Q: I just learned that I'm a "borderline" diabetic, even though my blood glucose reading was very close to normal. Now I'm not sure what to do. Should I be consistently checking my blood sugar level, eating differently, or taking medication as though I actually have diabetes? I don't want to develop diabetes, but I don't want to take unnecessary precautions either.
A: Great question! Now that you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, prevention is key. Prediabetes is characterized by either impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Both of these terms refer to the level of sugar in the bloodstream, and they're both ways of saying that you have prediabetes.
If your fasting glucose level (a test in which blood is drawn after six hours without food) is between 100 and 125 mg/dl, you have IFG. If your blood sugar level two hours after a glucose challenge test is between 139 and 200 mg/dl, you have IGT.
Okay — now that we have the classification straight, why should you be worried about these numbers if yours are not in the diabetic range? Here's why: As your blood glucose rises above the normal level, your risk of developing damage in the body's small blood vessels, and ultimately your risk of a heart attack or stroke, also rises. In addition, having abnormal glucose levels is a risk factor for developing outright diabetes in the future.
By bringing you blood sugar levels back in the normal range, you can probably prevent the onset of diabetes and other complications, such as coronary artery disease. It is not absolutely essential to frequently check your glucose levels at home as long as you and your doctor monitor them periodically.
The precautions that you can and should take to prevent complications and the onset of diabetes consist of the same habits you'd cultivate to stay healthy in general. These include exercising, eating healthfully and not excessively, and maintaining your ideal body weight. One study showed that among a group of individuals who had prediabetes, those who lost as little as 7 percent of their body weight delayed the onset of diabetes or prevented it. There are also medicines that have been shown to prevent diabetes. While I do not recommend medicines to all people with prediabetes, it might be advisable in some cases. I wish you luck in this journey toward health.
Showing posts with label celebrities and diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebrities and diabetes. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Only 7% of the 60 Million with Prediabetes Are Aware
Measuring glycated hemoglobin levels may be an appropriate means of catching patients with prediabetes....
Ronald Ackerman, MD, MPH, of Indiana University, and colleagues reported in Preventive Medicine that, HbA1c testing yielded similar probabilities for developing diabetes and heart disease as those estimated by using the 2003 American Diabetes Association definition for prediabetes. "The A1c test may provide a badly needed, clinically practical indicator of the composite risk for incident diabetes and cardiovascular disease," they wrote.
Fasting plasma glucose and two-hour plasma glucose, two commonly used tests for assessing diabetes and prediabetes, are limited because they require a patient to return on a separate day after an overnight fast and remain in the office for 2-3 hours which is a potential barrier to test completion, the researchers said.
Measuring HbA1c is easier -- it requires only one blood draw. In June 2009, the International Expert Committee, which represents several major diabetes groups, recommended using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes.
The recommendations of the committee have stirred up some controversy, still, the researchers said, only about 7% of patients with prediabetes -- who are thus at risk for later diabetes and heart disease -- are aware of their status.
To estimate the risks of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease for adults with different HbA1c levels, Ackerman and colleagues assessed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006.
Among adults who met the 2003 ADA definition for prediabetes, the probabilities for developing Type 2 disease over 7.5 years and cardiovascular disease over 10 years were 33.5% and 10.7%, respectively.
The researchers found that using HbA1c alone -- with a range of 5.5% to 6.5% defining prediabetes -- would identify a population with comparable risks for diabetes and heart disease (32.4% and 11.4%, respectively).
But using a slightly higher cutoff -- beginning at 5.7% -- would identify increased risks of 41.3% for diabetes and 13.3% for heart disease.
These risks are comparable to those seen in patients enrolled in the Diabetes Prevention Program, which had an enrollment criteria of both elevated fasting plasma glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, the researchers said.
Thus, they concluded, using a bottom cutoff of 5.7% for diagnosing prediabetes may be more appropriate.
Either way, they said, HbA1c measurement "should be considered a means of identifying greater numbers of patients at risk for diabetes and heart disease" -- especially because "of its practical nature and wide availability."
The study was limited by its use of cross-sectional data, and it may be lacking in generalizability. For instance, a greater number of African Americans would be identified as having prediabetes than if using fasting plasma glucose or two-hour plasma glucose testing, the researchers noted.
