A diabetologist is a doctor who treats diabetes and its complications. Diabetes mellitus is currently one of the most common civilization diseases. As a chronic and incurable disease, diabetes requires long-term treatment in close cooperation with a diabetologist. Appropriate therapy helps to slow down the disease, avoid its dangerous consequences, and improve the patient's quality of life.

Diabetology is the name of a medical specialization that deals with the treatment of various types of diabetes and their complications. It comes from the Latin word diabetes, which in turn comes from the Greek διαβήτης. The Greek verb: διαβαίνειν, diabaínein literally meant "going through" or "draining" and referred to one of the main symptoms of diabetes, which is the body's excessive production of urine. Hence, people with diabetes are referred to as diabetics, and doctors treating diabetes as diabetologists.

Diabetologist - what does a diabetologist do?

A diabetologist, as a diabetes specialist, deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this disease, as well as other metabolic diseases related to carbohydrate disorders. A diabetologist recognizes the type of diabetes or a metabolic disorder, and in the event of complications, he / she refers the patient to an appropriate specialist, e.g. a neurologist, cardiologist, ophthalmologist.

The diabetologist also issues referrals for additional tests and qualifies people with diabetes for surgery.

Worth knowing

To become a diabetologist, you must complete medical studies and specialization in internal medicine or paediatrics. Then you need to undergo a two-year training program introduced by the Ministry of He alth, which ends with a state specialization exam.

The duties of a diabetologist include a thorough interview with the patient, thanks to which he learns about the patient's lifestyle and habits. The interview allows for the application of appropriate treatment in the patient, consisting in systematic self-monitoring of glycaemia (sugar level), insulin therapy, pharmacotherapy as well as proper nutrition and physical activity.

In addition, the diabetologist teaches the patient to use a glucometer (a device for measuring blood sugar) to independently carry out glycemic control and devices for insulin injection (injectors, pumps).insulin). In the modern system of treating and caring for patients with diabetes, he is sometimes helped by a diabetes nurse.

Diabetologist - what diseases does he treat?

A diabetologist deals with the treatment of diseases and metabolic disorders such as:

  1. type 1 diabetes
  2. type 2 diabetes
  3. gestational diabetes
  4. secondary diabetes
    • MODY diabetes
    • genetically determined defects in the action of insulin
    • neonatal diabetes
    • LADA diabetes
    • endocrinopathies, e.g. Cushing's disease, hyperthyroidism, acromegaly
    • Diabetes induced by drugs or other chemicals
    • Rare forms of immune-related diabetes
    • diabetes caused by infections, e.g. congenital rubella, cytomegalovirus,
    • genetic diseases in which diabetes may be present, e.g. Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Wolfram syndrome, Friedreich's disease, Huntington's chorea, porphyria
  5. metabolic diseases in children, e.g. phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis
  6. hypoglycemia, i.e. the state of low sugar
  7. hyperglycemia, i.e. high blood sugar
  8. insulin resistance

Diabetologist - when to see a doctor?

You should see a diabetologist when blood count results show abnormal blood sugar levels. You can also get advice online, but they work well with a clearly defined diagnosis and possible consultations with a doctor. In the case of alarming results, which may indicate a possible development of the disease, it is worth signing up for a traditional visit.

It is also worth visiting a diabetologist during pregnancy, as there is a risk of gestational diabetes due to hormonal changes. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your blood glucose levels during pregnancy. In the event of any abnormalities, a visit to a diabetologist is a must, as untreated gestational diabetes may endanger the he alth of both the mother and the child.

Diabetologist - treatment methods

The basic recommendation issued by a diabetologist, aimed at normalizing the carbohydrate and metabolic processes in the body, is changing the lifestyle, i.e. introducing an appropriate diet and physical activity adapted to the individual condition of the patient. In the treatment of diabetes and metabolic disorders, it is also very important to get rid of all addictions, especially quitting smoking and giving up alcohol.

Diabetes and sport. What exercise is recommended in diabetes?

Where the same style changelife is insufficient, the diabetologist uses other methods of treatment, which are:

  • pharmacotherapy- it is used when the target blood glucose level has not been reached despite a change in lifestyle in a diabetic. It is also a way to reduce the risk of developing complications from diabetes or other metabolic diseases.
  • insulin therapy- it is used when there is no or too little insulin in the patient's body (type 1 diabetes), or when, despite taking drugs, insulin does not work properly (e.g. type 2 diabetes). Insulin therapy is based on the administration of the hormone insulin from the outside. Depending on the type of disease and its development, several types of insulin therapy are introduced: intensive (IIT), functional (FIT), functional, simple, conventional (complex).

Adequate diet is crucial in the treatment of diabetes, which is why the diabetologist often works with a dietitian.

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