Many people have diabetes and they don’t even know it. By the time they find out, they’re at risk of severe complications like blindness or kidney disease. Researchers at MedStar Research Institute in Washington D.C. has been looking for ways to encourage more patients to get tested sooner. They believe many people put it off because of the process it takes to get tested. The traditional diabetes testing method includes fasting, drinking a sweet glucose solution and taking a blood test. This type of testing typically takes several hours.
The researchers have discovered a new light machine called the vera-light scout. It uses fluorescent light to non-invasively measure the effects of high glucose levels in the forearm’s connective tissue. Dr. Robert Ratner with MedStar Research says, “We’ve been able to identify those biochemical changes that may reflect diabetes without the need of sticking the patient or drawing blood or sending samples off to a certified laboratory.” The machine shines a light onto the skin’s surface and the layers of tissue immediately below. It measures how much light bounces back in very specific wavelengths. Ratner says they “then compare the Scout measure with the overnight fasting with glucose method, and found that the Scout measure is as accurate, if not better.”
This system is still in the testing phase and not available to the public yet, although many doctors believe this system will be the future for diabetes detection!
There is a new national effort to stem the tide of diabetes in the United States. The National Diabetes Goal was unveiled May 7 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., the goal is for the 45 percent of Americans who are at risk for type 2 diabetes, to know their blood glucose level and what actions to take. They aim to achieve this by 2015.
There is over 21 million Americans that have diabetes, but it is thought that more than 6 million Americans are unaware that they have the disease. It is believed that type 2 diabetes can be prevented if people at risk are tested and take action. It is estimated by 2025, 15 percent of the population will suffer from diabetes.
“Early detection is critical in maintaining healthy vision”, said American Optometric Association (AOA), president, Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., PhD. “Recognizing the importance of diabetes prevention and early treatment for lifelong eye health, AOA fully supports the National Diabetes Goal.” The A.O.A., is one of the many health care provider groups, government officials and leaders from the business and academic communities that are supporting the National Diabetes Goal.
Teens with Type 1 Diabetes prefer use Insulin pumps as part of treating the disease but an FDA study shows the device has been linked to injuries and a few deaths. Although, the FDA is not saying the teens with juvenile diabetes should not be provided the insulin pump. Insulin pumps can help make life more manageable. Parents need to be keeping a close eye on their children’s devices and understand that the machine is not infallible.Problems observed in the study were not taking care of the pump or dropping them. Also it is believed that there is simply a lack of education because teen weren’t sure on the correct use.
With the proper care the pumps can be a part of normal teen life for diabetes patients. Up to 100,000 teens may already be using the machine that costs about $6,000 with supplies running at $250 a month.
Insulin pumps are used for Type 1 diabetes. Between 5 and 10 percent of all diabetic cases are Type 1 which is also known as juvenile diabetes. The pumps are small, the size of a cell phone, and worn on a belt or carried in a pocket. Through a plastic tube that is inserted under the skin insulin is carried into the body. The user tells the machine how much insulin to give prior to each meal based on the estimated carbs they are eating. There are also devices designed to give a constant low level flow of insulin.
Even with the pump patients must check sugar levels, because one of the problems that has been observed is a blocked tube that can quickly cause an episode of high blood sugar. “In a matter of a few hours, all the insulin in the body disappears,” said Dr. John Buse, the American Diabetes Association’s president for medicine and science. “Metabolically, the child starts to spiral out of control.
Although there are some problems with the insulin pump it has quickly become a vital part of diabetic treatment for teens. Teens need to be aware of these risks.
“Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children after asthma, but the percentage of kids who have it is still relatively low,” says Parents advisor Lori Laffel, MD, chief of the pediatric, adolescent, and young-adult section at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center. Many parents have misconceptions about the illness. This often keeps them from understanding the best ways to help kids avoid or manage diabetes.
Many parents believe that children who get diabetes are the ones with a weight problem. This is not always the case. In type 1 diabetes the immune system mistakenly destroys healthy cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that helps the body get energy from food, and at this time there is no known cause. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas usually makes plenty of insulin, but cells throughout the body have trouble using it. This creates a condition known as insulin resistance.
Parents need to help their children keep blood sugar at normal levels. This is the key to a healthy life for your child. Poorly controlled blood sugar levels can lead to a variety of problems, including heart attack, cirrhosis of the liver, blindness, and kidney failure. Fortunately, it takes about five to ten years of poorly controlled blood sugar to cause any of these serious conditions.
So, now is your chance to teach your children how to control blood sugar levels. There are very simple ways to accomplish this. Teach them to eat better, lose weight if needed, and exercise regularly. All these things will help insulin to work more effectively. Of course, if these lifestyle changes are no enough see a pediatrician.
A very interesting trail study has been preformed in Moscow, Russia on four people with type 1 diabetes. They injected pig pancreatic cells into the abdomen of the four patients. The cells were covered in an alginate gel coating. This allowed nutrients to reach the cells and insulin to diffuse out, but this process hide the pig cells from the body’s immune system.
There was quite a big controversy because of the fear that dormant pig viruses in the cells could cause disease. Although, researchers said that no pig viruses have been found in the patients six months later.
Of the four people, one lady was able to suspend insulin injections for five months and when she resumed insulin her doses were less than 20 percent of what she had been taking before. Another man was able to reduce his doses of insulin by 40 percent. However, one of the four patients treatment failed. The fourth patient just received the treatment on March 31.
This study will be worth following for the next couple of years!
People with diabetes are at a ten times higher risk than normal for developing cardiovascular disease. There has been a study done of ninety-five Diabetes Center and Pediatric Care Clinics in Germany and Austria. There were eight hundred sixty eight subjects studied from age six until they were almost twenty-years-old.
Blood pressure reading was taken at pre-pubertal, going through puberty, and at post-pubertal. It was reported that 4 percent had elevated blood pressure during pre-puberty and puberty. Almost 14 percent had elevated blood pressure during post-puberty.
The research team reported, “Tracking of blood pressure revealed that children with elevated blood pressure had a higher blood pressure in adolescence and young adulthood.”
The goal now is to lower blood pressure early in life. The team’s next study will focus on the efficiency of early intervention for children with type 1 diabetes and diagnosed with hypertension.
People that have type 1 diabetes must take insulin to control their blood glucose. And when it comes to eating sensibly for their condition, people with type 1 diabetes must ensure that the food they eat is timed as best possible with insulin in order to mimic the natural function of the pancreas. It is never perfect, but combining the right diet with insulin shots is the best way to keep the body maintaining its condition.
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Type 1 diabetes is caused by a loss of beta cells in the pancreas, which leads to an insulin deficiency. What causes the beta cell loss is a T-cell mediated autoimmune attack. The principal treatment is replacing insulin in the body.
Without insulin, serious symptoms, coma, and even death can result. To date, there is no preventative methods known for type 1. Ten percent of all diabetics in North American and Europe have this type of diabetes. Many insurance providers will cover diabetic supplies for type 1 diabetes. Click here to see if you qualify for free type 1 diabetic supplies.
This type was originally called “juvenile diabetes”, due to a majority of cases being children. Type 1 diabetes can be treated with insulin and monitored by using glucose meters. Diet and exercise can aid in the management of this disorder. Treatment should not interfere with normal activities, as long as there is sufficient awareness, appropriate care and discipline taken in testing and taking prescribed medications.