Every 7 in 10 individuals is known to have uncontrolled blood sugar levels and currently, diabetes is wreaking havoc on one’s health just like a heart attack or stroke. It has become a pandemic and silent killer in India.

India's diabetes epidemic:

Dr Rajiv Kovil, Head of Diabetology at Zandra Healthcare and Co-Founder of Rang De Neela Initiative, shared, “Type 1 diabetes damages the beta cells of the pancreas and hence prevents your pancreas from making insulin. Genetics, autoimmune factors, hormonal fluctuations due to menopause, and stress can lead to type 1 diabetes.”

He explained, “Type 1 diabetes can be auto immune or idiopathic. It is a life-long condition that causes symptoms such as frequent thirst and urination, unintentional weight loss, fatigue, vaginal yeast infections, and slows wound healing. Having high sugar due to uncontrolled diabetes impacts one’s overall well-being, permanent damage to the nerves, eyes, and gall bladder and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which is a pressing issue that affects people with diabetes. Those with DKA may experience symptoms such as rapid breathing, dehydration, headache, dehydration, flushed face, inability to focus nausea and vomiting.”

Dr Rajiv Kovil added, “Moreover, a diabetes-related coma can be a result of very high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to a diabetic coma, unconsciousness, and ultimately death. Type 1 Diabetes is difficult to manage and needs expert guidance and huge emotional and moral support from family and care giver. Having high diabetes needs regular follow-ups and check-ups and lifestyle modifications. Those with Type 1 diabetes should do blood sugar monitoring regularly and take medication prescribed by the doctor.”

Most people with type 1 diabetes are able to manage their sugars usually within a few months to years of diabetes. Dr Rajiv Kovil elaborated, “A person with type 1 diabetes usually trains himself and educates himself well about the disorder and usually becomes self sufficient and independent. They require certain check ups annually to look for any complications. With the advent of technology like cgms amd sensor augmented insulin pumps, treating type 1 diabetes has become a little easy in the last decade but these treatments are expensive as well.”

Breakthrough therapies for type 1 diabetes: Is a cure finally in sight?

Talking about the many breakthrough therapies in type 1 diabetes, Dr Rajiv Kovil highlighted -

1. Donislecel, sold under the brand name Lantidra, is a cellular therapy medication used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Donislecel is an allogeneic (donor) pancreatic islet cellular therapy made from deceased donor pancreatic cells.

2. Some patients can go off insulin using this new therapy which got a US FDA approval for the treatment of people with type1 diabetes with recurrent low blood sugars.

3. Teplizumab, a monoclonal antibody that delayed the onset of clinically diagnosed stage 3 type 1 diabetes by a median of about 2 years in clinical trials, gained FDA approval for patients aged 8 years or older with stage 2 disease.

Dr Rajiv Kovil concluded, “Some of these newer therapies can modify the progression of type 1 diabetes and may b,e in future, offer a cure. The future of the treatment for type 1 diabetes looks very bright and we should find a cure in a few years. Till then, adhere to the instructions given by the doctor and track your blood sugar levels at regular intervals. Do regular tests and live happily with type 1 diabetes.”

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