Why Diabetes Mellitus And How It Affects The United States

There is a great deal of literature and studies that have been done on the subject of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). According to Healthy People.gov, there is an estimated 23.6 million people in the United States living with diabetes and it is the 7th leading cause of death. It also lowers life expectancy by up to 15 years, increases the risk of heart disease, is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2015). The goal set by Healthy People 2020 is to reduce the disease and economic burden created by Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and to improve the quality of life for persons at risk for or living with this disease. The types of studies I reviewed include clinical

Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Insulin is needed for proper storage and use of carbohydrates. Without it, blood sugar levels can become too high or too low, resulting in a diabetic emergency. It affects about 7.8% of the population. The incidence of diabetes is known to increase with age. It’s the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the US, and is the primary cause of blindness and foot and leg amputation. It is known to cause neuropathy in up to 70% of diabetic patients. Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, is a chronic illness this means that it has no cure and the symptoms persist over a long period of time. This illness is a result of an imbalance of hormones, insulin, produced in the pancreas. Insulin plays an important role in how the body uses food. Insulin enables the cells in the bloodstream to absorb and use glucose for fuel. If the pancreas produces too little or no insulin or if the insulin doesn’t work properly the person may become diabetic. Therefore, diabetics are not able to properly convert food into fuels needed by the body to function, which can seriously lead to physical consequences.

Type 2 Diabetes is a disease that is found in a variety of age groups around the world. This disease is growing at a rapid rate and it is impacting the health of this generation and future generations to come. Diabetes is a disease that impairs the body’s ability to produce or respond to the insulin hormone produced by the pancreas. The insulin allows for the glucose to be effectively used as energy throughout the body. Diabetes causes carbohydrates to be abnormally digested, which can raise blood glucose levels. This means that the glucose is not being taken up by the cells that need it. The cells cannot take up the excess glucose that has accumulated in the blood, so it is excreted through the urine. This can lead to problems with the kidneys, central nervous system, heart, and eyes because high blood glucose can damage the blood vessels of these organs. This diseased is managed by adopting a diet low in fat and high in fiber, increasing physical activity, losing excess weight, and not smoking. If this

The American Diabetes Association (2004) defines diabetes as a subset of metabolic diseases associated with hyperglycemia secondary to insulin failing to release, act, or both. Complications related to chronic diabetes can be detrimental to one’s health including but not limited to: heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, amputations, blindness, and other optical diseases. Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes is rising at an astronomical rate within the United States as well as internationally. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016) an estimated 29 million people suffer with diabetes and 86 million are prediabetic within the United States (US). Without major interventions from the healthcare community,

According to the American Diabetes Association, more Americans die each year from diabetes than from AIDS and breast cancer combined. As a result, researchers have extensively studied the causes, treatments, and interventions for diabetes. Despite efforts to ameliorate its effects, diabetes remains a prevalent danger in society. In 2014, 7% of U.S. adults were living with diagnosed diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). In Louisiana that number was even higher - 10.4% of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Breaking it down by age group, however, in Louisiana 3% of people aged 18 and 44 have been diagnosed, and 15.2% of people 45-64. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a). Several studies have predicted future rates of diabetes both in the United States and worldwide - nearly all of these studies reached a similar conclusion: rates of diabetes will continue to rise (Boyle et al., 2001).

Uncontrolled diabetes can affect nearly every organ of the body; of which, heart disease and kidney failure are most commonly impacted. Known as diabetes mellitus, a collective term for various blood abnormalities, the term diabetes refers to either a scarcity of insulin in the body or the body’s inability to accept insulin. Though the symptoms of diabetes are manageable, many are unaware as to having it. According to the CDC report “2011 Diabetes Fact Sheet,” approximately 6 million people in the United States have undiagnosed diabetes. Undetected, diabetes can become deadly. In a recent World Health Organization report “Diabetes Action Now: An Initiative of the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation,” it

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a pandemic that affects millions of people. The growth rate of unrecognized pre-diabetes in America is expected to rise up to 52% by 2020 (Lorenzo, 2013). As the prevalence of diabetes increases, so will the complications and burden of the disease. One of the leading causes for cardiovascular disease, renal failure, nontraumatic lower limb amputations, stroke, and new cases of blindness is DM (Lorenzo, 2013).

Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin. It is a precursor to numerous other diseases, which can quickly deteriorate patient’s health if

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases to this day. With over 171 million cases of diabetes all over the world, this disease is spreading exponentially fast. Lesser known as Diabetes Mellitus, this disease is all about the amounts of sugar in one's body. Glucose, in particular. Glucose is the powerhouse of the body. It helps run your body by transforming into the energy that we use to function on a daily basis. Whether or not one's diabetes is minor or even off the charts it can lead to terrible outcomes. These include stroke, blindness, vascular disease and heart disease. As mentioned before, the major symptom of diabetes is that too much sugar is in one's body. This is similar to a disease previously mentioned, hemochromatosis. However,

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which a person’s glucose (blood sugar) is higher than normal. After our bodies have digested foods and turned them into sugar, the pancreas produces insulin. Insulin helps the body take sugar (blood sugar) out of the bloodstream and helps to shuttle it into our cells to be used for energy. If a person has diabetes, their bodies either doesn’t make enough insulin (Type II) or the body doesn’t use the insulin as it should (Type I). Either of these conditions can result in high sugar (glucose) levels (CDC, 2013).

Diabetes is a chronic, systemic disturbance in the metabolism of blood glucose; hence blood levels of glucose are abnormally high. This is either due to the body’s inability

Diabetes is a metabolic disease involving elevated blood glucose levels over a prolonged period of time due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes is Greek for “siphon” because of the observation of frequent thirst and urination. There are two general disorders within the classification of “diabetes”; Diabetes Insipidus is

Another way a person could manage or prevent diabetes is by exercise and diet. With the right diet and the amount of exercise, a person who has the traits of a prediabetic, can nearly diminsh the chances for them getting type one or type 2 diabetes. According to The American Diabetes Association, ''prospective studies have demonstrated that lifestyle modification in the form of diet and regular moderate exercise sharply decreases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals who have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose.''3 Becuase in some peoples cases, obestisty and blood pressure are factors that may cause diabetes, a change in what people eat and the amount of physical activity they get, can ultametly change their medical standing. People who already have type 2 diabetes and choose to manage it with diet and exercise, also have to take insulin shots but, they may argue that it's healthier to live irght and take insulin. When a person who already has diabetes exercises and eats healthier, this can actually reverse or slow down the natual course of the disesase. 3

Diabetes is a major problem in our society today. Many people have heard about the disease; however, they do not know too much about its complications. Diabetes is a chronic, progressive and lifelong condition that affects the body’s ability to use the energy found in food (WebMD, 2016). Many new cases are confirmed every year and unfortunately, many go undiagnosed for years. Diabetes is a serious disease and need to be taking seriously. The disease can lead to many other health problems such as blindness, nerve damage and kidney diseases. The more the community understand and made aware of the seriousness of the disease, the better it can be control and or prevented.