By Andrew Swanson, DO

Andrew Swanson, DO Andrew Swanson, DO, is a board-certified family practitioner in Sparks. He recently moved his new Alpine Family Medicine office to 1959 E. Prater Way, near the southwest corner of Prater and Vista Boulevard. For more information or an appointment, please call 331-5200.

Chances are that you know someone with diabetes. Seven percent of the U.S. population currently has this disease. The rate rises to 20 percent in people better than 60 years old.

Diabetes is a serious disease that puts people at risk for many health problems, including heart, vascular and kidney disease, and vision problems. It can contribute to frequent infections and poor wound healing. It may be these other problems that cause your doctor to look for diabetes and make the diagnosis.

Understanding diabetes
The simple definition of diabetes is elevated blood sugar. The disease usually is broken down into two categories. In type 1 diabetes, not enough insulin is produced. In type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to use insulin efficiently. Type 2 diabetes, often called adult onset, is the most common, but diabetes is becoming more common in younger people. The causes of diabetes involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Lifestyle factors play an important role.

Don't wait for these to occur. A simple blood sugar test done in your doctor's office is a reliable screening method. A fasting blood sugar level greater than 100 is abnormal; one greater than 126 indicates diabetes.

Treatments for diabetes
Good treatments are available for diabetes -- but there's no cure. Treatment should include the proper medications and lifestyle changes. Patients with diabetes can benefit from maintaining a healthy weight, daily exercise and a low-fat diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

It is very important for patients with diabetes to minimize all cardiac risk factors. That means stopping smoking and treating hypertension and high cholesterol. Patients with diabetes should have annual eye exams and be monitored frequently by a physician to prevent the disease's many complications.

Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes" -- blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. An estimated 54 million Americans have prediabetes. Fortunately, the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study shows that people with prediabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making dietary changes and increasing physical activity.

Risk factors for diabetes
The following people are at risk for diabetes:

• Those with a family history
• Those who are obese -- men with waists larger than 40 inches; women with waists larger than 35 inches
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides
• History of gestational diabetes or delivering a baby larger than 9 pounds
• Advancing age
• American Indian, Latino and African American populations

Symptoms of diabetes may be subtle and nonspecific. Early symptoms may include:

• Fatigue
• Poor concentration
• Increased thirst
• Increased appetite
• Weight loss

More advanced symptoms can include:

• Altered level of consciousness
• Coma