Diabetes control rates in Mexico, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico): In Mexico, only 33% of people with diabetes keep the disease under control, even though nine out of 10 patients receive pharmacological treatment. In addition, about 30% of the population with elevated blood glucose levels is unaware of their diagnosis, which presents a challenge for timely detection and care.
According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey, the prevalence of diabetes in Mexico is 17%, equivalent to approximately 14.4 million adults living with the condition. The country is among the most affected in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region where more than 40 million adults have diabetes and about half do not know they have it.
Ahead of World Diabetes Day, which is observed on November 14, specialists from Argentina, Colombia and Mexico warned about the importance of strengthening prevention, early diagnosis and access to adequate treatments to avoid complications that can affect various organs of the body.
During a regional virtual meeting organized by Sanofi, the specialists emphasized that regular medical consultations and routine testing make it possible to identify the disease in time and begin appropriate treatment.
Alejandro Marín, an endocrinologist and opinion leader on diabetes in Colombia, explained that one of the main problems is that many people live with the disease without knowing it, so late diagnosis increases the risk of cardiovascular, kidney and vision complications.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for the majority of cases and develops when the body does not use insulin properly or does not produce enough of it to keep blood glucose levels within recommended ranges.
Major risk factors include overweight, physical inactivity, family history and age. One of the difficulties in identifying it is that it can progress for years without obvious symptoms.
For this reason, specialists recommend maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, controlling weight and attending periodic medical checkups, especially when risk factors are present. Blood glucose tests can detect abnormalities before complications appear.
Early detection is also essential for type 1 diabetes. Unlike type 2, type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system progressively destroys the pancreatic cells responsible for producing insulin.
It can appear at any age and is not related to eating habits or physical activity.
It is usually identified when symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination and fatigue appear. However, in some cases the diagnosis occurs only when the person develops diabetic ketoacidosis, an acute complication that can be life-threatening.
Specific autoantibody tests are now available that can identify certain people in presymptomatic stages, even before clinical manifestations appear. This option is especially relevant for those with first-degree relatives who have type 1 diabetes, although most patients have no known family history.
Laura Pomares, a physician in the Endocrinology and Diabetes Service at Hospital Juan Pablo II and medical coordinator of the Diabetology Unit at CEGYM in Corrientes, said that timing is decisive in treating both types of diabetes, although detection strategies differ.
She explained that while in type 2 diabetes it is necessary to identify risk factors and promote timely checkups, in type 1 autoantibody evaluation in selected people allows recognition of stages before symptoms emerge.
Regarding treatment, insulin is indispensable for the survival of people with type 1 diabetes and may also be necessary at certain stages of type 2 diabetes.
Gisela Ayala, executive director of the Mexican Diabetes Federation, stressed that since its discovery more than a century ago, insulin has saved millions of lives and remains an essential tool for treating the disease.
She also noted that various therapeutic alternatives currently exist, including insulin analogues and monitoring tools that allow treatments to be adapted to each patient’s needs.
The specialist underscored that care should consider each person’s clinical characteristics and their ability to follow medical instructions over the long term, with the aim of controlling glucose levels, preventing complications and preserving quality of life.
Given the growth of diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean, the specialists agreed on the need to expand access to screening, strengthen medical care and guarantee timely treatment, since identifying the disease early and maintaining constant medical follow-up can reduce risks and improve the living conditions of those who have it.
