Chronic & Acute Disease - Diabetes

Chronic & Acute Disease Paper

SCI 100

Chronic & Acute Disease - Diabetes

"In the last 15 years, the number of people in the United States with diagnosed diabetes has more than doubled, reaching 14.6 million in 2005. Although more than 20.8 million Americans have diabetes, 6.2 million do not know they have the disease" (Unknown, 2007). With these staggering numbers, it is no surprise that Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in America. The real questions are, why is Diabetes such a threat to our existence, how does it go undetected and is it something we can prevent or at least limit the spread of within our population?

In order for us to prevent diabetes, we must first understand what it is. "Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, which is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life"(Unknown 2, 2007). Preventing our bodies from shutting down its insulin production is essential for our quest to live a long and healthy life. Understanding exactly how to prevent the insulin shut down is still an on going battle for doctors and medical researchers. "The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles" (Unknown 2, 2007).

Obesity and or poor eating and exercise habits seem to be the leading cause or onset of diabetes. However these known factors do not seem to deter most of us from indulging in our favorite foods. If we decide to choke down a double cheeseburger for lunch, most of us know how unhealthy the sandwich is, but we do not believe by eating this one sandwich we will die from it. However, if we eat the same sandwich day after day or week after week, the health consequences begin to stack against us. Once we are diagnosed with diabetes, the number of complications and health issues begin to mount. "Diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, pregnancy complications, lower-extremity amputations, and deaths related to flu and pneumonia. Heart disease is the leading cause of diabetes related deaths, and death rates are about 2-4 times higher for adults with diabetes than for those without the disease" (Unknown 3, 2007).

Are you at risk? Diabetes occurs mainly in older adults, women, and certain racial and ethnic groups. "One in five adults over age 65 has diabetes. African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as white adults to have diabetes. In addition to the millions of Americans with diabetes, an estimated 41 million U.S. adults aged 40-74 years have prediabetes" (Unknown, 2005). Prediabetes is a condition that includes anyone who has elevated sugar levels on a regular basis but not elevated enough to be classified as diabetes.

How do we know when our eating habits and/or lifestyles have put us at risk? What symptoms should we look for? Unfortunately, the symptoms associated with diabetes are not noticeable or alarming for most people. "The most common symptoms associated with the onset of diabetes are; frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision" (Unknown 3, 2007). Since the symptoms of diabetes are classified by most of us as minor or insignificant, the development of the disease continues to go undetected; therefore, causing millions of Americans to do irreversible damage to their bodies before the realization or detection of the disease occurs.

The good news for many of us is that nutrition and exercise can have a profound impact on the prognosis of diabetes. "While the recently completed, Diabetes Prevention Program showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes" (Bazell, 2006). For someone who typically weighs 150 pounds, losing 7.5 to 10 pounds, if needed, by combining a healthier diet and exercise, is a small price to pay to avoid the complications associated with a potentially deadly disease like diabetes.

If losing weight is a difficult task, then there are always different types of drugs that will assist in slowing down the onset of diabetes, but they will cost you in the long run. "So why take a pill instead of a stroll? Many Americans refuse to get off their backsides. Health professionals seldom have the tools, time or motivation to help. So, drug therapy may find a prominent role in diabetes prevention after all -- especially when newer drugs with fewer side effects come along" (Bazell, 2006). A month's supply of Avandia in the dose needed for reducing diabetes risk costs about $120 according