Digital Therapeutics empowers people with Diabetes to fight COVID-19

Digital therapeutics, a subset of digital health, are evidence-based therapeutic interventions driven by high quality software programs to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease. Treatments are being developed for the prevention and management of a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including type II diabetes, congestive heart failure, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, asthma, substance abuse, ADHD, hypertension, anxiety, depression, and several others.

Since the ambush of COVID-19, it has been observed that people with low immunity and chronic diseases especially diabetes are most effected. Conversely, new onset diabetes has been documented in people post-COVID recovery. 

On-going research has some led to some findings why this is happening:

1. Uncontrolled and fluctuating blood sugar levels in people with Diabetes affect the development of antibodies which fight COVID lowering the immunity.

2. People with Diabetes mount an alternate and more aggressive type of immune response to COVID infection which can potentially lead to hospitalization, respiratory and multiorgan failure.

3. Recent research also shows that COVID-19 infection affects the insulin and glucose metabolism adversely leading to further increase in blood sugar levels. Resulting complications of Diabetes like ketoacidosis and kidney damage can lead to hospitalization and serious consequences.

4. Micronutrient deficiencies for nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin A, E, C and D can lead to lowering of immune response. Lot of people with diabetes have these deficiencies putting them at risk.

5. Diabetes and obesity increase the risk of formation of blood clots in patients with COVID-19, leading to complications like heart failure, kidney damage, stroke, etc.

6. Prolonged stress due to uncertainty in covid times can leads to increase in cortisol (stress hormone) levels which reduce the efficiency of the immune system to fight off infections.

How Digital Therapeutics helps people with diabetes in Covid times

Digital therapeutics can enhance the glycemic control for people with diabetes and enhance immunity.

The technology behind DTx programs can give exact reasons behind fluctuations in blood sugars using CGMS devices and a precision report about immunity micronutrients. Enrolling in a program like Diabefly also helps people with mental and physical fitness, both of these are so important in keeping your immunity fit. Studies have shown that people with Diabetes who are on DTx based programs usually show a massive improvement in their glycemic control with more than 1 point reduction in their HbA1c. 90% of the people achieve better blood sugar control and 30% even cut down their medications. The AI enabled data can also point at deficiency in micronutrients required to build immunity. While drugs and therapy are critical to the treatment of symptoms of many diseases, DTx works in tandem, piecing in missing information required with treatment options. DTx has new physiological mechanisms that understands personalized Glycemic response to enable patients to take control of their diabetes and help doctors tackle other conditions and 360 degree approach often shows beneficial effects and helps in lowering blood pressure, improving heart and kidney health and making you overall active and fit.

COVID 19 has forced Telemedicine is evolve in ways like never before. DTx is bridging the gap between a doctor’s visits and telemedicine in ways that were unimaginable before. Covid-19 demands convenience and accessibility of digital health; DTx is a perfect fit.

8-pointer list for people with Diabetes to fight against COVID

1. Eat Healthy, monitor your immunity micronutrients closely

2. Be regular with your diabetes medications

3. Stay fit and don’t gain pounds or grams

4. Monitor your blood sugars regularly using glucometer and maintain a record

5. Consult your doctor via telemedicine if you can’t visit the hospital

6. Getting Restful sleep at least 7 hours per night.

7. Use meditation, take time off computer and spend time with family to combat stress

8. Enroll into a Digital Therapeutic program to become an immunity champion

Dr Arbinder Singal

Guest Author CEO & Co-Founder, of Fitterfly