Being diagnosed with diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes, can be a troubling experience. Add to that when you realize that your life expectancy can become shorter. While death or fatality is not a good topic for those who have just been diagnosed with the condition, it is still a necessity for someone to learn of the remaining years or life period they have.
Without any regard to the type of medical condition that people get, learning the life expectancy is somehow important. In terms of diabetes diagnosis, how the condition complicates can reduce the life expectancy of a person. This explains the availability of medications to prolong life and, if possible, defeat the disease.
Living with diabetes
For individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, their life expectancy is shortened to almost 20 years. This is according to the report provided by Diabetes UK, which studies the statistics of individuals with diabetes mellitus.
In spite of this overwhelming reduction, it has also been noted that for years, people who are strictly following their diabetes medications and treatment have lived longer than expected. This improvement seen in the medical field affirms the efficiency of insulin medications and other forms of diabetes treatments.
Additionally, a study conducted for the past three decades has concluded that individuals with the said condition, who were born following the year 1965, had enjoyed and prospered life for as much as 69 years. This only backs up how effective and advanced the science is in providing these individuals with the right diabetes treatment.
If treatment is not administered, the continuing spike in the body’s levels of blood sugar can cause different health complications. These are as follows:
- Kidney problems
- Heart illnesses
- Eye disease
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
How to improve your life expectancy?
Looking for ways to enjoy life longer amidst the condition is a smart undertaking. Thankfully, these ways are easily adapted and applied. Consider the following:
- Maintaining the state of your body’s blood sugar
- Following a healthy and appropriate lifestyle, which involves observing the right diet and having a regular exercise
Takeaway
Since the condition usually happens to people during their younger days, it is expected that their life expectancy becomes lessened than what normal people enjoy. However, with the availability of insulin treatment, they can enjoy life longer. This improvement in preventive and therapeutic medicine ensures that life is always given a chance, considering that the right type of treatment is available and accessible.
