Well-managed blood sugar may lower the odds of severe COVID-19 complications in adults with diabetes, according to experts.
While having diabetes does not raise the chances of contracting the coronavirus, it can compromise overall health and increase the likelihood of poor outcomes. This is why careful diabetes control is key, said Jasmine Gonzalvo, PharmD, in a Thursday statement.
“If you’re monitoring your blood sugars, eating well and taking your insulin or other medications as recommended, you can likely reduce your risk of dealing with severe symptoms or life-threatening complications,” explained Gonzalez, a member of the National Clinical Care Commission, and professor of pharmacy at Purdue University.
New research also suggests that patients with high blood sugar who develop a viral disease such as influenza – and possibly COVID-19 – are more likely to experience a dangerous overreaction in the body’s immune system. This so-called cytokine storm is thought to contribute to severe reactions and death in people who contract the coronavirus.
