Specialist Doctors Express Diabetes Effects On Women Can Be Worse Than Men

Internal medicine specialist endocrine metabolic consultant Prof. Dr. dr. Sidartawan Soegondo, SpPD-KEMD in a health discussion at Prodia Tower, Jakarta, Sunday (4/6/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Internal medicine specialist endocrine metabolic consultant Prof. Dr. dr. Sidartawan Soegondo, SpPD-KEMD says the diabetes effect on women is worse than men. One of them is due to hormonal changes such as during menstruation to menopause so that blood sugar is more difficult to control. "Diabetes affects men and women exactly the same, but the effect or the consequences for women are worse," said Sidartawan, who is a member of the Indonesian Internal Medicine Specialist Association in a health discussion in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, June 4. According to the doctor who completed his education at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI), women with diabetes are twice as likely to become depressed as men. Then, women with diabetes also experience an increased risk of heart disease. "Pre-menopaused women with diabetes will lose protection against heart disease and 50 percent are more at risk of death from heart disease than men," said Sidartawan. Elderly women with type two diabetes mellitus and final stage kidney disease have a much higher risk of death than men with similar problems. Women are also at greater risk of developing blindness due to diabetic retinopathy, said Sidartawan. Furthermore, said Sidartawan, diabetes can also affect a woman's menstrual cycle to become irregular or vice versa, menstruation can also affect the risk of diabetes. He said research and patients realized that blood sugar tends to increase in the luteal phase that occurs two weeks before menstruation. Women who have no previous history of diabetes may also have diabetes while pregnant, which is known as gestational diabetes. Although usually lost after giving birth, gestational diabetes increases the risk of diabetes in the future or in the next pregnancy. "Those who have a history of gestational diabetes have a 50 percent higher risk of diabetes," said Sidartawan. For this reason, Sidartawan recommends women to take time to take care of themselves, including by eating balanced nutritious food and exercising regularly. "Good communication with doctors about the effects of diabetes on women's health is also important," said Sidartawan closing the explanation.