Sunday, November 29, 2015
YOUNGSTOWN
Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, more than a million Americans are diagnosed with the condition.
Though it largely can be managed through proper diet, exercise and medication, many individuals with diabetes will develop serious health complications during their lives. That’s why diabetes screenings are critically important.
“Patients who have pre-diabetes often aren’t even experiencing symptoms. If we can test at-risk patients and catch the condition early, we can often help them avoid diabetes and associated health problems, such as retinopathy, kidney disease and heart disease,” said Dr. Manivel Eswaran, ValleyCare Medical Group of Ohio endocrinologist.
With early detection, most individuals can make the lifestyle changes necessary to avoid developing the disease, Dr. Eswaran said.
Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. Individuals with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as full-blown diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 30 million Americans are living with Type 2 diabetes, previously known as “adult onset diabetes,” and an additional 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes.
In the past, physicians tested for diabetes and pre-diabetes by administering a glucose tolerance test, which required patients to fast for several hours before having blood drawn for a lab test. The test would give patients a score, with those scoring higher than 100 considered pre-diabetic and those scoring 126 or higher considered diabetic.
Recently, physicians have begun favoring a different method of diabetes testing called the A1C test. This test can provide a more accurate assessment by measuring the average level of glucose in the blood over the previous two to three months. An A1C level of 5.6 or lower is considered normal, 5.7 is considered pre-diabetic and 6.5 or higher is considered diabetic.
“We recommend individuals who are at an elevated risk for diabetes, particularly those with a family history, be tested annually,” said Dr. Eswaran.
Although genetics can contribute to the risk of developing diabetes, individuals who are overweight, physically inactive, have high blood pressure, of a certain racial heritage including African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian-American and Pacific Islander, and have a history of gestational diabetes are among those at increased risk, he said.
People should consider being tested when they are about 40, have a family history of diabetes, or have a body mass index of about 40, Dr. Eswaran.
He recommends that individuals who are concerned about their diabetes risk, or those who have been diagnosed with the disease, see their primary care physician. By working closely with their physician, the condition can be managed or even prevented, he said.
Common symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and urination, getting up too often at night to urinate, and unexplained weight loss.
“If a person has any of them, they should get checked for diabetes,” Dr. Eswaran said.
The cause of diabetes is mostly genetic, but lifestyle also makes a difference. People should try to eat healthfully, as obesity is one of the risk factors for diabetes, and exercise regularly, he said.
Diabetes doubles the risk for heart disease and can cause kidney disease, vascular disease leading to amputations, blindness and stroke.
Dealing with diabetes is a team effort involving the patient, the family doctor, a nutritionist and the family.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that patients don’t visit their doctor on a regular basis ... something they need to do,” Dr. Eswaran said.
Gastric bypass has been shown to send diabetes into remission; but other than that, it’s a progressive disease.
A member of the ValleyCare Medical Group of Ohio, Dr. Eswaran is affiliated with Trumbull Memorial Hospital at 2658 Elm Road NE in Cortland. He is a resident of Vienna Township.