CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon urged persons diagnosed with diabetes to undergo regular Fasting Blood Sugar or FBS tests for control and monitoring.
The agency issued this on Tuesday during the observance of World Diabetes Day.
DOH Central Luzon Center for Health and Development said that having an FBS test regularly and being aware of results will alleviate diabetes and help avoid side effects of the illness.
Some complications of diabetes are stroke, eye problems, heart attack, kidney failure, infections in sexual organs, nerve damage, and foot problems.
DOH advised that patients with controlled diabetes should get an FBS test at least once per quarter or four times a year.
Individuals who are susceptible to diabetes or experiencing symptoms of diabetes should also immediately consult healthcare professionals.
DOH said that susceptible to diabetes are patients with clinical symptoms such as polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, non-healing wound, or pruritus; pregnant women; overweight and obese adults; and adults with no symptoms ages 40 and above.
These include
persons with first-degree relatives with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Acanthosis nigricans, Tuberculosis, and Schizophrenia.
Standard screening tests for diabetes include FBS, which requires at least eight hours of fasting; two-hour plasma glucose or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test; and Random Plasma Glucose.
To avoid diabetes, a well-balanced diet, regular blood sugar test, exercise, and proper intake of medicines must be observed, the DOH added.
In Central Luzon, the province of Bulacan has the highest reported cases of Diabetes Mellitus with 14,042 cases.