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Diabetes is a serious disease. People get diabetes when their blood glucose level, sometimes called blood sugar, is too high. The good news is that there are things you can do to take control of diabetes and prevent its problems. And, if you are worried about getting diabetes, there are things you can do to lower your risk.

Our bodies turn the food we eat into glucose. Insulin helps glucose get into our cells, where it can be used to make energy. If you have diabetes, your body may not make enough insulin, may not use insulin in the right way, or both. That can cause too much glucose in the blood. Your family doctor may refer you to a doctor who specializes in taking care of people with diabetes, called an endocrinologist.

There are two main kinds of diabetes.

Diabetes can affect many parts of your body. Its important to keep diabetes under control. Over time, it can cause serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, and circulation problems that may lead to amputation. People with type 2 diabetes also have a greater risk for Alzheimers disease.

Many people have prediabetes. This means their glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. Prediabetes is a serious problem because people who have it are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

There are things you can do to prevent or delay getting type 2 diabetes. Losing weight may help. Healthy eating and being physically active can make a big difference. Work with your doctor to set up a plan for good nutrition and regular exercise. Make sure to ask how often you should have your glucose levels checked.

Some people with type 2 diabetes may not know they have it. But, they may feel tired, hungry, or thirsty. They may lose weight without trying, urinate often, or have trouble with blurred vision. They may also get skin infections or heal slowly from cuts and bruises. See your doctor right away if you have one or more of these symptoms.

Doctors use several blood tests to help diagnose diabetes:

Your doctor may want you to be tested for diabetes twice before making a diagnosis.

Once youve been told you have diabetes, your doctor will choose the best treatment based on the type of diabetes you have, your everyday routine, and any other health problems you have. Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose levels with diet and exercise alone. Others need diabetes medicines or insulin injections. Over time, people with diabetes may need both lifestyle changes and medication.

You can keep control of your diabetes by:

Your doctor may want you to see other healthcare providers who can help manage some of the extra problems caused by diabetes. He or she can also give you a schedule for other tests that may be needed. Talk to your doctor about how to stay healthy.

Here are some ways to stay healthy with diabetes:

Make sure you always have at least 3 days worth of supplies on hand for testing and treating your diabetes in case of an emergency.

Medicare may pay to help you learn how to care for your diabetes. It may also help pay for diabetes tests, supplies, flu and pneumonia shots, special shoes, foot exams, eye tests, and meal planning.

For more information about what Medicare covers, call 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-MEDICARE) or visit their website, http://www.medicare.gov.

American Diabetes Association 1-800-342-2383 (toll-free) askada@diabetes.org (email) http://www.diabetes.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1-800-232-4636 (toll-free) 1-888-232-6348 (TTY/toll-free) cdcinfo@cdc.gov (email) http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/home/index.html

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 1-800-860-8747 (toll-free) 1-866-569-1162 (TTY/toll-free) healthinfo@niddk.nih.gov (email) http://www.ndep.nih.gov http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes

Smokefree.gov 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUITNOW/toll-free) cancergovstaff@mail.nih.gov (email) http://www.smokefree.gov https://60plus.smokefree.gov

For more information on health and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging Information Center P.O. Box 8057 Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057 1-800-222-2225 (toll-free) 1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free) niaic@nia.nih.gov (email) http://www.nia.nih.gov

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National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Originally posted here:
Diabetes in Older People | National Institute on Aging

This entry was posted on June 21, 2017 at 9:48 pm and is filed under Diabetes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |