Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease when the pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, does not make enough insulin to help glucose, sugar, get into the cells of our bodies or it can't use its own insulin as well as it should. There are two different types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 is the more serious type of diabetes. Diabetes can also cause serious health complications like: heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure if it goes untreated.
Signs and Symptoms:
Modifiable Risk Factors (Things that you can prevent):
Unmodifiable Risk Factors (Things that you cannot prevent):
Type 1 Diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes has no cure, although it can be managed. With proper treatment, people who have type 1 diabetes can expect to live longer, healthier lives than they did in the past.
Type 1 Medication and Treatment:
Treatment for type 1 diabetes is a lifelong commitment to:
Some of the ways you can take insulin are through:
*Insulin can't be taken orally to lower blood sugar because stomach enzymes interfere with insulin's action. Also you should see your doctor before taking any forms of insulin. *
Some other medications that are prescribed:
For more information, please visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-diabetes/DS00329/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
Type 2 Diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes is when your body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Untreated, type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening.There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you can manage the condition by eating well, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.
Type 2 Medication and Treatment:
You need to make a lifelong commitment to:
For more information on what you can do, please visit:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
How much do these medications cost?
For patients not covered by insurance the prices are usually between $4-$100 per month for the most commonly prescribed medications. If you do have insurance it will usually cost $10- $50 depending on the drug. The prices many vary on the brand and amount of insulin you have to take.
Drug Adherence: It is important to adhere to your medication. Your medication was created to help you deal with a serious condition and is therefore dangerous if it is not taken carefully.
Why are we focusing on this?
We are focus on this because obesity rates are increasing and because of this the rates of diabetes are also increasing. If we are able to help raise awareness there we might be able to help the rates of diabetes go down.
For more information on Diabetes, please visit: http://ndep.nih.gov/ or http://www.diabetes.org/
Signs and Symptoms:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme hunger
- Sudden vision changes
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Feeling very tired much of the time
- Very dry skin
- Sores that are slow to heal
- More infections than usual
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pains
Modifiable Risk Factors (Things that you can prevent):
- Do not eat a lot sugary foods
- Exercise regularly
- Eat vegetables
- Weight (obesity can cause diabetes)
Unmodifiable Risk Factors (Things that you cannot prevent):
- Age
- Family History
- Gender
- Race
Type 1 Diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes has no cure, although it can be managed. With proper treatment, people who have type 1 diabetes can expect to live longer, healthier lives than they did in the past.
Type 1 Medication and Treatment:
Treatment for type 1 diabetes is a lifelong commitment to:
- Taking insulin
- Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight
- Eating healthy foods
- Monitoring blood sugar
- Diabeta- causes the pancreas to produce more insulin
- Prandin- causes the pancreas to produce more insulin
- Starlix- causes the pancreas to produce more insulin
- Avandia- causes the liver to make less glucose and helps the body use the insulin better
- Precose- blocks breakdown of starches and sugar in the intestines
Some of the ways you can take insulin are through:
- A syringe
- An insulin pen (a device that looks like an pen, except is filled with insulin)
- An insulin pump (a device about the size of a cellphone worn on the outside of your body and a tube connects insulin to a catheter that's inserted under the skin of your abdomen. There's also a wireless pump option that's available in most areas.)
*Insulin can't be taken orally to lower blood sugar because stomach enzymes interfere with insulin's action. Also you should see your doctor before taking any forms of insulin. *
Some other medications that are prescribed:
- High blood pressure medications (prescription)
- Aspirin (over the counter)
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs (pharmacist only)
For more information, please visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-diabetes/DS00329/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
Type 2 Diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes is when your body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Untreated, type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening.There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you can manage the condition by eating well, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.
Type 2 Medication and Treatment:
You need to make a lifelong commitment to:
- Blood sugar monitoring
- Healthy eating
- Regular exercise
- Possibly, diabetes medication or insulin therapy (You would have to see you doctor for these two)
For more information on what you can do, please visit:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
How much do these medications cost?
For patients not covered by insurance the prices are usually between $4-$100 per month for the most commonly prescribed medications. If you do have insurance it will usually cost $10- $50 depending on the drug. The prices many vary on the brand and amount of insulin you have to take.
Drug Adherence: It is important to adhere to your medication. Your medication was created to help you deal with a serious condition and is therefore dangerous if it is not taken carefully.
Why are we focusing on this?
We are focus on this because obesity rates are increasing and because of this the rates of diabetes are also increasing. If we are able to help raise awareness there we might be able to help the rates of diabetes go down.
For more information on Diabetes, please visit: http://ndep.nih.gov/ or http://www.diabetes.org/