Diabetes Management

What's diabetes?

Diabetes is a life-long condition in which blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Our body's cells need glucose to work properly and the hormone insulin helps glucose get into the cells. Diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin or use insulin the right way. As a result, glucose cannot get into the cells builds up (or rises) in the blood. Having too much glucose in your blood over time can cause health issues, including serious problems with your blood vessels, heart, nerves, kidneys, eyes, and feet. People with diabetes also have a much higher risk of heart disease and stroke than people who do not have diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

The first symptoms of diabetes can include feeling very thirsty, the need to urinate often, being tired, or having weight gain or loss. Some people experience blurry vision, sores that do not heal, and numbness or tingling of your hands and/or feet. The only way to know if you have diabetes is to have your healthcare provider do a simple blood test to measure the amount of sugar in your blood.

What's the treatment for diabetes?

You or your healthcare provider can work on a treatment plan to help manage your diabetes. Treatment often includes lifestyle adjustments, self-care measures, and medicines, which can help minimize the risk of diabetes and heart-related complications.

Diabetes can be monitored and managed effectively over the course of a patient's lifetime.