November is American Diabetes Month
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. It is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S. and it has no cure. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes, and 6.2 million of them (or nearly one-third) don't know that they have the disease.
The cause of diabetes in unknown, but genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles in developing the disease.
Major Types of Diabetes
There are four major types of diabetes including:
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Type
1 Diabetes
The body's failure to produce insulin, the
hormone that allows glucose to fuel the cells,
is type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually
diagnosed in children and young adults, and
was previously known as juvenile diabetes.
It is estimated that between 5 and 10 percent
of Americans diagnosed with diabetes are
type 1 diabetics.
Type
2 Diabetes
Insulin resistance, a condition in which
the body fails to properly use insulin,
combined with relative insulin deficiency
results in type 2 diabetes. While diabetes
occurs in people of all ages and races,
some groups have a higher risk for developing
type 2 diabetes than others, including
African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans,
and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders,
as well as the aged population. Most Americans
who are diagnosed with diabetes have type
2.
Gestational
Diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy
and affects about 4 percent of pregnant
women — about 135,000 — in
the United States each year.
Pre-Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is the condition when blood
glucose levels are higher than normal
but not high enough for a diagnosis of
type 2 diabetes. More than 54 million
Americans have pre-diabetes, in addition
to the 21 million who have been diagnosed
with diabetes. |
“Diabetes often goes undetected because many of its symptoms seem so harmless,” according
to Mark
Schutta, MD, director of Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes
Center. “Studies show that early detection
and treatment are key in decreasing the risk of
complications of diabetes.”
Symptoms of Diabetes |
The symptoms of diabetes may seem harmless,
and can include:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
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It is possible to delay or even prevent type 2 diabetes from developing. By knowing the risks you can take action to prevent diabetes if you have, or are at risk for, pre-diabetes. Studies show that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5 to 10 percent reduction in body weight, reduces the chances of developing type 2 diabetes by almost 60 percent.
The Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center offers a family-oriented approach to patient care by providing a variety of services to help our patients and their families manage the disease and develop a healthy, normal lifestyle.
Because our Center is dedicated to treating diabetes, all of our patients are required to have a primary care provider for their non-diabetic needs. Our medical staff will maintain contact with our patient's primary care provider to coordinate diabetes care.
Family and friends are invited to:
- Attend office visits to learn about our educational programs
- Learn techniques for daily management of the disease.
- Use our interactive computers and video equipment available in our waiting areas during office visits
For more information or to schedule an appointment
visit the Penn Rodebaugh
Diabetes Center web site or call 1-800-789-PENN
(7366).
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