Diabetes more deadlier than heart attack, say experts

Patna: Diabetes is a silent killer. It takes one life every eight seconds. Another shocking fact is that today even adolescents are falling prey to this disease, and the death rate due to it is four times more than that due to heart attack, say experts.

"Awareness is the best way to check spread of this disease and that is why, the theme of World Diabetes Day this year is to 'Make People Educated for Future'. Another bitter fact about this disease is that from 17 to 20 percent diabetic patients die before attaining the age of 50 years," said Dr Subhash Kumar, secretary of Bihar branch of Research Society for the Studies of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), after a walkathon awareness march taken out from Kargil Chowk to Indian Medical Association building, here on Monday.

This march was jointly organised by Bihar State Agarwal Conference, Prabhu Aahar Seva Samiti, Sugadevi Charitable Trust and other organisations, to mark the World Diabetes Day. About 300 doctors of different medical institutions participated in it.

Dr Sanjay Gupta, another expert said, "Today 41.5 crore people are suffering from this disease all over the world, of which 6.51 crore are in India alone. However, the highest number of 10.96 crore of diabetes patients is in China."

Dr Praksh revealed that type 2 diabetes was now taking adolescents and young persons too in its fold and it was mainly due to their improper food habit and life style, while Dr Adnan, in his address, said diabetes acts as a silent killer causing other ailments related to brain, eyes, kidney, nerve, skin and foot.

Making people aware on the symptoms of this disease, Dr Ajay Kumar said that frequent urination, itching in the skin, eye trouble, unusual feeling of thirst and weight loss indicate chances of diabetes. Medical experts also made people aware of this serious health issue at Sri Krishna Nagar Park.