Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood Diabetes can be associated with serious complications …
ISHIB Health Facts
DIABETES
WHAT IS DIABETES? Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood glucose which result from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both Diabetes can be associated with serious complications and premature death, but persons with diabetes can take measures to reduce the likelihood of such occurrences THE FOUR TYPES OF DIABETES Type 1 diabetes was previously called insulindependent diabetes mellitus IDDM or juvenileonset diabetes Type 1 diabetes may account for 5 to 10 of all diagnosed cases of diabetes Risk factors are less well defined for type 1 diabetes than for type 2 diabetes, but autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved in the development of this type of diabetes Type 2 diabetes was previously called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus NIDDM or adult-onset diabetes Type 2 diabetes may account for about 90 to 95 of all diagnosed cases of diabetes Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans,
American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes Gestational diabetes develops in 2 to 5 of all pregnancies but disappears when a pregnancy is over Gestational diabetes occurs more frequently in African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and persons with a family history of diabetes Obesity is also associated with higher risk Women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk for later developing type 2 diabetes In some studies, nearly 40 of women with a history of gestational diabetes developed diabetes in the future Other specific types of diabetes result from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses Such types of diabetes may account for 1 to 2 of all diagnosed cases of diabetes
WARNING SIGNS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES Feeling tired or ill Frequent urination, especially at night Excessive thirst Weight loss Blurred vision Frequent infections Slow healing of sores HOW TO MANAGE TYPE 2 DIABETES Eat foods to control blood sugar Get physically active-everyday Test blood sugar regularly Take oral medication and insulin, as prescribed SEASONAL
ALERT In November each year, the CDC and other health organizations across the country urge persons with diabetes to receive influenze and pneumococcal vaccines Persons with diabetes are more likely than persons without diabetes to die from complications of influenza and pneumonia and these vaccines can help prevent infection In 1997, only half of adults with diabetes received an annual influenza vaccination, and one third received a pneumococcal vaccine
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DIABETES
page 2 PREVALENCE OF DIABETES Total numberof people with diabetes 157 million people — 59 of the population Diagnosed: 103 million people Undiagnosed: 54 million people New cases diagnosed per year: 798,000 Prevalence of diabetes by age Age 65 years or older: 63 million 184 of all people in this age group have diabetes Age 20 years or older: 156 million 82 of all people in this age group have diabetes Under age 20: 123,000 016 of all people in this age group have diabetes Prevalence of diabetes by sex in people 20 years or older Men: 75 million 82 of
all men have diabetes Women: 81 million 82 of all women have diabetes
These figures do not include the approximately 123,000 cases of diabetes in children and teenagers in the United States
American Indians and Alaska Natives: 9 of American Indians and Alaska Natives have diagnosed diabetes On average, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 28 times as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Prevalence data for diabetes among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are limited Some groups within this population are at increased risk for diabetes For example, data collected from 1988 to 1995 suggest that Native Hawaiians are twice as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as white residents of Hawaii
These figures do not include the approximately 123,000 cases of diabetes in children and teenagers in the United States
Prevalence of diabetes by race/ethnicity in people 20 years or older Non-Hispanic Whites: 113 million 78 of all nonHispanic Whites have diabetes Non-Hispanic Blacks: 23 million 108 of all nonHispanic Blacks have diabetes On average, non-Hispanic Blacks are 17 times as likely to have diabetes as
non-Hispanic Whites of similar age Mexican Americans: 12 million 106 of all Mexican Americans have diabetes On average, Mexican Americans are 19 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic Whites of similar age Other Hispanic/Latino Americans: On average, Hispanic/Latino Americans are almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic Whites of similar age Sufficient data are not currently available to derive more specific estimates
Deaths among persons with diabetes Studies have found death rates to be twice as high among middle-aged people with diabetes as among middle-aged people without diabetes Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 193,140 deaths in 1996 Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death listed on US death certificates in 1996, according to CDCs National Center for Health Statistics Diabetes is believed to be underreported on death certificates, both as a condition and as a cause of death Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Other health facts sheets available at wwwishiborg: stroke hypertension diabetes substance use obesity
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DIABETES
page 3 COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES Heart disease Heart disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related deaths Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times as high as that of adults without diabetes Stroke The risk of stroke is 2 to 4 times higher in people with diabetes High blood pressure An estimated 60 to 65 of people with diabetes have high blood pressure Blindness Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20 to 74 years old Diabetic retinopathy causes from 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year Kidney disease Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, accounting for about 40 of new cases 27,851 people with diabetes developed end-stage renal disease in 1995 In 1995, a total of 98,872 people with diabetes underwent dialysis or kidney transplantation Nervous system disease About 60 to 70 of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage which often includes impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of food in the stomach, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other nerve problems Severe
forms of diabetic nerve disease are a major contributing cause of lower extremity amputations Amputations More than half of lower limb amputations in the United States occur among people with diabetes From 1993 to 1995, about 67,000 amputations were performed each year among people with diabetes Dental disease Periodontal disease a type of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss occurs with greater frequency and severity among people with diabetes Periodontal disease has been reported to occur among 30 of people aged 19 years or older with type 1 diabetes Complications of pregnancy The rate of major congenital malformations in babies born to women with preexisting diabetes varies from 0 to 5 among women who receive preconception care to 10 among women who do not receive preconception care Between 3 to 5 of pregnancies among women with diabetes result in death of the newborn; the rate for women who do not have diabetes is 15 Other complications Diabetes can directly cause acute life-threatening events, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar nonketotic coma People with diabetes are more susceptible to many other illnesses For example, they are more likely to die of pneumonia
or influenza than people who do not have diabetes
Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar nonketotic coma are medical conditions that can result from biochemical imbalance in uncontrolled diabetes
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DIABETES
page 4 RESOURCES RECOMMENDED READING ABOUT DIABETES The Uncomplicated Guide to Diabetes Complications Marvin E Levin, MD and Michael A Pfeifer, MD Editors List Price: 1895 Available at wwwamazoncom for 1395 Number of Pages: 384 Winner of the 1999 National Health Information Gold Award Diabetes is a serious disease with serious complications Understanding these complications–what they are, what the warning signs are, what to expect, how they can be prevented and treated–is essential for every person with diabetes and their families Thorough, comprehensive chapters cover everything a person with diabetes needs to know about prevention, treatment, and self-care–in simple language that anyone can understand All major complications and special concerns are covered, including: Kidney and heart disease
Hypertension and stroke Neuropathy and vascular disease Skin and teeth problems Impotence and sexual disorders Plus special concerns such as obesity, pregnancy, and hypoglycemia Read what one reader says about this book There are two reasons why every diabetic should own this book: 1 It is the best source Ive found to combat what is manifest with every disease: denial You cannot read this and continue to behave in ways that guarantee diabetes complications 2 Its print is large enough for those of us whose eyesight has been compromised by diabetes READ THIS BOOK if you have diabetes OTHER RESOURCES FOR DIABETES The following organizations provide information and resources for diabetest: American Association of Diabetes Educators http://wwwaadenetorg American Diabetes Association http://wwwdiabetesorg Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://wwwcdcgov/diabetes/ http://wwwcdcgov/nchs Department of Veterans Affairs http://wwwvagov/health/diabetes/ Health Resources and Services Administration http://wwwhrsadhhsgov Indian Health Service http://wwwihsgov Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International http://wwwjdfcurecom National Diabetes Education Program: A joint program of NIH
CDC http://ndepnihgov http://wwwcdcgov/diabetes/projects/ndepshtm National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease of the National Institutes of Health http://wwwniddknihgov US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health http://wwwomrhcgov National Council of La Raza http://wwwnclrorg
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