Testing regimen becomes easier for diabetics
Published 5:30 am, Friday, July 27, 2001
No wonder statistics show that fewer than half of the 17 million Americans with diabetes have their disease under control, leaving them at risk of myriad problems, from blindness and amputation to stroke.
For some people, keeping tabs on their blood sugar requires testing as often as six times a day, with each test demanding a new drop of blood, traditionally from the fingertip, an especially sensitive and nerve-rich part of the body.
"The main obstacle to the patient doing the testing is the pain and the discomfort," Busch said.
But researchers and manufacturers have increasingly been developing new ways to minimize the pain from those finger pricks with a growing arsenal of glucose monitors, lasers and lancets.
Such technology not only has the potential to minimize the discomfort of frequent testing but also could encourage more people to actively monitor their condition.
The result, ideally, would be fewer complications from this chronic, costly disease. Health care and other costs related to diabetes treatment, including lost productivity, are estimated by the American Diabetes Association at some $98 billion annually.
But as Americans eat more and exercise less, statistics show that the number of people at risk for the most common form of diabetes, Type 2, will continue to grow.
The disease affects the body's ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, the hormone that allows sugar to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. There is no cure.
Genetics may play a role in determining who develops Type 1 diabetes, a form of the disease in which the body produces no insulin. Physicians believe that life- style is important in determining who develops Type 2, the form of the disease in which the body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it properly.
One of the newest monitors on the market is a device that allows a diabetic to test sugar using less blood, from places other than the fingertip.
Other testing systems are still in the pipeline, including a patch that changes color as it draws glucose through the skin and a glucose monitor that is worn like a watch.
Although health experts praise the advances in helping people manage their diabetes, they say such progress shouldn't obscure the real goal: prevention.
Even small changes in diet, exercise and weight can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. For people who already have the disease, such steps can help minimize complications and the need for medications.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.
The two major types of diabetes are:
Type 1: An auto-immune disease in which the body does not produce any insulin, most often occurring in children and young adults. People with Type 1 diabetes need daily injections of insulin to stay alive. Warning signs of Type 1 include: frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability.
Type 2: A metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough, or properly use, insulin. It is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 90 percent to 95 percent of all cases. Warning signs of Type 2 include: any of the Type 1 symptoms, frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, recurring skin, gum or bladder infections. Often, people with Type 2 diabetes have no symptoms.