This week the RX series team celebrate Diabetes Awareness Week. This is an annual event in the UK calendar, giving public the chance to raise as much awareness as possible for the condition and get involved with taking preventative action.

Diabetes is a chronic disease which causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. Since 1996, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has risen from 1.4 million to 3.5 million. Of these, about 270,000 have type 2 diabetes and around 300,000 have type 1 diabetes. ₁

Diabetes prevalence in the UK is likely to rise to 5 million by 2025, therefore if we know our risks and are aware of symptoms, we can do something about this staggering figure. Certain risks associated with diabetes include age, family history, high blood pressure and being overweight. As this disease continues to challenge healthcare today it is important we take action on Diabetes Awareness Week.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes include unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, tiredness and lack of energy, excessive thirst, blurred vision, tingling sensation/numbness in the hands or feet and slow-healing wounds.

Whilst the condition cannot be cured, it is treatable and can be managed and controlled with different treatments to suit different people. There are several assays that Randox have developed to monitor and diagnose diabetes. These include; Fructosamine, Glucose and HbA1c. Monitoring diabetes is hugely important to ensure that you are safe from complications.

The RX series includes a vast Diabetes test Panel.

#DiabetesAwarenessWeek has allowed us to focus on how we can take action by diagnosing and monitoring diabetes effectively.  See below three tests run on the RX series for monitoring and diagnosing diabetes.

Glucose

High levels of glucose present in the blood over a sustained period of time can end up damaging the blood vessels. Glucose comes from carbohydrate foods and it is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body’s cells use the glucose and helps ensure levels don’t rise too high.

HbA1c

HbA1c is a very common test used indicating the blood glucose levels for the previous two to three months. HbA1c levels are directly correlated with increased risk of diabetes related deaths, making HbA1c tests vital.

Fructosamine

Fructosamine testing enables an accurate review of a person’s average blood glucose level, and therefore diabetic status over a period of 2-3 weeks. Fructosamine testing is required for medication changes, gestational diabetes, red blood cell concerns and comorbidities.

 

If you would like to educate yourself more on Diabetes, including the diagnosis and monitoring, complications monitoring and associated biomarkers visit our website. We also have a full test menu available here.

Check out www.diabetes.org.uk for ways in which you can be a part of Diabetes Awareness Week this 2017!

Don’t forget to keep posted on our social media accounts for more educational information all week, remember use the hashtags to join in! #KnowDiabetes #DiabetesWeek #FightDiabetes