / dL or remains over 300 mg / dL. Do you have moderate or large amounts of ketones in the urine. Do you have trouble breathing. You feel sleepy or can not think clearly.

Clean hands can help save lives

If things go from bad to worse, on May be difficult to find running water. However, it is still important to wash hands to avoid disease or infection, especially when blood glucose testing or treatment of wounds.

When you get your hands are visibly dirty, you should wash them with soap and warm water when available. If soap and water are not available, use a disinfectant alcohol-based hand.

When you wash your hands?

before preparing or eating food. After going to the bathroom. After changing diapers or cleaning a child who went to the bathroom. Before and after caring for someone who is ill. After handling uncooked foods, especially raw meat, poultry or fish. After blowing nose, coughing, or sneezing. after handling animals or animal waste. after handling garbage. Before and after treating a cut or wound. After handling items contaminated by floodwater or sewage.

Planning for Pandemic

One of the first steps in planning for a pandemic or other public health emergency is making sure you and your family, including pets, have two weeks supply of food, water and medicines.

If your diabetes medication is low, it May be time for a refill. It will be very difficult to get to the store or stores may be out of supplies during the outbreak, so it will be important for you to have extra supplies on hand before this happens.

Also, plan ways to reduce their contact with other people as you go about your business. small decisions that make each day will determine how hard you and your loved ones will be affected.