Treatment FAQ

what goes into the treatment of a diabetic

by Dr. Marie Romaguera Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump, frequent blood sugar checks, and carbohydrate counting. Treatment of type 2 diabetes primarily involves lifestyle changes, monitoring of your blood sugar, along with diabetes medications, insulin or both.Oct 30, 2020

What are the best medications for diabetes?

To treat diabetes, there are eight main categories of drugs used.These categories include: metformin (usually the most common diabetes medications), sulfonylureas, meglitinides, thiazolidinediones, DPP-4 inhibitors, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors, or bile acid sequestrates.

What is the best natural remedy for diabetes?

Overcoming Type 2 Diabetes Naturally with Diet

  • Protein, Healthy Fats, and Fiber. Proteins and healthy fats play a key role in stabilizing your blood sugar all day. ...
  • Bulk Up. Foods that are high in fiber also slow down sugar’s release into the bloodstream. ...
  • Avoid Flour and Limit Grains. White flour is heavily processed – and it breaks down fast into the bloodstream. ...
  • Try Nut Milk Products. ...

How to cure diabetes naturally without medication?

  • Improve Your Diet to Help You Treat Diabetes Naturally.
  • Lose Weight — Especially Belly Fat — to Help Lower Glucose Levels.
  • Exercise Regularly as Part of Your Diabetes Treatment Plan.
  • Control Sleep Apnea to Help Manage Blood Sugar Spikes and Dips.

How does diabetes kill you?

Diabetes destroys your kidneys. Your kidneys are one of the primary ways your body rids itself of potentially harmful toxins. If they don’t function properly, the resulting kidney disease could lead to kidney failure, which can be fatal. Diabetes is the leading cause of all kidney diseases nationwide.

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What is the treatment given to diabetic patients?

Insulin remains the mainstay of treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. Insulin is also an important therapy for type 2 diabetes when blood glucose levels cannot be controlled by diet, weight loss, exercise, and oral medications.

What are the 4 essential components in treatment of diabetes?

ManagementMeals. Contrary to popular belief there is no specific diabetes diet. ... Movement. Movement or exercise helps the body utilize insulin more efficiently to keep blood sugar under control and it aids in weight management. ... Medication. ... Monitoring.

What is a component of treatment for type 2 diabetes?

Biguanides. This group includes metformin, one of the most commonly used drugs to treat diabetes. It tells your liver to hang on to some of the glucose it makes. Meglitinides and sulfonylureas.

How was diabetes treated before insulin?

Before insulin was discovered in 1921, people with diabetes didn't live for long; there wasn't much doctors could do for them. The most effective treatment was to put patients with diabetes on very strict diets with minimal carbohydrate intake. This could buy patients a few extra years but couldn't save them.

What are the three main factor to success with diabetes?

When you have diabetes, you should closely monitor three key areas: blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol. These are sometimes referred to as the ABCs of diabetes management. Monitoring these will also help you make lifestyle changes to improve your diabetes control.

What is the first line of treatment for diabetes?

Insulin injected subcutaneously is the first-line treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). The different types of insulin vary with respect to onset and duration of action. Short-, intermediate-, and long-acting insulins are available.

What is the first step in treating diabetes?

Learn to make wise choices for your diabetes care each day.Step 1: Learn about diabetes. What is diabetes? ... Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs. Talk to your health care team about how to manage your A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. ... Step 3: Learn how to live with diabetes. ... Step 4: Get routine care to stay healthy.

What is the most common treatment for diabetes?

Insulin. Insulin is the most common type of medication used in type 1 diabetes treatment. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body can't make its own insulin. The goal of treatment is to replace the insulin that your body can't make.

What is the treatment for diabetes?

Other treatments include bariatric surgery for certain people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and an "artificial pancreas" and pancreatic islet transplantation for some people with type 1 diabetes.

What is the best way to treat diabetes?

Taking insulin or other diabetes medicines is often part of treating diabetes. Along with healthy food choices and physical activity, medicine can help you manage the disease. Some other treatment options are also available.

How to control glucose levels during pregnancy?

If you have gestational diabetes, you should first try to control your blood glucose level by making healthy food choices and getting regular physical activity. If you can’t reach your blood glucose target, your health care team will talk with you about diabetes medicines, such as insulin or the diabetes pill metformin, that may be safe for you to take during pregnancy. Your health care team may start you on diabetes medicines right away if your blood glucose is very high.

How to take insulin?

Inhaler. Another way to take insulin is by breathing powdered insulin from an inhaler device into your mouth. The insulin goes into your lungs and moves quickly into your blood. Inhaled insulin is only for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

What is the treatment for poorly controlled type 1 diabetes?

Pancreatic islet transplantation is an experimental treatment for poorly controlled type 1 diabetes. Pancreatic islets are clusters of cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks these cells. A pancreatic islet transplant replaces destroyed islets with new ones that make and release insulin. This procedure takes islets from the pancreas of an organ donor and transfers them to a person with type 1 diabetes. Because researchers are still studying pancreatic islet transplantation, the procedure is only available to people enrolled in research studies. Learn more about islet transplantation studies#N#External link#N#.