Ronald Ackerman, MD, MPH, of Indiana University, and colleagues reported in Preventive Medicine that, HbA1c testing yielded similar probabilities for developing diabetes and heart disease as those estimated by using the 2003 American Diabetes Association definition for prediabetes. "The A1c test may provide a badly needed, clinically practical indicator of the composite risk for incident diabetes and cardiovascular disease," they wrote.
Fasting plasma glucose and two-hour plasma glucose, two commonly used tests for assessing diabetes and prediabetes, are limited because they require a patient to return on a separate day after an overnight fast and remain in the office for 2-3 hours which is a potential barrier to test completion, the researchers said.
Measuring HbA1c is easier -- it requires only one blood draw. In June 2009, the International Expert Committee, which represents several major diabetes groups, recommended using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes.
The recommendations of the committee have stirred up some controversy, still, the researchers said, only about 7% of patients with prediabetes -- who are thus at risk for later diabetes and heart disease -- are aware of their status.
To estimate the risks of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease for adults with different HbA1c levels, Ackerman and colleagues assessed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006.
Among adults who met the 2003 ADA definition for prediabetes, the probabilities for developing Type 2 disease over 7.5 years and cardiovascular disease over 10 years were 33.5% and 10.7%, respectively.
The researchers found that using HbA1c alone -- with a range of 5.5% to 6.5% defining prediabetes -- would identify a population with comparable risks for diabetes and heart disease (32.4% and 11.4%, respectively).
But using a slightly higher cutoff -- beginning at 5.7% -- would identify increased risks of 41.3% for diabetes and 13.3% for heart disease.
These risks are comparable to those seen in patients enrolled in the Diabetes Prevention Program, which had an enrollment criteria of both elevated fasting plasma glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, the researchers said.
Thus, they concluded, using a bottom cutoff of 5.7% for diagnosing prediabetes may be more appropriate.
Either way, they said, HbA1c measurement "should be considered a means of identifying greater numbers of patients at risk for diabetes and heart disease" -- especially because "of its practical nature and wide availability."
The study was limited by its use of cross-sectional data, and it may be lacking in generalizability. For instance, a greater number of African Americans would be identified as having prediabetes than if using fasting plasma glucose or two-hour plasma glucose testing, the researchers noted.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Type 2 Diabetes Affects Famous Folks, Too
Diabetes can affect everyone, and celebrities are no exception. Here are some notable people living with type 2 diabetes and successfully managing this condition.
Larry King of CNN and Sherri Shepherd of “The View” are two notable celebrities who live with type 2 diabetes. And they are far from the only well-known names with this type of diabetes — not surprising when you consider that more than 800,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year. Despite the challenges of this condition, these celebrities have learned to survive and even thrive with type 2 diabetes. Here’s how they've adapted and a few lessons you can take away from their stories
Larry King
He’s one of the most well-known television interviewers alive, but Larry King has faced many challenges in life other than confrontational guests. In a 2006 interview with Diabetes & You magazine, he revealed that a heart attack in 1987 made him give up smoking and change his lifestyle — and that a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 1998 threw him another health curveball. King fights back against complications with a healthy diet, medications, and frequent checks of his A1C blood levels.
Randy Jackson
According to an interview with Everyday Health, when “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson got his type 2 diabetes wake-up call, he weighed about 350 pounds with a blood sugar level of more than 500. Rather than let the disease get the best of him, though, Jackson fought back by modifying his diet and getting plenty of healthy exercise, including walking. He also had a gastric bypass operation to help get his weight down.
Patti LaBelle
In an interview with Everyday Health, Patti LaBelle revealed that her mother died of type 2 diabetes complications at age 58. Yet LaBelle remained in denial about her own risk until she passed out onstage during a concert. After four long years of ignoring her symptoms, LaBelle finally took charge of her health, starting a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet. Today, LaBelle is 20 pounds lighter, is a diabetes spokesperson, and even has her own cookbook called Patti LaBelle’s Lite Cuisine.
Sherri Shepherd
Though Sherri Shepherd has garnered a lot of fans for her comedic chops on “The View,” she has also faced a rather public divorce and a diagnosis of diabetes. In an interview with Good Housekeeping magazine, the celebrity revealed how her mother died at age 41 from complications of type 2 diabetes. Vowing to not follow in her mother’s footsteps, Shepherd has forsaken sweets for a healthy diet and exercise and dropped from a size 16 to a size 8
Ben Vereen
Over the years, he’s been nominated for and won Tony, Golden Globe, and Emmy awards for his dancing, singing, and acting. These days, the multi-talented Ben Vereen spends most of his time as an advocate spreading awareness about type 2 diabetes. In an interview with WLS-TV ABC 7 News in Chicago, Vereen stressed the importance of people with diabetes checking their blood sugar in public. Vereen admits that this was the hardest hurdle for him to overcome, but now this celebrity is as comfortable reading his blood sugar as he is checking his cell phone.
