A Staggering 8.5 Million People Unaware They Have Diabetes – Here Is What To Know
By: Eric Ekpenyong, M.D., Conviva Care Center Floresville – Diabetes is a chronic health condition that impacts 37.3 million, or 1 in 10, Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there was a significant increase in diabetes prevalence among our nation’s adults from 2001 to 2020.
Also sobering is that as many as 8.5 million people who have diabetes have not been diagnosed and do not know they have it.
A disease that affects how the body turns food into energy, diabetes occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces to regulate blood glucose, according to the World Health Organization.
When a person has diabetes, his/her body intuitively tries to meet demands to fuel itself, triggered by increases in thirst and hunger. But in truth, while the body does have enough sugar, the mechanism that creates it has broken down.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is divided into two categories: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetics lack insulin to regulate the body’s sugar. Common among children or adolescents, this diabetes compromises the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. In people with Type 1, the body’s autoimmune system attacks and destroys those cells, resulting in a lack of insulin so the body can’t use the sugar it stores. If there is a trauma or injury to the pancreas, the insulin must come from an alternative external source because the insulin needed can’t be naturally produced.
With Type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin but its receptors become insensitive to the insulin being made. This diabetes is more prevalent in the adult population due to higher-than-normal body weight and obesity. When Type 2 occurs, it prevents the body from using the fuel to feed it efficiently.
Prediabetes
As explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. It affects about 96 million American adults, more than 1 in 3; and of those, more than 80% are unaware of their condition, says the CDC.
Typically, the best way to determine diabetes is via the Hemoglobin A1-C test, which shows the average amount of sugar produced over 90 days. The A1-C number for those without diabetes is between 4.8 and 5.6; the prediabetic range is between 5.7 and 6.4.
If a reading is between 5.7 and 6.4, a doctor may introduce medication. Blood-sugar levels of 6.5 or higher are indications of diabetes, in which case medications are strongly recommended.
Another way to check sugar levels is with a finger stick. But this method is not always 100% accurate, as sugar levels tend to fluctuate throughout the day.
Risk to Seniors
An estimated 33% of people 65 or older suffer from diabetes. Seniors are at higher risk of developing diabetes-related complications, like hypoglycemia, kidney failure, and heart disease, than their younger counterparts living with diabetes. As they age, many seniors’ diets change and become less healthy, increasing their risk of developing diabetes. Also detrimental is a decrease in physical activity and regular exercise, making older folks more prone to osteoporosis and arthritis.
Warning Signs and Symptoms
Diabetes is called a silent killer because if not addressed and treated, the body’s organs will slowly die. The heart, eyes, brain, kidneys, liver, and stomach all have microscopic blood vessels that can be severely impacted if clogged by sugar.
One telltale sign of diabetes is the development of a shine or sheen on the legs.
Another is frequent urination. The body values sugar, but there is so much sugar in a diabetic’s body that it can’t be contained, forcing the patient to urinate often. Once the body starts urinating out the sugar, the risk of bacteria increases, resulting in urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Chronic dehydration occurs when the body’s stored sugar can’t be used – as in diabetes. This causes an unquenchable thirst, potentially leading to mental instability and confusion, or worse – a diabetic coma, which occurs when the supply of sugar in the blood becomes too thick and clogs the blood vessels.
Prevention
While it’s natural for seniors to slow down with age, they also become more susceptible to injury and comorbidities as the years go by.
To reduce and fight these negative impacts of aging, it is critical that seniors exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day, four to five days a week. At Conviva, we offer many options to help our senior patients stay active and healthy, including activity centers in our centers where seniors gather for exercise, nutrition and other health-related classes and events.
We also stress the need for nutritious diets that avoid or reduce breads, sugars, and fast foods. We urge our patients to replace these foods with fresh fruits and vegetables.
While there is a genetic component to diabetes (related more to Type 1 than Type 2), lifestyle choices are the greatest impacts to Type 2 cases. Lifestyles and eating habits are hard to break. Many of the meals we may have grown up eating are delicious but not always healthy. We encourage all our patients to enjoy their favorite dishes while making room in their menus for alternative options that present a healthy balance.
At Conviva, we help educate our patients about how they can prepare or select healthier meal options.
Treatment
The best ways to treat Type 2 diabetes is via weight loss through exercise and a proper diet. (Conversely, people with Type 1 generally do not have weight problems and are typically thin.) Consulting a dietitian or having family support with regard to food intake is valuable and often necessary.
Managing blood sugar levels is also key to reducing the risk of heart attacks or strokes and preventing other complications related to diabetes, like kidney damage, nerve issues, blindness, and/or amputations.
A primary medication for Type 2 diabetes is Metformin, which manages high blood sugar levels as well as reduces glucose absorption, lowers liver glucose production and improves insulin sensitivity. There are other oral medications on the market as well as injectables to help patients lose weight and lower their sugar.
Seniors should consult their primary care physicians for more information about managing diabetes.
ABOUT ERIC EKPENYONG, M.D.
A native of Nigeria, Dr. Ekpenyong is board certified in Family Medicine, and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He holds certifications in advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), basic life support (BLS), and pediatric advanced life support (PALS). Dr. Ekpenyong leads a team of healthcare professionals at the Conviva Care Center, 260 US Hwy. 181 North Floresville, Texas. He earned a medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Barbosa and received a Bachelor of Science from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The physician also served as Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, receiving an honorable discharge in February 2023. His hobbies include playing piano, soccer and traveling.
