Let’s start by talking about Diabetes statistics. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2018, 10.5% of Americans were estimated to have diabetes and about one fifth of those were undiagnosed. Those are pretty significant numbers. Should people be concerned about diabetes?

Well that depends. We know about risk factors that can increase the likelihood of getting Type II diabetes. The CDC says you’re at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if you:

Have prediabetes

Are overweight

Are 45 years or older

Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes

Are physically active less than 3 times a week

Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds

Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)

If you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease you may also be at risk for type 2 diabetes.

So for individuals with risk factors, there should be some concern or at least awareness.

So let’s talk about early detection. Why is it important? Why is early detection key in diabetes? 

Early detection is key in diabetes because early treatment can prevent or at least slow serious complications. When a problem with blood sugar is found, doctors and patients can take effective steps to prevent irreparable damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves, blood vessels, and other organs.

An article in the Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity journal recognized that there are many reasons why earlier detection of diabetes could be of benefit to the individual and the healthcare system, because it creates the opportunity to treat the high blood sugar.

Furthermore, undiagnosed diabetes is often associated with potentially-preventable, costly complications. ER visits and hospital stays can be expensive!

The base estimated cost of living with diabetes is around $9,600 per year. This includes prescription medications, diabetic testing supplies, doctors appointments, and routine care. This cost will be higher for uncontrolled or unmanaged diabetics who more care, more medications, more doctors appointments. Early detection can save thousands of dollars. 

For our listeners who may not be familiar with diabetes, can you tell us what a diagnosis of diabetes means? What is diabetes? 

Sure, Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which your body is not able to efficiently turn the food you eat into energy, leaving sugar to build up in the bloodstream. This creates two problems: the cells are not getting the sugar energy they need, and the sugar is accumulating in the blood. High blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia, causes damage to many tissues and organs of the body. This is why diabetes is a serious condition that can be dangerous.

Normally when you eat, your body breaks food down into glucose. As your blood glucose level rises, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is a hormone that tells body cells to let the glucose inside. 

In diabetes, either your pancreas does not make insulin correctly, or your body cells do not react to the insulin the way they should. This means that the glucose stays in the blood, which is why diabetics experience high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia. Over time, hyperglycemia can damage nerves and blood vessels.

And how do doctors know that the pancreas is not making insulin right or the body cells not reacting to the insulin? 

Well, a blood test can determine if a person has diabetes. There are two tests commonly used.

A glycated hemoglobin test, known as a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test, measures the glycated form of hemoglobin to determine the three month average of blood sugar. This blood test takes about a minute to perform, and results are generally available in two to three days. A normal HbA1c is below 5.7%. Prediabetes is 5.7 to 6.4%. A result of 6.5% or more is classified as diabetic. 

Another test doctors use to