Diabetes can be divided into five stages: prediabetes, early diabetes, moderate diabetes, advanced diabetes, and end-stage diabetes.
- Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a stage in which blood glucose levels exceed the normal range but do not yet meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, usually presenting as impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance.Patients in this stage generally have no obvious typical symptoms, but the risk of developing diabetes increases significantly.The focus of intervention is to strengthen lifestyle management, including adjusting the diet structure (such as controlling total calorie intake, reducing refined carbohydrates and sugar, and increasing whole grains and dietary fiber intake), combined with regular aerobic exercise, to delay or prevent progression to diabetes. - Early Diabetes
Early diabetes refers to the period when the diagnostic criteria for diabetes are met, but no obvious complications have occurred.Patients may begin to experience typical symptoms such as polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weight loss, with persistently elevated blood glucose levels.The core of treatment is strict blood glucose control, usually starting with diet and exercise intervention; medication is required if the effect is unsatisfactory. - Moderate Diabetes
Moderate diabetes is characterized by the onset of early microvascular complications, which may include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, or diabetic peripheral neuropathy.In addition to fluctuating blood glucose, patients may have symptoms such as blurred vision, proteinuria, numbness or tingling in the limbs.The management strategy requires intervention for specific complications on the basis of glucose lowering. - Advanced Diabetes
Advanced diabetes means that complications have progressed to a relatively severe stage, with significant functional impairment possible.For example, diabetic foot carries a high risk of ulceration and infection, proliferative retinopathy can threaten eyesight, and diabetic nephropathy may progress to massive proteinuria or renal insufficiency.Treatment becomes complex, requiring multidisciplinary collaboration, strict regulation of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids, as well as management of various complications. It may involve more complex medication regimens such as intensive insulin therapy and specific treatments for complications. - End-Stage Diabetes
End-stage diabetes refers to organ failure caused by severe complications, such as end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation, severe cardiovascular disease, and foot gangrene that may lead to amputation.Quality of life is severely reduced at this stage. The focus of treatment shifts to slowing disease progression, managing severe symptoms, handling emergencies, and providing supportive care.Blood glucose management must be highly individualized to avoid severe hypoglycemia, while comprehensively addressing problems in multiple systems including the heart, kidneys, eyes, and feet.
Diabetic patients should recognize the continuity of disease staging. Regular blood glucose monitoring and complication screening are crucial.