Testing important for those at risk of diabetes
By Dana Benson
People with risk factors for type 2 diabetes should be checked out at least annually with a fasting glucose test, physicians at Baylor College of Medicine advise.
A fasting glucose result higher than 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) on two occasions means the patient has diabetes, explained Glenn Cunningham, M.D., BCM professor of medicine – endocrinology. A result of 100 to 125 mg/dl indicates impaired glucose, or pre-diabetes.
First line of defense
The first line of defense for pre-diabetics is improving diet and adding or increasing exercise, Cunningham said. In addition, pre-diabetics should have the fasting glucose test repeated at least annually.
Patients who already have diabetes should have a hemoglobin A1c test, which gauges how well they are controlling their glucose levels over an extended period.
Controlling hemoglobin levels important
"We encourage people to work with their clinician to get their A1c levels below 7 percent. This helps to reduce the risk of microvascular complications, which include kidney disease, retinopathy and neuropathy. Lower A1c levels also may decrease the risk of heart disease and strokes."
Studies have shown that the percentage of people who are reaching that target A1c level has stayed the same over the last 10 years even though there are new drugs and better insulin and monitoring devices for diabetes.
One reason for this is that patients aren't making lifestyle changes after being diagnosed. It is also important for physicians to educate their patients about the disease, Cunningham said.
"Diabetes is a complicated disease, but patients, doctors, nurses and dieticians can work together to successfully manage it," Cunningham said. "And people at risk should also act responsibly by being tested regularly and making lifestyle changes to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes."
Know risk factors
Those at increased risk for type 2 diabetes include:
- Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans and Asian Americans;
- People who are overweight and have sedentary lifestyles;
- Individuals 45 and older;
- People with a family history of diabetes;
- People with metabolic syndrome, which includes hypertension, high LDL (or "bad" cholesterol), high triglycerides and increased waist circumference, or with a history of vascular disease;
- Women with a history of gestational diabetes or who have had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth.
More diabetes information
Diabetes research and awareness efforts at Baylor College of Medicine recently got a boost through the college's designation as a National Institutes of Health Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center. Read more about this designation and find other important information about diabetes.
