Type 2 diabetes can stay silent for six years, specialist says

Type 2 diabetes can stay silent for about six years before it is detected, and it now affects 17% of adults in Algeria.

Algérie 360 reported that many Algerians may have the disease without knowing it. Professor Adlen Zaamouche, a specialist in internal medicine, discussed diabetes in the first episode of the Diabète360 video series.

The episode covers how the disease works, how it is diagnosed and which people are most at risk.

Zaamouche said that diabetes is a long-term rise in the level of sugar in the blood (chronic hyperglycaemia). This silent period makes diagnosis harder and can delay treatment, and some people live with the disease without knowing they have it.

Zaamouche also said that the disease is growing in Algeria, where it is a public health issue. He spoke about the need for early screening.

How do doctors confirm diabetes?

The first test measures fasting blood glucose, taken after at least eight hours without food. A result of 1.26 g/l or more, checked again and found the same, is enough to diagnose diabetes.

The second test measures glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), which shows the average blood sugar over the past two to three months. A result of 6.5% or more is also a diagnostic criterion for the disease.

These blood tests confirm that a person has the disease, but the type must still be found so that treatment can be adapted.

What are the two types?

Type 1 diabetes is usually found in children and young people. The body produces almost no insulin, so treatment relies on insulin.

Type 2 diabetes affects about 95% of people with diabetes, the specialist said. It usually appears in adults, when the body does not make enough insulin for its needs or the cells use it poorly.

The best-known symptoms are excessive thirst and frequent urges to urinate.

Some patients start with tablets rather than insulin, but insulin can become necessary after several years of the disease, Zaamouche said.