Ramadan-focused education and awareness in type 2 diabetes

Excerpt

To the Editor: Millions of Muslims across the world fast with complete dedication during the month of Ramadan: this is one of the five main pillars of the Muslim faith. During this month, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. However, as fasting is not meant to create excessive hardship for an individual, the Koran exempts many people from fasting, including anyone who is ill [1]. Consequently, both religious and medical advice is that generally people with diabetes should not fast, as their metabolic condition could be adversely affected [1, 2]. Of the 14 million Muslims living in Europe [3], the number with diabetes is not known. The majority of Muslim patients with diabetes are passionate about the Ramadan fast but are unaware of the possible complications of fasting, which include hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemia, and increased risk of dehydration and thrombosis [2, 4]. The Epidemiology of Diabetes and Ramadan (EPIDIAR) study showed that in 13 non-European nations, 79% of Muslim patients with type 2 diabetes fasted for more than 15 days during Ramadan. The study also showed that there was a three- to fivefold increase in the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia during this fasting period [4]. …