Monday 27 July 2009

Insulin Appreciation Day

Insulin Appreciation Day

www.mydiabetes.com


Thursday the 30th of July is insulin appreciation day.

Some History

In the fall of 1920 Dr. Frederick Banting had an idea that would unlock the mystery of the dreaded diabetes disorder. Before this, for thousands of years, a diabetes diagnosis meant wasting away to a certain death.

Working at a University of Toronto laboratory in the very hot summer of 1921 Fred Banting and Charles Best were able to make a pancreatic extract which had anti diabetic characteristics. They were successful in testing their extract on diabetic dogs.

Within months Professor J. J. R. MacLeod, who provided the lab space and general scientific direction to Banting and Best, put his entire research team to work on the production and purification of insulin. J.B. Collip joined the team and with his technical expertise the four discoverers were able to purify insulin for use on diabetic patients.

The first tests were conducted on Leonard Thompson early in 1922. These were a spectacular success. Word of this spread quickly around the world giving immediate hope to many diabetic persons who were near death. A frenzied quest for insulin followed. Some patients in a diabetic coma made miraculous recoveries.

While insulin is not a cure, this medical discovery has and continues to save millions of lives world-wide. The production of insulin has changed a great deal since 1922. Modern science and technology has made high quality insulin and delivery systems available to diabetic persons.

What to do on the 30th?

Clarence Haynes who is a member of our community has suggested that on Thursday we contact five people who live with diabetes and simply ask this question “how are you today?”

Pick up the phone, send an email or send a message via the members tab on our web site.

Thanks to the work of Banting and his team great progress has been made in the management of diabetes.

For ordinairy people a little “how are you doing” can act as a great encouragement in the day to day management of their diabetes

Please do your best to make five calls on Thursday. Thank you

Sunday 12 July 2009

Young people and diabetes

Young and diabetic a report from www.asiaone.com.sg

A sedentary lifestyle, obesity and poor eating habits are why more youngsters are becoming diabetic. -ST



IT USED to hit those above 45, but there are now more young children and adolescents diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, at a rate doctors describe as alarming and worrying.

Dr Daphne Gardner, a registrar at the endocrinology department at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), says: "Type 2 diabetes in childhood or adolescence was uncommon in the past but now accounts for at least a third of childhood diabetes. Today, a child above the age of 12 who gets diagnosed with diabetes, has almost as much chance of having Type 2 diabetes as Type 1 diabetes."

While both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have a genetic component, studies have found that a sedentary lifestyle with poor eating habits and excessive weight gain are very strong contributing factors in the latter.

In Type 1 diabetes, patients' bodies produce little or no insulin, a hormone that is important for glucose metabolism. They have to be put on daily insulin injections to control their blood glucose level.

In Type 2 diabetes, patients are unable to utilise insulin. While these patients do not need insulin injections, they have to watch their diet, exercise and keep their weight down. Excess weight, particularly in the abdomen, affects one's ability to utilise insulin.

What is worrying, says Dr Goh Su-Yen, director of the diabetes clinical services at SGH, is that the younger the onset of diabetes, the longer the period of time the patient is being exposed to its complications in young adulthood.

"This ultimately increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, renal failure, blindness and limb amputations, all occurring in a younger age group. The rising trend in obesity, and consequently Type 2 diabetes, does not appear to be reaching a plateau, another observation that is worrying," adds Dr Goh.

What's also of concern is that it's easy to miss Type 2 diabetes in patients because it can be asymptomatic or the patient may present with general symptoms such as fatigue or repeated episodes of infections.

Hence the importance of medical screening, particularly for those at risk. Associate Professor Lee Yung Seng, a senior consult-ant with the University Children's Medical Institute at the National University Hospital, advises: "Type 2 diabetes usually affect older children, especially those in puberty. Children who are overweight and have a family history also have a higher risk of being hit by this type of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has recommended considering screening children with risk factors, even if they do not appear to have any symptoms." When left undetected, patients are at risk of cardiovascular disease, renal failure, blindness and limb amputations.

While Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by oral medications and insulin injections, doctors say the mainstay of treatment is to lose weight by watching one's diet and exercising.

However, compliance is often an issue in the young sufferers.

Prof Lee says: "Young sufferers may have more risk-taking behaviour and may omit insulin injections, medications or forgo their dietary control.
"Physically, there are surges of sex and growth hormones during puberty which can affect their diabetes control too."

As diabetes is a chronic disease, prevention is definitely better than cure. Dr Gardner says: "There are many things we can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes in the young: we should encourage more physical activity and healthy meals. For kids who are overweight, some suggestions include limiting time spent on sedentary activities like watching television to less than four hours a day, avoiding carbonated drinks or sweet juices and limiting fast foods."