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Diabetes Screening |
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| Pleasant Health Service provides diabetes screening for our clients as part of our health wellness program. | ||
| What is diabetes? | ||
| Types of Diabetes | ||
| Diabetes Symptoms | ||
| What is diabetes? | ||
| Diabetes is a
disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other
food into energy needed for daily life. 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. There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. In order to determine whether or not an individual has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a fasting glucose test or a non-fasting glucose test (random). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the fasting because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform. A fasting blood glucose level less than 110 mg/dl is considered normal. A person with a fasting blood glucose level above 110 mg/dl or higher has diabetes. A non-fasting (random) blood glucose level between 60-140 mg/dl is considered normal. A random blood glucose level above 140 mg/dl has diabetes. |
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| Types of Diabetes | ||
| Type 1 diabetes | ||
| Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. | ||
| Type 2 diabetes | ||
| Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. | ||
| Gestational diabetes | ||
| Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases in the United States each year. | ||
| Diabetes Symptoms | ||
| Diabetes often goes undiagnosed
because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate
that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease
the chance of developing the complications of diabetes. Some diabetes symptoms include:
If you have one or more of these diabetes symptoms, see your doctor right away. You can also take our blood sugar test to find out if you are at risk for diabetes. |
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