World Diabetes Day is marked every year on November 14. The symbol of World Diabetes Day is the blue circle a representing positivity, life, and health.

This year’s theme is “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps.” The campaign focuses on the importance of reducing the risk of diabetes and ensuring that all people living with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality treatment and healthcare.

What is diabetes?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose levels). Diabetes involves disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, resulting from impaired insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or both.

Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels and is produced by the pancreas. It enables glucose to enter cells, where it is used as a source of energy. Excess glucose is stored in muscles and the liver with the help of insulin. When insulin is absent or insufficient, glucose cannot enter the cells and remains in the bloodstream, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and the development of the disease.

There are two main types of diabetes:

• Type 2 diabetes – the most common form (around 90% of people with diabetes). It is usually diagnosed later in life and often at an advanced stage, when complications affecting other organs may already be present.
• Type 1 diabetes – caused by an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies destroy the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. The disease develops after 70–90% of these cells are destroyed and most commonly occurs in children and younger individuals.

There is also gestational diabetes, as well as other, less common forms of diabetes, such as diabetes following pancreatitis or as a result of corticosteroid use.

The importance of early detection

People at increased risk should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently, in consultation with their family physician. This includes individuals who are overweight, those with a family history of diabetes, people with high blood pressure or elevated blood lipid levels, and women who experienced elevated blood glucose during pregnancy.

All individuals diagnosed with diabetes should manage their condition in cooperation with their family physician through regular check-ups, appropriate therapy, and dietary guidance. Regular eye examinations, blood pressure monitoring, laboratory testing of blood lipids, and kidney function assessments are also essential.

Diabetes management support in the CAREOLL system

The CAREOLL medical information system includes features that support easier detection of variations and changes through chronological tracking of values. When test results or measurements are recorded during report creation, a chronological view allows healthcare professionals to track recorded values across multiple visits.

For example, blood glucose levels can be monitored by comparing values from initial and follow-up examinations or across all recorded visits for a patient.

Key patient information—such as chronic conditions, previous illnesses, allergies, and risk factors—can be clearly marked and highlighted in the medical record. This allows physicians to quickly access the most important information about a patient’s health status through a concise overview of the medical chart.

Creating medical reports through the CAREOLL application enables faster insight into the patient’s condition and the effects of prescribed therapy on specific health parameters, streamlines data entry, and allows physicians to fully focus on working with their patients.