Diabetes Basics.
Last updated Thursday, February 10, 2005
Diagnosis and evaluationHow is diabetes basics diagnosed? Diabetes can be diagnosed only with a blood glucose level performed
in a laboratory, not a fingerstick glucose level at home or a HbA1c
level. To diagnose diabetes one must have either a fasting blood
glucose level (no food for 10 hours) of 126 mg/dL on two occasions or a
random blood glucose of 200 mg/dL on two occasions with the symptoms
(thirst and frequent urination) seen with high glucose levels. Oral
glucose tolerance tests can also be done but are not routinely
recommended except during pregnancy.
The American Diabetes Association
suggests people without symptoms but with risks for type 2 diabetes be
screened (usually with a fasting blood glucose) every three years. This
would include:
- all Americans over the age of 45 years,
- any woman with diabetes during pregnancy or a baby born over 9 pounds,
- anyone obese with a sedentary lifestyle,
- anyone with high blood pressure, and
- anyone with a family history.
For people less than 45 years old, the frequency of screening is not
clear but is something you should discuss with your physician. Will diagnosing diabetes basics cause pain, side effects, or invasive techniques? How are these dealt with? The blood glucose test is like any blood test and may cause a small
amount of discomfort. The bigger issue is usually the shock the patient
and their family have after the diagnosis is made. This is particularly
an issue for type 1 diabetes where there is usually no family history.
There are so many misconceptions about diabetes that the major issue
for the first few weeks after diagnosis is teaching the patient and the
family about the treatments and overall good outcomes if the condition
is treated aggressively.What health care professionals may help diagnose diabetes basics? Almost all health care professionals have experience in diagnosing
diabetes because it is so common. Primary care physicians diagnose it
most frequently both with patients with and without symptoms. Eye
doctors also diagnose it often as some patients complain of blurry
vision as their first symptom. Diabetes is also often noted by
emergency room doctors, podiatrists (early nerve damage in the feet),
cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and nutritionists (patients seeking
advice for weight loss).How can a doctor specializing in diabetes basics be found? Doctors with expertise in diabetes are called endocrinologists,
although in the United States not all endocrinologists specialize in
diabetes. Endocrinologists who have a special interest or expertise in
diabetes are called diabetologists. So, in the U.S. all diabetologists
are endocrinologists but not all endocrinologists are diabetologists.
This varies by country.
If one is looking for an expert in diabetes, the Yellow Pages is a
good place to start. Again, first look under "Diabetologist" and then
"Endocrinologist". The local American Diabetes Association
can also provide names of their professional members. Most communities
have patient-care symposiums and support groups which are often good
sources of information. If this is not convenient, other health care
professionals are a good source of information. Nurses and
nutritionists often know who is up-to-date with the latest in diabetes
therapy. Finally, some smaller communities may not have an
endocrinologist but may have a well-versed primary care physician who
is more knowledgeable about diabetes than other physicians in that
community. Often, word-of-mouth is the best way to find these
individuals.
How useful was this page or article?
|
|