What to Know about Diabetes & COVID-19

Even in a pandemic of unknowns, it is known that people who have diabetes face greater risks if they contract the virus that causes COVID-19.

Patients with diabetes mellitusmay be at risk of suffering more severe complications,听prolonged听hospitalizations,听greater mortality, and increased recovery time听after they鈥檙e discharged from the hospital,鈥 explains听GwendolyneAnyanate听Jack, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College.

Researchers are still evaluating data to quantify the risk and are looking closely at how age,听obesity,听and听other conditions may factor into the picture,听Dr. Jack听adds. In the meantime, patients with diabetes can take a number of precautions.

Take guidelines to heart.

Following the guidelines听from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention听(CDC), patients are advised to:

  • Practice social distancing
  • Wear a maskthat covers the nose and mouth听when听in public spaces,听or听in the vicinity of others听who do not live in your household
  • Wash hands well and often (or use hand sanitizer if that鈥檚 not possible)
  • Avoid听large听crowds
  • Avoid touching听your mouth, nose, or eyes
  • Clean household surfaces regularly
  • And avoid听unnecessary travel

Communicate with your doctors.

鈥淲e鈥檙e urging patients to follow up regularly with either their听endocrinology team听or听primary care physician,鈥 Dr. Jack says.听Physicians听can help听adjust diabetes听medications.听

She adds that听telemedicine has been a unique opportunity for many practices to offer听provide care for patients--without patients leaving home.

Doctors advise their patients to monitor their glucose levels regularly as recommended by their听endocrinologist.听听If possible,patients can听send their glucose logs听or听use a cloud-based platform to shareglucose data with clinicians in advance of听atelemedicine appointment. For in-person visits, patients are advised to bring their glucose monitoring devices and/or glucose data to all visits, so that they can听review them with their physician.听

Stay supplied.

The听听alsoencourages patients with diabetes to keep at least a 30-day supply of diabetes medicines, including insulin, on hand.听

鈥淏ut if insurance allows it, a听90-day supply is听even better,听Dr. Jack says. 鈥It is听important听for听all patients with diabetes mellitus听to have the right medications.鈥

Control blood sugar.

We need to emphasize that patients need to work with their medical teams to optimize glycemic control,鈥 Dr. Jack听says.Sheadds:鈥淭hat means听following up regularly to ensure they are听on the right doses of the right medications, and following a tailored nutritional and exercise plan.A team-based approach that听includes听an endocrinologist,听certified听diabetes听care,听an education听specialist,听diabetes听nurse听practitioner,听and听collaboration with听aninternist or other specialists is important for improving diabetes outcomes.鈥澨

Get a flu shot.

鈥淗aving both flu and the virus that causes COVID-19 could have disastrous results,鈥 Dr. Jack explains.听鈥淲e overall encourage and advise patients to get the听flu vaccine听so they have as much protection as possible.

Viral听infections,听including听COVID-19,听can increase blood sugar levels, Dr. Jack听says. It could even lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, which requires prompt medical attention.听Patients with diabetes mellitus鈥攅specially those who are insulin-dependent鈥攕hould develop a 鈥渟ick day plan鈥 with theirendocrinology team.

In This Article

Clinical Service

Physician