Issue Date: March 16, 2008
Curbing diabetes
Doctors aim for earlier detection and treatment of the disease.
By Dr. Tedd Mitchell
It has been estimated that 7% of the population has diabetes.
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It seems that not a week goes by without another article hitting the medical journals on diabetes --type 2, that is, once known as "adult-onset" diabetes. The reason is simple: More and more Americans are developing it. It has been estimated that 7% of the population has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. As with other medical conditions, people usually start receiving treatment for diabetes once they learn that they have it. The problem with this is that by the time the diagnosis is made, someone already may have been affected by long-term consequences of the illness, including heart and kidney damage.
Wouldn't it be great if we could identify much sooner those folks who are likely to develop diabetes? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is trying to do just that. It recently published updated guidelines for doctors to help them recognize and treat people who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The guidelines include helpful information, such as the following:
Who should be screened? All adults who are overweight (with a body mass index of 25 or higher) and have at least one additional diabetes risk factor, such as a family history of diabetes or high blood pressure, should be screened for type 2 diabetes. Some doctors believe that screening should be extended to teens because of the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this group, especially among minorities.
What about dietary guidelines? Dietary suggestions to help prevent diabetes have been revised somewhat. Traditionally, low-fat diets have been recommended for weight loss. The new guidelines offer the option of following a low-carb diet.
What about treatment? The new guidelines call for more stringent control of blood sugar. This means more aggressive therapy to control blood sugar not only in many people with diabetes but also in those with pre-diabetes.
What about other risks factors? The recommendations also call for greater use of medications to treat other risk factors, like elevated cholesterol, among people at risk for diabetes and those who have the disease but are not taking such medications. This is an effort to improve their overall health.
The new ADA guidelines reflect growing concern about the increase of diabetes in our population. By reviewing your risk factors with your doctor, you might be able to alter your health future if you make some changes now.
Contributing Editor Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.
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