Diabetes Care

Diabetes is a chronic condition that does not allow your body to process glucose properly. Glucose is the sugar that forms when your body breaks down the foods you eat. Glucose builds up in your bloodstream, causing a high blood glucose (blood sugar) level. When your blood glucose is too high, you can have harmful symptoms.

There are two main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 —Your body stops producing insulin, the hormone required to process glucose. Type 1 diabetes typically affects children or adults under age 40.
• Type 2 — Your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes is more common in people over age 40 who are overweight and have a family history of diabetes.

Two other types of diabetes exist:

• Pre-diabetes — Your glucose levels are higher than normal but not enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Having pre-diabetes increases for risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes — This type develops during pregnancy. It often disappears after pregnancy, but it can raise your lifelong diabetes risk.

Whether you just received your diabetes diagnosis or you’re trying to better manage your condition, our expert endocrinologists can help. We'll give you the personalized treatment you need so you can live your best life.

We encourage you to have at least one meeting with a certified diabetes educator. They can teach you the self-management skills you need to control your diabetes. They can help you:

• Follow your medication instructions.
• Make heart-healthy, carbohydrate-focused food choices.
• Monitor your blood sugar level.
• Set healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight goals.
• Understand your risk for diabetes-related complications.

You also can get ongoing nutritional advice and guidance from our registered dieticians.

Blood glucose monitoring is the most effective way to keep track of your blood glucose levels. It can help you pinpoint what factors may cause your blood glucose to spike or fall too low. Monitoring also can help your endocrinologist decide if you need a different treatment.

Most people with diabetes use a glucose meter to check their blood glucose before meals and two hours after eating. Keeping a log of your results shows you how well your diabetes management plan is working.

The American Diabetes Association recommends these targets for most non-pregnant adults with diabetes:

• A1C: 7% or lower
• Blood glucose before meals: 70–130 mg/dl
• Blood glucose after meals: <180 mg/dl

Diabetes is more common among people of Native American, African American, Hispanic American, Asian American or Pacific Islander descent. Several other factors can increase your diabetes risk:

• Age (increased Type 2 diabetes risk over age 40)
• Close relatives with diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity

It is possible to have Type 2 diabetes and not have any symptoms. However, high blood glucose levels can produce many symptoms:

• Blurry vision
• Extreme, unexplained fatigue
• Intense thirst
• Irritability
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Weight loss
• Wounds that won’t heal

Diabetes can increase your risk for other health problems. Without proper treatment or lifestyle changes, you may experience other complications:

• Cardiovascular disease: The two most common diabetes-associated cardiovascular problems are high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries.
• Kidney disease: With uncontrolled diabetes, your kidneys slowly stop working correctly. Kidney disease can lead to kidney failure.
• Nerve damage: Diabetes-related nerve damage leads to numbness, pain and weakness in your feet, legs, hands and arms. It is also the leading cause of amputations in the United States behind accidents.
• Vision loss: Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive disease that destroys your retina’s small blood vessels. Over time, you can develop vision problems, including blindness.

Diabetes also can cause skin problems, digestive disorders, sexual dysfunction and dental problems.  

Diabetes treatment aims to keep your blood glucose levels within a safe range. To do this, our endocrinologists offer three treatment options:

• Medication: Oral medications can help people with Type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels. People with Type 1 diabetes have multiple daily insulin injections or wear an insulin pump that delivers insulin continuously during the day.
• Nutrition: A certified diabetes educator or registered dietician can teach people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes how to choose foods to maintain their weight, control their blood sugar and lower their risk of complications.
• Physical activity: Thirty minutes of daily moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can help control blood glucose levels.