Diabetes - Manage and Prevent Complications

Living with Diabetes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 30 million Americans have diabetes.

Another 84 million having elevated blood sugar, putting them on the cusp of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, approximately 1 out of every 3 people in the U.S. has the potential to need treatment for diabetes.

Definition of Diabetes:

Diabetes results from the body’s inability to make or regulate insulin, an essential hormone that regulates blood glucose. Chronic diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels. Complications include heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy and amputation.

Challenges in Diabetes Management and Prevention of Complications:

Frequent monitoring may be needed to help ensure blood glucose levels are maintained at safe levels. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels (a measure of longer-term blood glucose control) need to be checked at least twice per year with a lab test called hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c).

Meds are only one component in treatment. Behavior modification, diet control and exercise are also important parts of an effective diabetes control plan. Patients who are adherent to their oral diabetes meds experience fewer emergency room visits AND inpatient hospitalizations. In 2016, these patients avoided more than $210 million in healthcare spending.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017. Published July 18, 2017. Accessed July 19, 2017.

Diabetes - Manage and Prevent Complications

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