Diabetes Q & A

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What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that causes higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. Over time, the excess sugar in your blood damages blood vessels and organs, increasing your risk of developing other health issues, such as retinopathy, kidney disease, neuropathy, and heart disease. 

The sugar in your blood comes from the food you eat and provides every cell in your body with the energy it needs to function properly. Your pancreas makes and secretes a hormone called insulin, which helps transport the sugar from your blood into the cells. If you have diabetes, either your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin (or any at all) or the insulin isn’t functioning as it should. 

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What are the types of diabetes?

There are many types of diabetes. The most common types include:

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Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. If you have this type of diabetes, you must take daily insulin injections to survive. This type of diabetes most often develops during childhood.

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Type 2 diabetes

With Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas may not produce enough insulin or the insulin doesn’t function as it should. This type of diabetes can develop at any age. However, it’s most often diagnosed in middle-aged and older adults. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes.

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Gestational diabetesetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops in women during pregnancy. In most cases, this type of diabetes resolves once the baby is born. However, if you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you’re at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. 

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Other less common types of diabetes include monogenic diabetes (inherited disease) and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.

 

How is diabetes managed?

The warm and compassionate team at Clinica Medica Familiar develops individualized treatment plans to help you manage your diabetes. Your treatment plan depends on the type of diabetes you have, your blood sugar numbers, and your overall health.

 

Your treatment plan may include:

• Nutrition therapy

• Exercise program

• Oral hypoglycemic prescription medication

• Insulin

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The team works closely with you when developing your diabetes management plan and adjusts your plan as needed to improve blood sugar control and reduce your risk of developing diabetes-related complications.

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For the best quality of care to manage your diabetes, contact Clinica Medica Familiar by phone or online today.