Intensive insulin therapy can keep diabetic complications away, but it comes with drawbacks too

Intensive insulin therapy is an aggressive treatment procedure that comes with many benefits. But it also has its own disadvantages.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Published: February 20, 2020 1:52 pm

Tags: Diabetes treatment insulin therapy

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According to a new study at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, ‘older patients with diabetes and multiple comorbidities were more likely to be treated to a lower A1c level with insulin’. This exposes them to the risk of hypoglycemia. At the same time, younger and healthier patients who may benefit from more aggressive therapy had bad glycemic control. Researchers say that ‘patients who get intensive treatment are those who are also likely to suffer because of it. But they also add that those “who would benefit from more intensive treatment are not receiving the basic care that they need’.

Intensive insulin therapy

This is an aggressive treatment procedure where you need to closely monitor your blood sugar levels and take multiple doses of insulin in a day. Your doctor will decide on whether to go for this treatment based on your age, overall health and health factors.

Benefits of intensive insulin therapy

The best thing about this treatment procedure is that it is good for preventing or slowing the progression of long-term diabetes complications. Moreover, experts say that it reduces the risk of vision loss by almost 75 per cent and the risk of diabetic neuropathy by 60 per cent. Intensive insulin therapy can also prevent or slow down the progression of kidney disease, so common in diabetes patients, by 50 per cent. It can also keep your energy level up and lead to a sense of general well-being.

The downside of intensive insulin therapy

This treatment procedure can cause hypoglycemia or a fall in your blood sugar levels. This is a dangerous condition and a very real danger of this treatment. If you are unable to recognize the symptoms, it can lead to fatal complications. Another disadvantage is that it may cause weight gain. This happens because, when use insulin to control blood sugar levels, the sugar in your bloodstream enters cells in your body. Your body changes this to fat.

Older people must not go in for this treatment procedure. The same goes for people with any problems in the heart, blood vessel or any diabetes complications

Published : February 20, 2020 1:52 pm

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