Signs and Symptoms for Diabetes and other illnesses:
Diabetes has many signs and symptoms which can sometimes be noticed as different illnesses and this is when people start to misread their symptoms of being something else and this is how they tend to worsen their illness. Some people can not be bothered to go to the local health centre to see whether what illness they have. For example one of the signs and symptoms for diabetes which Mrs Bibi had was itchiness around her genitals which she thought was normal as she though it was thrush which is also another symptom of diabetes. Also a blurred vision is another common sign of diabetes and this is when Mrs Bibi was having trouble with her eyesight.
Diabetes is similar to other illnesses like heart disease and stroke because in the past of Mrs Bibi she had a stroke twice and was immediately taken into hospital and that is why Mrs Bibi has to be very careful not to trigger her diabetes.
What is the connection between diabetes, heart disease, and stroke?
If you have diabetes, you are at least twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke. People with diabetes also tend to develop heart disease or have strokes at an earlier age than other people. If you are middle-aged and have type 2 diabetes, some studies suggest that your chance of having a heart attack is as high as someone without diabetes who has already had one heart attack. Women who have not gone through menopause usually have less risk of heart disease than men of the same age. But women of all ages with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease because diabetes cancels out the protective effects of being a woman in her child-bearing years.
People with diabetes who have already had one heart attack run an even greater risk of having a second one. In addition, heart attacks in people with diabetes are more serious and more likely to result in death. High blood glucose levels over time can lead to increased deposits of fatty materials on the insides of the blood vessel walls. These deposits may affect blood flow, increasing the chance of clogging and hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis).
What are the risk factors for heart disease and stroke in people with diabetes?
Diabetes itself is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Also, many people with diabetes have other conditions that increase their chance of developing heart disease and stroke. These conditions are called risk factors. One risk factor for heart disease and stroke is having a family history of heart disease. If one or more members of your family had a heart attack at an early age (before age 55 for men or 65 for women), you may be at increased risk.
You can’t change whether heart disease runs in your family, but you can take steps to control the other risk factors for heart disease listed here:
Having central obesity: A waist measurement of more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women means you have central obesity. Your risk of heart disease is higher because abdominal fat can increase the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol, the type of blood fat that can be deposited on the inside of blood vessel walls.
Having abnormal blood fat (cholesterol) levels: LDL cholesterol can build up inside your blood vessels, leading to narrowing and hardening of your arteries—the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Arteries can then become blocked. Therefore, high levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk of getting heart disease.
Having high blood pressure: If you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, your heart must work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure can strain the heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems.
Smoking: Smoking doubles your risk of getting heart disease. Stopping smoking is especially important for people with diabetes because both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels. Smoking also increases the risk of other long-term complications, such as eye problems. In addition, smoking can damage the blood vessels in your legs and increase the risk of amputation.
How is asthma diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose asthma mainly by asking you questions about your health, and possibly doing certain tests. As a general guide:
- You'll be asked if there's a family history of asthma or allergies
- You'll be asked if there any other signs of chest disease or heart disease
- You'll have a lung function test using a peak flow meter (a device that measures how hard and quickly you blow air out of your lungs to see how well they're working)
- You may be given a drug to open your airways to measure your lung capacity
Signs and Symptoms of Asthma and other illnesses
Mr Haque is a Asthma suffer but however there are others symptoms which can lead to other illness and just because an individual has symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing, coughing, or difficulty breathing does not necessarily mean that they have asthma. Other health conditions have symptoms that may mimic asthma symptoms. Let’s look at some common "asthma mimics."
Conditions that can mimic asthma include:
Sinusitis: Also called a sinus infection; an inflammation or swelling of the sinuses. Sinusitis and asthma often coexist.
Myocardial ischemia: A disease of heart function characterized by inadequate blood flow to the muscle tissue of the heart.
Pulmonary embolism: A blood clot in the pulmonary artery in the lungs.
Angina: Chest pain due to lack of blood flow to the heart.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A general term for several lung diseases, most commonly emphysema and chronic bronchitis, most commonly caused by cigarette smoking.
Chronic bronchitis: Irritation and inflammation (swelling) of the lining in the air passages, also a form of COPD from smoking.
Congestive heart failure: A heart condition in which the heart does not pump correctly, leading to a build up of fluid in the lungs.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): This virus can cause bronchitis and pneumonia in children and may lead to childhood asthma.
These are other illnesses which an individual can have, and just because some symptoms are similar to Asthma does not mean the person has Asthma. They have to seek medical advice and allow the doctor or consultant to diagnose the illness if they do have it.
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-mimcs
