Diabetes: A Sugar Rush
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. It is a lifelong illness that can affect both adults and children. It is considered to be one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States right after heart attacks and cancer (medicinenet). Due to the life threatening nature of diabetes, the necessity of controlling it is absolutely essential. Diabetes is a very serious disease with many life threatening consequences, but if it is taken care of properly, diabetics can live a normal life.
There are about 23.6 million children and adults in the Unites States, or about 8% of the population, who have diabetes (diabetes). While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people are unaware that they have the disease (diabetes). Along with the people this disease affects it also affects their pocket books. The total annual cost of diabetes in 2007 was estimated to be 174 billion dollars in the United States (medicinenet). Along with the total cost for diabetes the annual per capita cost for a person with diabetes is roughly around 13, 243 dollars (medicinenet). While a normal person without the disease spends around 2,650 every year for medical expenditures (medicinenet). Because of the increased number of patients, growing reliance on multiple medications and the shift toward more research for the disease, it is understandable of how much money goes into diabetes. In order to fully comprehend why diabetes cost so much, it would be valuable to understand what the disease does to the body.
Diabetes is a set of related diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (specifically glucose) in the blood (emedicin...
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...to diabetes. Because most minority populations are younger and tend to develop diabetes at earlier ages that the non-Hispanic white population, there needs to be a consideration for the age difference when adjusting rates for groups that have diabetes. After the age adjusting, 6.6 percent of non-Hispanic whites, 7.5 percent of Asian Americans, 10.4 percent of Hispanics, and 11.8 percent of non-Hispanic blacks were diagnosed with diabetes (diabetes). Without separating racial groups the most popular age group to get diagnosed was that of the under 20 years with 1.6 million cases in 2007 (diabetes). Also according to the source, in 2007 men were more probable to have diabetes than women (diabetes). Deaths among patients with diabetes were ranked according to the 72,507 death certificates in 2007 in which diabetes was listed as the underlying cause of death (diabetes).
Diabetes is a very serious disease that takes many lives each year. It is a lifelong disease that can be fatal to both adults and children if it is uncontrolled. Diabetes does not have to be fatal if certain precautions are taken. If diabetics maintain a healthy diet and watch their carbohydrate intake they can keep their diabetes under control. Monitoring blood sugar is also necessary to live a healthy life. If diabetics know the right way of maintaining their diabetes, they can live a very normal and active life.
During the year 1889, two researchers, Joseph Von Mering and Oskar Minkowski, discovered the disease that is known today as diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the insulin levels (a hormone produced in unique cells called the islets of Langerhans found in the pancreas) in the bloodstream are irregular and therefore affect the way the body uses sugars, as well as other nutrients. Up until the 1920’s, it was known that being diagnosed with diabetes was a death sentence which usually affected “children and adults under 30.” Those who were diagnosed were usually very hungry and thirsty, which are two of the symptoms associated with diabetes. However, no matter how much they ate, their bodies wouldn’t be able to use the nutrients due to the lack of insulin.
The pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus in is related to the insulin hormone. Insulin is secreted by cells in the pancreas and is responsible for regulating the level of glucose in the bloodstream. It also aids the body in breaking down the glucose to be used as energy. When someone suffers from diabetes, however, the body does not break down the glucose in the blood as a result of abnormal insulin metabolism. When there are elevated levels of glucose in the blood, it is known as hyperglycemia. If the levels continue to remain high over an extended period of time, damage can be done to the kidneys, cardiovascular systems; you can get eye disorders, or even cause nerve damage. When the glucose levels are low in one’s body, it is called hypoglycemia. A person begins to feel very jittery, and possibly dizzy. If that occurs over a period of time, the person can possibly faint. Diabetes mellitus occurs in three different forms - type 1, type 2, and gestational.
Today I am going to be choosing diabetes for my medical topic. There are several types of diabetes. There is type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestastional diabetes. Our body naturally produce insulin and but sometimes there are cases where are body doesn’t produce enough insulin or does not properly respond to the insulin produced which results in high blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels is not healthy for our bodies because it can lead to us going into a coma. If this is left untreated it can cause very serious health problems including death.
Healthy People 2020 defines health disparities as a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage (“Healthy People 2020,” n.d.). Health Disparities that are associated with diabetes include many different minority populations. These populations that are affected more severely by diabetes and do not receive diabetes research, treatment or education. Racial and ethnic minority populations have a higher risk of diabetic complications such as lower limb amputations and kidney failure.
