What is usually not included in the health assessment of patients with diabetes in primary care:
1. Advanced diagnosis and treatment: Primary care usually does not have the advanced technology and equipment, so for complex diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, it may be necessary to refer to a specialist hospital or a large hospital for further assessment and treatment.
2. Special tests: Certain special diabetes-related tests, such as cardiac ultrasound, funduscopic examination, and neurological assessment, usually need to be performed in specialized hospitals as well.
3. Long-term follow-up: Primary care assessments focus on current health status and do not necessarily include a long-term follow-up program. Long-term follow-up is usually done by specialty hospitals or diabetes management centers.
4. Comprehensive interventions: Comprehensive interventions for people with diabetes may be limited in primary care. They focus mainly on disease assessment, medication adjustment and basic educational guidance. More complex interventions, such as psychotherapy and rehabilitation, may require referral to specialized institutions.
Health assessment of diabetic patients in primary care settings mainly includes basic health information, disease assessment, and nutritional and exercise guidance, but not advanced diagnosis and treatment, special screening programs, long-term follow-up, and comprehensive interventions.
Diabetes is a chronic disease
Type 1 diabetes: also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes. This type of diabetes usually occurs in young people, where blood sugar does not enter the cells properly due to insufficient insulin production. Patients need regular insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes: also known as adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. This type of diabetes usually occurs in middle-aged and older people and is mainly caused by a weakened cellular response to insulin, or insufficient insulin production. Initially, blood sugar can be controlled by diet control, weight management and exercise, but oral medications or insulin therapy may be needed to manage the condition.
The main symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination, thirst, excessive eating, weight loss (for type 1 diabetes) or weight gain (for type 2 diabetes), fatigue, blurred vision, and slow wound healing. Prolonged uncontrolled blood glucose levels may lead to complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and neuropathy.