The Link Between COVID-19 and Diabetes, and What Patients Need to do

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought bad news for diabetics: they are 3 times as likely to develop severe complications from the virus, and up to three times as likely to die from it. 

These statistics alone might have been easy to explain, except for the fact that 14.9% of non-diabetic patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 developed diabetes afterward. There is clearly a link between the two conditions, and researchers are working to better understand this phenomenon.

Of immediate concern, however, is how diabetes patients can minimize or avoid the deadly complications of COVID-19, and how they can manage their condition when they do get infected.

Why Diabetes Seems to Cause Severe COVID-19 and Vice Versa

The relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 is complex. So far, scientists agree on at least 5 reasons why this could be happening.

1.   The COVID-19 Virus May Attack Beta Cells in the Pancreas

Type-1 diabetes is primarily caused by insufficient production of insulin. It happens because beta cells in the pancreas have been destroyed by the body’s own antibodies.

Type-2 diabetes results from reduced sensitivity or reaction to the insulin produced. In both cases, beta cells in the pancreas are involved, which the SARS-CoV-2 virus also affects. Some studies suggest that the virus can indeed attack these cells, but other studies find no plausible connection.

2.   Indirect Attack on Insulin Production

The SARS-CoV-2 virus may not directly attack pancreatic beta cells, but it may attack other parts of the pancreas instead. For example, it can cause inflammation in the pancreas, impacting insulin production in the process. It can also end up affecting several other organs at the same time, including the intestines.

3.   Acute Illnesses Like COVID-19 Cause Diabetes-Like Conditions

Health experts already know that other acute health conditions like heart attacks can cause severe spikes in the blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia). While these diabetes-like conditions often return to normal after recovery, they can turn into permanent diabetes in the case of COVID-19.

4.   COVID-19 Treatments Raise Blood Sugar

Severe complications associated with COVID-19 are often treated with steroid drugs such as dexamethasone to help lower inflammation. However, these drugs induce insulin resistance and make hyperglycaemia worse. Most COVID-19 patients have to be given high doses of insulin upon admission as a result of this. 

5.   COVID-19 May Reveal Undiagnosed Diabetes

As of 2018, an estimated 34.2 million Americans (representing 10.5% of the population) were living with undiagnosed diabetes. The delicate balance in blood sugar levels can easily be upset by highly stressful conditions such as COVID-19, thus bringing the undiagnosed condition to the fore. Additionally, many Americans are also predisposed to diabetes due to factors associated with lifestyle and genetics.

Managing COVID-19 as a Diabetic

Obviously, the first thing diabetics should aim for is to avoid infection by COVID-19 at all costs. If you are diabetic or are at a higher risk of being diabetic, take extra measures to avoid social gatherings, wear certified masks, wash your hands often, eat well, and sanitize your living or working area.

Vaccines for Diabetics

Most importantly, get vaccinated. All three vaccines approved for use here in the US - Prizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson - have all been tested with diabetics forming a large part of the test participants. You can find more detailed information about the testing and recommendations here, but the vaccine is your best chance to avoid COVID-19.

Even if you do get infected, all three vaccines have almost 100% assurance that you will not develop acute respiratory conditions that have been the main cause of COVID-19 mortality. All three vaccines are safe for diabetics of all types. 

When you get vaccinated, keep in mind that the body undergoes some stress before it produces antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This could raise blood glucose levels above normal, so you will require more than usual levels of vigilance. You need to hydrate often, eate well, and plan ahead in case you are too ill to go to work. 

Diabetics won’t necessarily suffer from more side effects associated with the vaccine, but they do need to be more careful to manage their condition. Diabetes medications should be taken as usual, since no adverse drug interactions have been reported so far. 

If You Got Diabetes After Contracting Severe COVID-19

It is important for patients who were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 to monitor their blood glucose levels carefully to discover the potential onset of diabetes. You can do this using diabetes test strips, or the contour blood sugar meterfor more accurate readings. 

There are also steps the COVID-19 patients can take to prevent the onset of permanent diabetes. The most important thing is to watch their diet and work to lose at least 15 pounds in the first few months of recovering from COVID-19. 

If your blood glucose levels are consistently above the threshold of 140 mg/Dl, talk to your doctor about it. You will also need to think about starting your insulin regimen to get the condition under control.

As a diabetic, you do have plenty to worry about during the COVID-19 pandemic. You need to put in more effort to avoid contracting the disease and take extra care to manage your condition in case you get ill. Right now, your best option is to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible, and diabetics do get priority vaccination. Take advantage of it, and you will be safe and healthy through it all.