DUBAI // People with type 2 diabetes who fast during Ramadan are seven times more likely to be admitted to hospital unless they learn to control their blood glucose levels, doctors say.
Education is key to preventing complications from diabetes during the Holy Month.
“The Ramadan Education and Awareness in Diabetes [Read] programme carried out in London in 2010 showed significant impact on patients,” said Dr Aly B Khalil, a consultant diabetologist at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi. “There was a decrease in weight and drop in Glycated hemoglobin.”
Glycated hemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify average blood sugar level over prolonged periods of time.
The 2004 study of the epidemiology of diabetes and Ramadan (Epidiar) showed the risk of complications for type one diabetics rose by almost five folds, while in type two diabetics it rose 7.5 times.
“The risks include hypo-glycaemia, hyper-glycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, dehydration and thrombosis,” said Dr Khalil. “Even though the Quran exempts those with illnesses such as diabetes from fasting, people still insist on fasting. No matter what they tell you or what you try to tell them, they will still fast.”
There is still very little research on the impacts of fasting and diabetes, said Dr Nader Lessan, consultant endocrinologist at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre. “The Epidiar is our only resource on the subject and even that has not taken some aspects into consideration.
“We have to take into account the excessive eating in the evening which can skew the results of the effects of fasting.”
A study in Abu Dhabi by Dr Lessan’s team collected data from 63 people, 50 of whom have type 2 diabetes, over the course of four days before and during Ramadan. The patients were fitted with sensor devices to monitor their blood glucose levels throughout the day.
They also collected data from one woman who wore the sensor device for the entire month of Ramadan.
All the data seemed to be identical, showing a very sharp rise in glucose levels at Iftar time. In some cases glucose level shot up by almost 60 per cent. While non-diabetics showed very little fluctuation in their glucose levels.
“There is an exaggerated difference in glucose levels, particularly at Iftar. This is most likely due to the patient breaking fast by eating or drinking something very sweet,” said Dr Lessan.
“Ramadan is a good opportunity to test your self-control and try to stop unhealthy habits,” said Dr Lessan.
malkhan@thenational.ae