Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin is needed to turn sugar and other food into energy. In diabetes, the body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should, or both. This causes sugar to accumulate in the blood, leading to various potential complications.

The American Diabetes Association reported in 2009 that there are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States—8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million in the US alone have been diagnosed with diabetes, nearly one in four (5.7 million) diabetics are unaware that they have the disease.

Four types of diabetes are recognized:

• Type 1: Results from the body's failure to produce insulin. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Presently almost all persons with type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections.
  
  
• Type 2: Results from a condition in which the body fails to use insulin properly, combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
  
  
• Gestational diabetes: Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women and is usually of type 2.
  
  
• Pre-diabetes: Termed "America's largest healthcare epidemic” pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. According to the Amercian Diabetes Association there are 57 million Americans who have pre-diabetes.

Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight, may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications.

Treating diabetes

Diabetes can lead to serious complications, such as blindness, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, and lower-limb amputations, but people with diabetes can lower the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids.

• Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose by following a healthy meal plan and exercise program, losing excess weight, and taking oral medication. Some people with type 2 diabetes may also need insulin to control their blood glucose.
  
  
• To survive, people with type 1 diabetes must have insulin delivered by injection or a pump.
  
  
• Among adults with diagnosed diabetes (type 1 or type 2), 14% take insulin only, 13% take both insulin and oral medication, 57% take oral medication only, and 16% do not take either insulin or oral medication. Medications for each individual with diabetes will often change during the course of the disease.
  
  
• Many people with diabetes also need to take medications to control their cholesterol and blood pressure.
  
  
• Self-management education or training is a key step in improving health outcomes and quality of life. It focuses on self-care behaviors, such as healthy eating, being active, and monitoring blood sugar. It is a collaborative process in which diabetes educators help people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and problem-solving and coping skills needed to successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions.

Diabetes information was obtained from Wikipedia.

Please visit our Links & Resources web page for more information and in-depth downloadable PDFs.

Clinical Research for Diabetes

Clinical research has always been an important component in improving diagnostic methods and treatment options for diabetes. In fact, insulin was developed through clinical research studies in the 1920s. Today clinical trials for diabetes involve tens of thousands of patients across the US and around the world.

If you are interested in finding out more about diabetes clinical trials in Medford Oregon and the surrounding areas, please visit Rogue Valley Physicians Clinical Research for details.

Learn more about national clinical trials for diabetes.

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OSTEOPOROSIS
PREVENTION

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DIABETES RESEARCH

Find out about diabetes clinical trials in the Rogue Valley.