What is premixed insulin?

Your doctor might also recommend premixed insulin, which is a mix of two types of insulin. Some types of insulin cost more than others, so talk with your doctor about your options if you're concerned about cost. Read about financial help for diabetes care .

Why do you need insulin?

Type 1 diabetes. If you have type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin because your body no longer makes this hormone. You will need to take insulin several times during the day, including with meals. You also could use an insulin pump, which gives you small, steady doses throughout the day.

How does diabetes treatment work?

Treatment for Diabetes. Successful treatment makes all the difference to long-term health, and achieving balanced diabetes treatment can be the key to living with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Treatment varies for each individual, not simply on the type of diabetes that they have, but also more individual-specific diabetic treatment differences.

What is the aim of diabetes treatment?

The aim of diabetes treatment is to keep, within reason, blood glucose levels as near to normal as possible. Training in self management of diabetes forms an essential part of diabetes management. Treatment should be agreed on an individual basis and address medical, psychosocial and lifestyle issues.

How many people with type 2 diabetes need insulin?

Treatment typically includes diet control, exercise, home blood glucose testing, and in some cases, oral medication and/or insulin. Approximately 40% of people with type 2 diabetes require insulin injections.

How does insulin help with diabetes?

If you don't have diabetes, insulin helps: 1 Regulate blood sugar levels. After you eat, carbohydrates break down into glucose, a sugar that is the body's primary source of energy. Glucose then enters the bloodstream. The pancreas responds by producing insulin, which allows glucose to enter the body's cells to provide energy. 2 Store excess glucose for energy. After you eat — when insulin levels are high — excess glucose is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. Between meals — when insulin levels are low — the liver releases glycogen into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. This keeps blood sugar levels within a narrow range.

Why is insulin therapy important?

Goals of insulin therapy. If you have type 1 diabetes, insulin therapy is vital for replacing the insulin your body doesn't produce. Sometimes, people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes need insulin therapy if other treatments haven't been able to keep blood glucose levels within the desired range.

How often can insulin be injected?

How often depends on the type of diabetes you have, your blood sugar levels and how often you eat. It may be multiple times each day. Insulin pump.

What is the purpose of long, ultra long, intermediate acting insulin?

Long, ultra-long or intermediate-acting insulin helps the body use this glucose and keeps glucose levels from rising too high.

How does the pancreas respond to insulin?

The pancreas responds by producing insulin, which allows glucose to enter the body's cells to provide energy. Store excess glucose for energy. After you eat — when insulin levels are high — excess glucose is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. Between meals — when insulin levels are low — the liver releases glycogen into ...

How long does it take for insulin to work?

But they work for a much shorter period of time, usually about two to four hours.

What type of insulin pump is used for asthma?

There are several different kinds of insulin pumps available. Inhaled insulin (Afrezza). This type of insulin is rapid-acting and you inhale it at the beginning of each meal. People who smoke or have lung problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should not use inhaled insulin.

How long does it take for insulin to work?

Rapid-acting insulin begins to work about 15 minutes after injection, peaks in about 1 hour, and continues to work for 2 to 4 hours.

What is the peak time of insulin?

The onset is how long it takes for the insulin to start lowering your blood sugar. The peak time is when it’s at its maximum strength, and duration is how long it continues to work.

Can oral medications lower blood sugar?

There are many different types of drugs that can work in different ways to lower your blood sugar. Sometimes one medication will be enough, but in other cases, your doctor may prescribe a combination of medications. Talking to your doctor to understand what is being prescribed and how it works can be helpful.

Can you change your insulin if you have type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes means using insulin. However, if you have type 2 diabetes, treatment plans can change depending on who you are. Some people can manage it with healthy eating and exercise, or with oral medications, while others may also need to use insulin. It’s common for your medication needs to change over time.

Is insulin a hormone?

With a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time. Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by your pancreas.

How to get rid of diabetes fast?

Eat well. Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team. Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt. Eat foods with more fiber, such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.

How to lower blood sugar?

Stress can raise your blood sugar. Learn ways to lower your stress. Try deep breathing, gardening, taking a walk, meditating, working on your hobby, or listening to your favorite music.

Why does my body not make insulin?

This is a problem because you need insulin to take the sugar (glucose) from the foods you eat and turn it into energy for your body. You need to take insulin every day to live.

What type of diabetes does the body not make insulin?

Type 2 diabetes – Your body does not make or use insulin well. You may need to take pills or insulin to help control your diabetes. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. Gestational (jest-TAY-shun-al) diabetes – Some women get this kind of diabetes when they are pregnant.

What are the health problems that can cause a diabetic to go blind?

You will also have less chance of having health problems caused by diabetes such as: heart attack or stroke. eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind. pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands and feet, also called nerve damage. kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working.

Who sponsors the National Diabetes Education Program?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of more than 200 partner organizations.

Does Medicare cover diabetes?

Medicare and diabetes. If you have Medicare, check to see how your plan covers diabetes care. Medicare covers some of the costs for: diabetes education. diabetes supplies. diabetes medicine. visits with a dietitian. special shoes, if you need them.

What is the first treatment for diabetes type 2?

