.jpeg?20241130')
PEOPLE who are on insulin for diabetes are advised not to fast during the holy month.
Long periods of fasting, combined with an imbalance in their diets, could lead to low or high blood sugar, which could be fatal, according to experts.
They urged diabetics to consult their doctors before fasting – a religious ritual observed by practising Muslims during the holy month.
King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) consultant endocrinologist Dr Dalal Alromaihi warned of asymptomatic hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar, when the body and brain no longer produce signs and symptoms of the condition such as shakiness or confusion.
Hypoglycaemia could affect brain functions resulting in blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, slurred speech, numbness and drowsiness. If left untreated, it may lead to seizures, coma and rarely death.
“Patients who insist on fasting against medical advice must know that they would be damaging the body and its organs, and not achieving the health or spiritually desired goals of fasting,” said Dr Alromaihi.
Dr Alromaihi
“Diabetes is a silent disease and we may not realise its impact on the body immediately, for example, a patient may have blood clots or a kidney disease and may not be aware of it. Unfortunately, he would continue fasting which may cause him harm sooner or later.”
According to the 2018 National Health Survey, 18 per cent of people aged above 20 in Bahrain had diabetes, compared with 14.8pc in 2007.
Experts have also predicted that a quarter of the GCC population could be diabetic by 2030.
Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) endocrinologist Dr Mohammed Al Majed has advised adults and children suffering from Type 1 diabetes to avoid fasting during Ramadan.
“We usually advise people who are on insulin not to fast because it’s very difficult to control blood sugar during Ramadan. They get around eight hours before they start fasting again and generally, have two meals during this period, instead of the regular three,” said Dr Al Majed.
“So we prefer the patient to be on the higher side of sugar levels, as a drop or hypoglycaemia is risky and could lead to coma and death. Especially those on insulin and with Type 1 diabetes, if they insist on fasting, we ask them to reduce the doses and keep sugar on the higher level.”
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disorder that often shows up early in life while Type 2 is largely diet-related and develops over time. With the former, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
“The amount of insulin they (Type 1) take while fasting needs to be adjusted,” Dr Al Majed explained.
“If they don’t cut back enough on insulin, they risk hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), but if it is cut back too much, they can develop hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar).
“They also face increased risk of dehydration and diabetic ketoacidosis compared to people with Type 2 diabetes.”
The specialist also advised children with diabetes to avoid fasting.
“They might go into hyperglycaemia which is more dangerous in children than in adults,” he said.
Bahrain is one of the 10 countries in the region with the highest incidence of overweight children and young adults. Experts have predicted that the incidence of diabetes in children in Bahrain is expected to rise six-fold in the coming years.
raji@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))