November 2006:
Number 511
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A newsletter for the students, faculty and staff of the Collin County Community College District. Published monthly. For information or submissions, call 972.599.3142. Cougar News welcomes student and faculty submissions. Next deadline: Nov. 10 All submissions are due by 5 p.m. on the due date. Photos cannot be returned. Text should be emailed to mrobinson@ccccd.edu or sent on disk. Please submit copy that is proofed, edited and saved in Word format. Cougar News staff: Lisa Vasquez, director; Mark Robinson, editor; Marcy Cadena-Smith, contributor; Sydney Portilla-Diggs, student correspondent; Stephanie Hall, student correspondent; Ana Palmer, special contributor; Ginny Topfer, special contributor; Nick Young, photography and layout
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Be aware: Diabetes can take its toll
By Sydney Portilla-Diggs
Campus Correspondent
As a type II diabetic, I was not insulin dependent. In fact, my diabetes was managed by diet and exercise alone. For all practical purposes, my diabetes was under control. Nonetheless, I had begun to feel poorly.
I had felt that way for months. My appetite was waning. I was constantly thirsty but I could not seem to quench my thirst. I never slept through the entire night. My physician checked my blood glucose levels, and they were normal. Next, I lost 17 pounds in eight days. My blood glucose level started to rise.
Although I didn’t think I needed to go, my family rushed me to the hospital. By the time I got there, I could no longer walk. My husband said I was speaking gibberish.
The next two days were a blur. I learned that I was diagnosed with diabetic acidosis (ketoacidosis). The nurse said if I hadn’t come to the hospital when I did I was in a vicious cycle that could have lead to coma and death. It was the scariest thing I had ever heard because I could have died.
Ketoacidosis is a life threatening condition that occurs in people with Type 1 diabetes, but it can occur with Type 2 diabetes. It happens when a lack of insulin leads to:
• high blood sugar levels
• the presence of ketones in urine
• certain acids in the blood.
Diabetic acidosis requires immediate hospitalization for treatment with fluid and insulin. It can usually be avoided through proper treatment of Type 1 diabetes. But ketoacidosis can also occur with well-controlled diabetes if you get a severe infection or other serious illness, such as a heart attack or stroke. In my case, my ketoacidosis resulted from undiagnosed and untreated gastritis.
Here are a few suggestions to prevent you from developing ketoacidosis: If you have diabetes, keep a tight control of your blood glucose level. Always check your blood glucose level regularly when you feel ill. If your blood glucose level is too high, measure the ketone bodies in your urine. If you detect, ketones in your urine, contact your physician immediately. You can recover from ketoacidosis if it is diagnosed and treated early but if not—it is life-threatening.
For more information, visit www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/diabeticacidosis.htm .
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In November, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) brings awareness to the public about diabetes and the risks associated with the disease. According to the ADA, there are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7 percent of the population, who have diabetes.
While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. How can you have the disease and not know it? Diabetes is an impressive opponent. Diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to produce enough insulin to properly break down the glucose or sugar in the blood.
Symptoms range from hunger, thirst, excessive urination, dehydration and weight loss. However, some diabetics exhibit no symptoms at all. To date, no one knows the cause of diabetes and no cure has been found.
Diabetes is more common among African-Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. According to the National Diabetes Education Program, 3.2 million African-Americans ages 20 years or older have diabetes and one-third are undiagnosed. On average, African-Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age. Mexican-Americans, the largest Hispanic subgroup, are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. American Indians and Alaskan Natives are 2.2 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic white males if you take into account population age differences. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were 1.5 times more likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic whites according to a study conducted in California.
Diabetes is directly related to heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Heart disease and stroke account for about 65 percent of deaths in people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes have heart disease and stroke rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes. Diabetes also affects your kidneys, your nerve endings and your eyesight. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.
Type 1 diabetes (formerly called juvenile diabetes) accounts five percent to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 percent to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. However, type 2 diabetes can be prevented with weight control, healthy eating habits, and exercise.
If you want to learn more about diabetes, you can call 800.438.5383 or go online to take the risk test to access if you are at risk for diabetes: www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp .
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