American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes. American Diabetes Association

at the American Diabetes Association provide this all-new, fully revised 5th edition of the Complete Guide to Diabetes. As recently reported, the diabetes epidemic now reaches both across the country and around the globe. Even more individuals are affected by diabetes and many more can be identified as “at risk” for diabetes—particularly for type 2 diabetes.

      The tools available for diabetes care continue to improve, and knowing exactly what tools are available to treat your diabetes is more important than ever. In this 5th edition, we have updated the entire contents and provided even more insight into the use of the many tools available to those affected by diabetes.

      This edition emphasizes the important role the diabetes patient plays in his or her own care. In this era of patient-centered care, we trust that this will help you become an ever more important resource for improving your diabetes control. The Guide offers insights and advice, reviews all of the new and old tools for management, and gives a personal perspective on how to live well with diabetes. This edition includes updated discussions of:

      • The many important components of managing diabetes—including treatment goals, eating healthy, remaining active, and understanding the medications used for treating both type 1 and type 2 diabetes

      • Information on new and improved technology for monitoring and controlling diabetes

      • Helpful ways to stay on track—and track blood sugar/glucose control, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol under control

      • The role of the health care team—and living a happy, healthy life with diabetes

      We are grateful for all of the effort the contributors have put into this Guide and extend our sincere thanks to the many patients and health professionals who treat, research, and teach about diabetes for their help in making this book possible. The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its complications—and we know that you have in your hands an incredibly valuable toolbox that provides you with the information you need to work with your health care team to achieve the best care possible.

      David Kendall

      Chief Scientific and Medical Officer American Diabetes Association January 2011

Introduction

      • What’s New?

      • How to Read This Book

      • Improved Organization

      It’s a time of empowerment for people living with diabetes. Patients have never had so many tools and choices at their disposal. Every year, we see new technology for monitoring and treating diabetes. We also see more choices for people to manage diabetes on their own terms—whether it’s an application on a mobile phone that tracks readings or a better insulin pump for swimming laps in the pool.

      At the same time, scientists and health care providers are finding that tried-and-true methods in diabetes care—such as keeping your blood glucose on target and maintaining a healthy weight—will help you live a long life.

      This is all great news for people with diabetes. After all, you are the person most responsible for keeping yourself healthy day to day and into your nineties.

What’s New

      This newest edition of the American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes explains the latest advancements in managing and treating diabetes. More importantly, perhaps, the book provides the kind of trusted, in-depth, and essential information that you’d expect from the American Diabetes Association.

      Here’s what’s new: You’ll find a new chapter on women’s health that describes what to keep on your radar if you’re a woman with diabetes. And you’ll find a similar chapter for men with diabetes. A more comprehensive discussion of mental health and how it affects people with diabetes is also included.

      There are updates on health insurance: how to make it work for you and your diabetes and the impact of health care reform. A few changes to workplace laws and airport security are also tucked inside.

      The book provides updates on the latest blood glucose technology, including features to consider when buying a new meter. New to the book also is a section on continuous blood glucose monitors—how they work and who is using them.

How to Read This Book

      Of course, how you read this book depends on your goals and time. If you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes, you may want to start with chapter 1 to get the most comprehensive picture. However, if you’ve been living with diabetes for a while, you may want to skip to a topic that interests you, such as medications for type 2 diabetes or carbohydrate counting.

      Keep in mind that this book is meant to be a resource for educating yourself as a patient. You should always discuss any changes to your routine or medications with your health care provider. Together, you can come up with the best plan for handling your day-to-day care and emergency situations.

      At the beginning of each chapter, you’ll find a list of the topics that are covered. Use these lists to quickly determine the content of specific chapters and to prepare yourself for what will be covered.

      Definitions are linked from the text to give you concise descriptions of technical terms so that you won’t have to look them up in the dictionary. There are more facts and tips on living with diabetes than ever before.

Improved Organization

      We’ve revised and improved the organization of the ADA Complete Guide to Diabetes. You’ll find shorter chapters that discuss specific topics in diabetes care rather than longer chapters on broad issues. You’ll also see the chapters organized into eight distinct parts.

      Of course—just like in the last edition—you’ll find basic information about diabetes and blood glucose up front. And you’ll find the more specific issues of work, school, and travel in the back.

      Dive In

      Now that you know what’s new and how things are laid out, it’s time to dive in. Turn to the first chapter, “Diabetes Facts,” to find out what diabetes is, who has it, and how it’s affecting people worldwide.

Part I

      Diabetes 101

CHAPTER 1

      Diabetes Facts

      • What Is Diabetes?

      • Who Has Diabetes?

      • Early History of Diabetes

      When you were first diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor probably sent you home with a lot of information. That’s a great place to start. Even if you’ve been living with diabetes for years, you may still have very basic questions about what diabetes is. Or who else has diabetes.

      This chapter will work to answer some of your initial questions, helping you brush up on the facts about diabetes. In the following chapters we’ll discuss more about how diabetes works and, most importantly, how it affects you.

What Is Diabetes?

      In a nutshell, diabetes is a disorder