COVID-19 Worsens Conditions For People With Diabetes, High Risk Of Acute Complications

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JAKARTA - Internal medicine specialist Dr. dr. Wismandari said, people who have the disease or history of diabetes will be worse off after being exposed to COVID-19 compared to those who don't.

"It's not only COVID-19 that gets worse, his diabetes also gets worse, acute complications can also occur. If his diabetes is good, he can fight it, if his diabetes is bad, he's easily suppressed so it gets worse," said dr. Wismandari in the webinar 'The Effect of Diabetes on COVID-19' on Thursday, October 7, quoted from Antara.

Patients with diabetes who have high HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) levels have twice the risk of developing COVID-19 with severe symptoms and death.

COVID-19 infection also increases the risk of acute diabetes complications such as Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome (HHS).

More dr. Wismandari explained, patients with hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels coupled with COVID-19, have an 86 percent risk of death.

An increase in the incidence of ARDS or severe respiratory distress by 53 percent, an increase in acute kidney injury by 88 percent, an increase in acute heart injury by 76 percent, increased medical intervention and faster worsening of symptoms.

"If a diabetic person gets COVID, there will be a lot of intervention, also more, they can go to the ICU too, especially if the patient's diabetes is not controlled," said Dr. Wismandari.

Meanwhile, dr. Wismandari said that diabetic patients affected by COVID-19 could self-isolate at home as long as their symptoms were mild.

However, when the patient experiences worsening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, continuous pain or pressure in the chest, acute confusion, inability to wake up or always feeling sleepy, bluish lips and face, oxygen saturation <95 percent, it should be treated immediately. to the hospital.

Likewise, patients who have symptoms of hypoglycemia such as cold sweats, blurred vision, weakness, tremors, slurred speech, palpitations, numbness and severe headaches, must immediately go to the hospital.

In addition, patients who have symptoms of complications of diabetes mellitus such as excessive thirst, increased frequency of urination, weakness, continuous nausea and vomiting, severe abdominal pain and impaired consciousness, are also required to immediately go to the hospital.

dr. Wismandari said that currently diabetes cannot be cured, so the best way to overcome it is to adopt a healthy lifestyle in order to control blood sugar. Because uncontrolled diabetes is one of the co-morbidities of COVID-19 that can increase the risk of COVID-19 with severe symptoms to death.

"Control of blood sugar levels in diabetic patients during the pandemic is very important. The most important thing is to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccination can be carried out by controlled diabetes patients and not in acute metabolic conditions," said dr. Tourists.