Detecting, Dealing With Diabetes
The key to limiting the potential of developing serious complications from diabetes is to detect the disease early and stay on top of it an ongoing basis,
The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay.In part two of her series on diabetes, Senay explains that she's referring to type 2 diabetes, which is usually related to obesity. It means the body is unable to use insulin to regulate sugar levels.
It's essential, Senay says, that type 2 diabetes patients control their blood sugar levels with diet, exercise and medication if necessary.
Type 1 diabetes is a disease that results in the body being unable to produce insulin. Type 2 is more common.
The failure of type 2 patients to control blood sugar levels, Senay says, can result in complications such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney failure, nerve damage, amputations, loss of vision, gum disease and loss of teeth.
Just like the disease itself, she says, the complications can all develop slowly and, in many cases, without much warning. And many people are unaware they have type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes could include frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, fatigue, very dry skin, sores that heal too slowly, and more infections than usual.
To help prevent complications, Senay says, people need to be talk to their doctors about their individual risk for diabetes and get screened appropriately. Everyone should be screened regularly for diabetes beginning at age 45. Type 2 diabetes patients really need to be proactive in managing their diabetes and get regular checkups from a doctor.
Health experts are now recommending type 2 patients monitor and control the "ABCs" diabetes. "A" is for an A1C blood test your doctor uses to monitor blood sugar. It's in addition to the blood sugar testing a patient does at home. "B" is for blood pressure and "C" is for cholesterol, which also need to be checked by your doctor on a regular basis and controlled. Your doctor may also recommend testing your own blood pressure at home.
People with type 2 diabetes also need other types of checkups, Senay says, adding it's important to be vigilant for warning signs of other complications of diabetes. The experts also recommend:
- Yearly blood tests for triglyceride levels
- A yearly eye exam for vision problems
- Regular foot checks and a complete foot exam to check for circulation
- Loss of feeling
- Sores
- Changes in shape
- An annual urine test for kidney problems
- Twice-yearly visits to the dentist for exams to prevent gum disease and loss of teeth
Senay suggests that patients keep a record of their checkups and progress.
Patients need to understand that diabetes is always a serious disease, and health experts say terms like "a touch of diabetes" and "mild diabetes" and "sugar's a little high" shouldn't' be used anymore because they diminish the importance of getting and keeping diabetes under control.
In part one of her diabetes series Monday, Senay discussed how to keep from getting diabetes.
For diabetes prevention resources, click here.
To visit the Web site of the National Diabetes Education program, click here.
A national diabetes fact sheet from the American Diabetes Association can be found here.