Type 2 Diabetes Treatments and Medications. Medications are often the first kind of medicine people with type 2 diabetes try when diet and exercise alone aren't enough to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range. There are many of them, and they work in different ways. Biguanides.

What is the best medication to lower blood sugar after a meal?

Meglitinides and sulfonylureas. These medications tell your pancreas to make more insulin. DPP-4 inhibitors keep your body from breaking down hormones that give your pancreas the "go" signal for insulin. This means they work longer when you need to lower your blood sugar after a meal.

What is the best way to keep blood sugar from shooting up after eating?

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors slow the digestion of food with complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and corn. This keeps your blood sugar from shooting up after you eat. SGLT2 inhibitors work by letting your kidneys pee out extra sugar.

Why is insulin therapy important?

Insulin therapy could be a short-term fix for a stressful situation or because other medicines aren't enough to control their blood sugar. Types of insulin are grouped by how fast they start to work and how long their effects last. You might have to use more than one kind of insulin. Some insulins come pre-mixed.

What does a diabetic doctor check for?

The doctor will check for signs of retinopathy, nerve damage to your eye caused by diabetes. Regular foot exams. The doctor will check for foot problems and nerve damage to your feet. Your blood glucose number tells you how well your treatment is working.

How to lower your blood sugar?

From working out to doing chores, activity lower s your blood sugar. It helps your cells use insulin. It also helps your muscles use glucose. Make sure you check your blood sugar before and after exercise. Better sleep. Not getting enough sleep can raise your odds of getting type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Can bile acid sequestrants lower blood glucose?

Bile acid sequestrants lower your cholesterol and can also help lower your blood glucose. You can take these medications by themselves or in combination with others, including insulin. Some pills have more than one kind of drug. Dopamine receptor agonists work directly on the brain to help it process dopamine.

What is the name of the regimen that contains both long-acting and short-acting insulin?

The regimen containing both long-acting and short-acting insulin is called a basal-bolus insulin regimen; it provides physiological replacement of insulin. If a patient used insulin prior to admission, the same dose can be restarted in the hospital.

What are the therapeutic goals of DKA?

The therapeutic goals of DKA management include optimization of 1) volume status; 2) hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis; 3) electrolyte abnormalities; and 4) potential precipitating factors. The majority of patients with DKA present to the emergency room. Therefore, emergency physicians should initiate the management of hyperglycemic crisis while a physical examination is performed, basic metabolic parameters are obtained, and final diagnosis is made. Several important steps should be followed in the early stages of DKA management: 1 collect blood for metabolic profile before initiation of intravenous fluids; 2 infuse 1 L of 0.9% sodium chloride over 1 hour after drawing initial blood samples; 3 ensure potassium level of >3.3 mEq/L before initiation of insulin therapy (supplement potassium intravenously if needed); 4 initiate insulin therapy only when steps 1–3 are executed.

How many hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis in 2009?

In 2009, there were 140,000 hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with an average length of stay of 3.4 days.1The direct and indirect annual cost of DKA hospitalizations is 2.4 billion US dollars.

Why is bicarbonate not indicated in mild and moderate forms of DKA?

Bicarbonate therapy is not indicated in mild and moderate forms of DKA because metabolic acidosis will correct with insulin therapy.3, 8The use of bicarbonate in severe DKA is controversial due to a lack of prospective randomized studies.

Is ketoacidosis a type 1 or 2 diabetes?

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a rare yet potentially fatal hyperglycemic crisis that can occur in patients with both type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. Due to its increasing incidence and economic impact related to the treatment and associated morbidity, effective management and prevention is key. Elements of management include making ...

Can DKA cause hypokalemia?

A “normal” plasma potassium concentration still indicates that total body potassium stores are severely diminished, and the institution of insulin therapy and correction of hyperglycemia will result in hypokalemia.

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Diagnosis

  • Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often appear suddenly and are often the reason for checking blood sugar levels. Because symptoms of other types of diabetes and prediabetes come on more gradually or may not be evident, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended sc…
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Clinical Trials

  • Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
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Lifestyle and Home Remedies

  • Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. Careful management of diabetes can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications. 1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes.Learn all you can about diabetes. Establish a relationship with a diabetes educator, and ask your diabetes treatme…
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Alternative Medicine

  • Numerous substances have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in some studies, while other studies fail to find any benefit for blood sugar control or in lowering A1C levels. Because of the conflicting findings, there aren't any alternative therapies that are currently recommended to help everyone with blood sugar management. If you decide to try any type of alternative therapy, don'…
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Coping and Support

  • Living with diabetes can be difficult and frustrating. Sometimes, even when you've done everything right, your blood sugar levels may rise. But stick with your diabetes management plan, and you'll likely see a positive difference in your A1C when you visit your doctor. Because good diabetes management can be time-consuming, and sometimes overwhelming, some people fin…
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Preparing For Your Appointment

  • You're likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor if you're having diabetes symptoms. If your child is having diabetes symptoms, you might see your child's pediatrician. If blood sugar levels are extremely high, you'll likely be sent to the emergency room. If blood sugar levels aren't high enough to put you or your child immediately at risk, you may be referred to a doctor who speciali…
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