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Lack of exercise, check-ups, stress during lockdown resulted in spike in sugar levels, say Pune doctors
Due to the weakened immune system, people suffering from diabetes are prone to develop infections, and may take a longer time to get back on track, says Dr Sanjay Ingle, zonal pathologist, Apollo Diagnostics
During lockdown diabetic patients have reported an unusual spike in blood sugar levels, say city doctors.
The primary reason for the spike is faulty lifestyle including lack of exercise, and irregular blood sugar level checkups, unhealthy food choices while sitting at home and fear and stress due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, say doctors.
Dr Sanjay Ingle, zonal pathologist, Apollo Diagnostics, said, “Since people are advised to stay at home; it is the need of the hour to keep a tab on the sugar levels. People with high or unmanaged blood sugar levels tend to have less than normal blood flow, owing to which the body finds it difficult to harness nutrients and heal.”
“Due to the weakened immune system, people suffering from diabetes are prone to develop infections, and may take a longer time to get back on track,” he said.
He further added, “It is vital to keep your blood sugar levels in your target range to prevent serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.”
Dr Milind Patil, associated with Sahyadri hospital, said, “It is true that we are witnessing a spike in the number of such cases. Some patients have also complained of lack of access to their regular medicines.”
“Along with blood sugar spike, weight gain and complications due to diabetes like foot infections and urine infections are also rising. People can opt for either online consultations or glucometer to check their sugar levels at home,” said Dr Patil.
Dr Reema Kashiva, an endocrinologist at Noble Hospital, said, “Due to the lockdown, people are ignoring healthy lifestyle and food choices. In addition, fear and stress due to multiple factors primarily Covid-19, economic loss, job loss, domestic violence, the stress in the family all causes for the stress levels to go up which causes the sugar levels to spike up too.”
“Patients, especially senior citizens could not attend regular OPD’s and also get their regular medicines which caused the spike drastically when they came for their checkups a few months later,” said Dr Kashiva.