Diabetes is a disease in which a person’s body in unable to make or utilize insulin properly which affects blood sugar levels. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas, which helps to regulate glucose (sugar) levels, break down carbohydrates and fats, and is essential to produce the body’s energy. The CDC (2013) offers reliable insight, summarized here, into the different types of diabetes, some causes, and health complications that may arise from the disease.
Diabetes is a prevalent health disparity among the Latino population. Diabetes is listed as the fifth leading cause of death among the Latino population in the website for Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, in 2009. According to McBean, “the 2001 prevalence among Hispanics was significantly higher than among blacks.” (2317) In other words among the Hispanic or Latino community, there is a higher occurrence of diabetes as compared to other racial/ethnic groups such as Blacks and Native Americans. The prevalence of diabetes among Latinos is attributed to the social determinants of health such as low socioeconomic status and level of education. Further, this becomes an important public health issue when it costs the United States $174 billion in both direct and indirect costs, based on the 2007 The National Diabetes Fact Sheet released by the CDC. In turn, medical expenses are twice as high for a patient that has diabetes as opposed to one without. Finally, this high cost becomes another barrier to receiving care for Latinos when some are in the low socioeconomic status.
But Hispanic has about 50% higher death rate from diabetes. Many deaths may be prevented within the Hispanic population with an increase in education and health screening. Barriers to Health Promotion in the Hispanic Minority "Social factors may play a major role in Hispanic health" (CDC, 2015). According to the article, 1 in 3 will not be able to finish high school and the ones that live below the poverty line are 1 in 4.... ... middle of paper ...
...revention through awareness and education is achieved via the work of government initiatives such as the National Diabetes Services Scheme and health campaigns including Measure Up. The NDSS also works to improve the self-management of diabetes. Physiotherapists also have a role in the management of diabetes through implementing exercise programs. An evidence-based approach was used to create the proposed exercise program that aimed to manage the high blood glucose levels associated with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes (Sigal et al., 2007). It utilized both aerobic and resistance training in accordance with current knowledge of the most effective dosages for the population group. Physiotherapists must work alongside other healthcare professionals such as dietitians and general practitioners to provide optimal support and management for patients with diabetes.
Hispanic or Latino are statistically proven to be one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing minority in the United States, and they rank about 15 percent of the U.S. population which is expected to double almost to 29 percent by 2050 if current demographic trends continue (Livingston, et al., 2008). Before analyzing the Hispanic health status, demographic factors should take into consideration because the structure of populations, such as inadequate, unhealthy housing and living areas with poor air quality, can determine their health conditions. More so, they have the lower prevalence in many chronic health conditions than the U.S. adult population, but higher prevalence in diabetes and obesity than the non-Hispanic wh...
However, in the US, the risk of development is higher among African and Hispanic children. Within this, 50% of the children will develop diabetes. When looking at Type I, the typical onset of age for this is usually around 4 to 6 years old and again around 10 to 14 years of age. When looking at incidence, Type I diabetes in 20 year olds has increases by 23% between the years 2003 and 2009. . (Wong, Hockenberry, Wilson, 2015)
Diabetes is a common disease, which can be a serious, life-long illness caused by high levels of glucose in the blood. This condition is when the body cannot produce insulin or lack of insulin production from the beta cells in the islet of Langerhans in the pancreas. Diabetes can cause other health problems over time. Eye, kidneys, and nerves can get damaged and chances of stroke are always high. Because of the serious complications, the purposes of teaching a plan for diabetes patients are to optimize blood glucose control, optimize quality of life, and prevent chronic and potentially life-threatening complications.
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s tissues absorb glucose which is sugar, so it can be used as a source of energy. Glucose levels build up in the blood and urine which causes excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism in a diabetic person. Diabetes is very common in the United States; it is the seventh leading cause of all deaths. Women have been diagnosed with diabetes more than men. There are two forms of diabetes, Type one and Type two diabetes. Type one diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin or produces it in very small quantities. This usually occurs in younger people under twenty years of age, mostly around puberty. Type two diabetes is when the body’s balance between insulin production and the ability of cells to use insulin doesn’t work properly. This is more common than type one; about 90-95% people in the United States have it. There are no cures for diabetes now but there are many researchers investigating factors through new technologies to cure them. Meanwhile, technological advancements are being made to keep glucose at a good level for diabetes.
“Diabetes mellitus (sometimes called "sugar diabetes") is a condition that occurs when the body can't use glucose (a type of sugar) normally. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body's cells. The levels of glucose in the blood are controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is made by the pancreas. Insulin helps glucose enter the cells” (Diabetes Mellitus).
Zimmet, P., K.G. Alberti, and J. Shaw.2001. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 414 (December 13): 782-86