David Wells
Type 2 diabetes can affect athletes, too, even successful ones like major league baseball pitcher David Wells. Though always large for a pitcher, Wells had a fruitful major league career, even achieving the hallmark pitching achievement, a perfect game. In 2007, he went public about his type 2 diabetes when he revealed his diagnosis to ESPN. Today, Wells is retired from pitching, but still works in baseball as a color commentator on television.
Joe Gibbs
As the head coach of the National Football League’s Washington Redskins, Gibbs won three Super Bowl titles in the 1980s and '90s. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most successful owners on the car racing circuit with his team, Joe Gibbs Racing. According to the Web site dLife.com, Gibbs has compared dealing with a race car to diabetes management: If you don’t take care of the appropriate maintenance, you can’t expect either one to keep running
By Wyatt Myers
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Larry King of CNN and Sherri Shepherd of “The View” are two notable celebrities who live with type 2 diabetes. And they are far from the only well-known names with this type of diabetes — not surprising when you consider that more than 800,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year. Despite the challenges of this condition, these celebrities have learned to survive and even thrive with type 2 diabetes. Here’s how they've adapted and a few lessons you can take away from their stories
Larry King
He’s one of the most well-known television interviewers alive, but Larry King has faced many challenges in life other than confrontational guests. In a 2006 interview with Diabetes & You magazine, he revealed that a heart attack in 1987 made him give up smoking and change his lifestyle — and that a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 1998 threw him another health curveball. King fights back against complications with a healthy diet, medications, and frequent checks of his A1C blood levels.
Randy Jackson
According to an interview with Everyday Health, when “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson got his type 2 diabetes wake-up call, he weighed about 350 pounds with a blood sugar level of more than 500. Rather than let the disease get the best of him, though, Jackson fought back by modifying his diet and getting plenty of healthy exercise, including walking. He also had a gastric bypass operation to help get his weight down.
Patti LaBelle
In an interview with Everyday Health, Patti LaBelle revealed that her mother died of type 2 diabetes complications at age 58. Yet LaBelle remained in denial about her own risk until she passed out onstage during a concert. After four long years of ignoring her symptoms, LaBelle finally took charge of her health, starting a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet. Today, LaBelle is 20 pounds lighter, is a diabetes spokesperson, and even has her own cookbook called Patti LaBelle’s Lite Cuisine.
Sherri Shepherd
Though Sherri Shepherd has garnered a lot of fans for her comedic chops on “The View,” she has also faced a rather public divorce and a diagnosis of diabetes. In an interview with Good Housekeeping magazine, the celebrity revealed how her mother died at age 41 from complications of type 2 diabetes. Vowing to not follow in her mother’s footsteps, Shepherd has forsaken sweets for a healthy diet and exercise and dropped from a size 16 to a size 8
Ben Vereen
Over the years, he’s been nominated for and won Tony, Golden Globe, and Emmy awards for his dancing, singing, and acting. These days, the multi-talented Ben Vereen spends most of his time as an advocate spreading awareness about type 2 diabetes. In an interview with WLS-TV ABC 7 News in Chicago, Vereen stressed the importance of people with diabetes checking their blood sugar in public. Vereen admits that this was the hardest hurdle for him to overcome, but now this celebrity is as comfortable reading his blood sugar as he is checking his cell phone.
David Wells
Type 2 diabetes can affect athletes, too, even successful ones like major league baseball pitcher David Wells. Though always large for a pitcher, Wells had a fruitful major league career, even achieving the hallmark pitching achievement, a perfect game. In 2007, he went public about his type 2 diabetes when he revealed his diagnosis to ESPN. Today, Wells is retired from pitching, but still works in baseball as a color commentator on television.
Joe Gibbs
As the head coach of the National Football League’s Washington Redskins, Gibbs won three Super Bowl titles in the 1980s and '90s. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most successful owners on the car racing circuit with his team, Joe Gibbs Racing. According to the Web site dLife.com, Gibbs has compared dealing with a race car to diabetes management: If you don’t take care of the appropriate maintenance, you can’t expect either one to keep running
By Wyatt Myers
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
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