Diabetes updates in September

Starting this month, I would like to keep you updated on the latest developments in the management and prevention of diabetes. Diabetes updates will appear in this blog once or twice a month.

Early warning on diabetes

It is there before you know, sneaking up from behind. First it is just that the prediabetes stage when the blood sugar level is slightly up but not that high. Like many chronic conditions however, early detection is very important in diabetes. That is why a blood test is recommended to catch the big D early.
Even at the pre-diabetes stage, there is so much you can do to prevent the disease from progressing: diet, physical exercise and weight loss.
At the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Dr. Judith Fradkin says you don’t have to drop to your ideal body weight to dramatically reduce your risk of moving from pre-diabetes to diabetes.
“Even losing an average of 15 pounds makes a huge difference in developing type 2 diabetes.”

Consumer Guide Compares Type 2 Diabetes Treatments

Researchers at the for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a consumer guide to diabetes treatments earlier this year. The guide compares the effectiveness of pre-mixed insulin and other treatments for adults with type 2 diabetes and present the  results of the comparison in plain language that non-medical people can understand.
AHRQ researcher Dr. Barbara Bartman explains:
“The guide helps consumers better understand the difference between insulin that lasts all through the day, insulin for meal time, and the newer pre-mixed insulin analogues that work throughout the day and also at meal time when blood sugar levels can rise suddenly. The guide not only describes how effective these medicines are, but also explains their potential side-effects. We want consumers to have access and understand this information, so they can work with their clinician to decide which treatment option is best for them.”
You can listen to the audiocast about the guide as well as download it from the AHRQ site.

Potential preventative therapy for Type 1 diabetes

A potential preventative therapy for Type 1 diabetes? Scientists at Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia believe this may be it.  Type 1 diabetes is a form of autoimmune disease wherein the body attacks its own insulin producing cells. The new therapy, using a molecule that blocks immune B cells “makes the body’s killer immune cells tolerate the insulin-producing cells they would normally attack and destroy, prior to disease onset. “

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