November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to educate people about diabetes and some of the devices and medications that are available to help manage diabetes.
Kimberly Geraghty, PharmD, a pharmacist at Northern Light Mercy Hospital, explains that Diabetes is when your body can’t produce enough insulin, and that there are two main types of diabetes: type one and type two diabetes. “Type one is an autoimmune disorder, where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Type two diabetes is insulin resistance, where the body does not use insulin effectively, or may even produce less insulin. There is also gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, but that typically resolves once the baby is born,” shares Dr. Geraghty.
Some signs and symptoms of diabetes can include high blood sugar levels, increased thirst and urination, extreme hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, and slow healing wounds.
If you are looking for ways to better manage your blood sugar and insulin levels, Dr. Geraghty says that there are several devices available to help those who have diabetes.
“For monitoring glucose levels, there are blood glucose meters, which can be used for singular readings. In addition, there are continuous glucose monitors for 24/7 monitoring of blood glucose levels,” she says. “If you need a product to add needed insulin, there are insulin pens and pumps. There are also automated insulin delivery systems, also called AIDs, that combine both continuous blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery.”
In terms of medications, there are several oral and injectable medications available for people with diabetes. There are oral medications, such as metformin, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors, and sulfonylureas that can be used to treat diabetes. An injectable non-insulin medication that can be used is GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Dr. Geraghty also shares that making changes to one’s lifestyle, such as through diet and exercise, can be effective in managing the disease or even keeping it at bay, if you are pre-diabetic. She says, “Of course, each person is different. It’s important to talk to your primary care provider to see what is right for you.”
For more information, visit northernlighthealth.org/Services/Endocrinology-and-Diabetes-Care.