Diabetes is one of the country’s most devastating diseases, in large part because it can lead to cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, foot damage, skin conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, hearing loss and other life-altering health conditions. Diabetes and its complications are costly, too, consuming one of every seven dollars spent on health care, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
None of this is breaking news. But in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic changed everything, including the complexion of diabetes.
Most notably, individuals with diabetes face a higher likelihood of experiencing serious complications from COVID-19, compared to people with normal blood sugar, says the ADA. The findings of a Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology study are even more alarming: Compared to people without diabetes, the risk of dying from COVID-19 is nearly three times higher for those who have type 1 diabetes and twice as high for those with type 2 diabetes.
On a positive note, the ADA states that the risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower with effective diabetes management, including healthy eating, physical exercise, taking medications as directed and regularly checking blood glucose levels.
But, of course, people can manage their diabetes only if they know that they have it.