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Author:
Hope Wilbanks

Diabetes is the leading cause of death in the United States. Some recent facts concerning diabetes, presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include:

• In the United States, as of 2002, 18.0 million people of the ages 20 years or older have diabetes.

• About 65% of deaths among people with diabetes are due to heart disease and stroke.

• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20-74 years.

• About 60%-70% of diabetics have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage, such as: slowed digestion of food in the stomach, carpal tunnel syndrome, impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands.

• Gum disease is more common among people with diabetes.

• Poorly controlled diabetes during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy can result in excessively large babies.

• Diabetics are more likely to die with pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have diabetes.

Common symptoms of diabetes are: weakness, hunger, thirst, weight loss, increased need to urinate, sudden changes in vision, very dry skin, and sores that are slow to heal. Diabetics also have sweet-smelling breath and could suffer from confusion.

Insulin-dependent diabetes is the least common form of this disease. Insulin-diabetes is more commonly known as Type I diabetes, or juvenile-onset diabetes. Patients with Type I diabetes are unable to produce insulin. Diabetics with Type I diabetes are genetically predisposed to the disease.

Noninsulin-dependent diabetes is known as Type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to respond to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is predominant in minorities. About 90%-95% of diabetics have this form of diabetes. Type 2 diabetics are also usually obese.

Gestational diabetes affects only pregnant women. If it is not treated, it can cause many problems for mothers and babies. The occurrence of gestational diabetes is minimal, affecting only about less than 5% of all pregnancies. Gestational diabetes usually disappears when the pregnancy is over.

Treatment for diabetics will vary, depending on the type of diabetes the patient has. Nutrition and physical activity are the easiest changes for a diabetic lifestyle. Insulin injections are required for Type I diabetics. People with Type 2 diabetes will incorporate blood glucose testing as well, and will require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels.

If you have, or think you have diabetes, you should visit your health care provider. Your physician will help control your diabetes. Ask your physician for more information on managing and controlling your diabetes. Diabetics may also see other physicians, such as podiatrists, opthalmologists, dieticians and endocrinologists.

Hope Wilbanks is publisher of DiabeticTipsOnline.com. She presents information on diabetes supplies, diet and fitness, types of diabetes and offers a quick guide on diabetes with fast facts about diabetes that are easy to understand.

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A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Diabetes... Diabetes Types- Knowing the Symptoms Diabetes is a condition featuring unusually high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is used by the body to lower blood glucose levels. If someone’s pancreas doesn’t generate enough insulin, their body will develop diabetes. A short list of symptoms of diabetes would include severe hunger and thirst, more urge to urinate, and fatigue. But the surest way of knowing whether you have diabetes is having a blood sugar test, also known as a Glucose Tolerance Test. Type 1 diabetes is the more acute form. It is typically treated with special dietary restrictions, exercise and occasionally with insulin. Type 1 diabetes usually will be treated with special diet, exercise, and a weight loss plan before insulin is added. This form of diabetes is considered an insulin dependent disease. A less severe form of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is first treated with a diabetic diet, exercise and weight loss. If theses measures are not successful in controlling blood sugar and insulin levels, oral medications may be added. Insulin is then finally considered if these also are unsuccessful. Type 2 diabetes normally occurs in adults who are middle age or older, which is why it is sometimes called Late-Onset Diabetes In this case, he pancreas still produces the right levels of insulin but the body has become resistant to it. It is feasible to delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes if it runs in the family. Through losing weight, getting the right amount of exercise and controlling your diet, you can manage. If Type 2 diabetes is not treated, eventually the same complications may ensue as those seen with Type 1 diabetes. Gestational diabetes is seen in pregnant women. Normally it disappears after the birth of the baby, however, treatment for the...