Look at the people around you – in the grocery store checkout line, at a baseball game or movie theater. More than 10 percent of them could have diabetes. And, one in four persons with diabetes doesn’t know they have the disease.
According to the American Diabetes Association, someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 23 seconds. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. But experts say that many people aren’t aware that type 2 diabetes can often be prevented.
Diabetes Alert Day is meant to serve as a one-day wake-up call to inform Americans about the seriousness of the disease. Diabetes Alert Day 2017 is on Tuesday, March 28.
Guadalupe Gonzalez, 51, of Dallas, had no idea she would be diagnosed with diabetes and sent to the emergency room on a recent February morning.
“Nothing too bad, but things were not normal,” Gonzalez said of symptoms she had reported to her doctor during a recent checkup, including weight loss, headaches, frequent urination and constant thirst. “I knew these could be signs of diabetes because two older sisters and my father had diabetes.”
Her physician ordered lab work, which showed Gonzalez’s blood sugar was dangerously high, although it had been normal when tested just two years ago. ”My doctor called with the results and said I should go to the ER right away. There they gave me insulin, monitored me for several hours and discharged me with a prescription for metformin, a diabetes medication.”
The following Monday, Gonzalez attended her first Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) for patients with diabetes at Vickery Health Center, one of Parkland Health & Hospital System’s 12 Community Oriented Primary Care health centers. SMAs are an option for Parkland patients who want to participate in a group learning experience while getting an exam with their physician. Patients can also request a traditional one-on-one doctor appointment if they prefer.
“At the shared appointment, I learned more about how to take better care of myself,” Gonzalez said. “I liked the way they explained about the diabetes numbers like A1C and cholesterol, and how we need to keep them at a certain level to prevent complications. The main thing is learning how to eat better — less fats, breads and tortillas — and how to live a healthier lifestyle.”
Sentayehu Kassa, MD, senior lead physician at Vickery, is assisted at the SMAs by a diabetes educator who leads group discussions and provides nutrition and exercise counseling. During this time, Dr. Kassa meets with each patient individually. Patients share experiences and discuss their vital numbers, from fasting blood sugar to cholesterol levels, and discuss progress they’ve made. “Patients learn better from one another sometimes than from a nurse or doctor,” Dr. Kassa said. “The value of peer learning is powerful and they encourage one another a lot.”
Kellie Rodriguez, MSN, MBA, CDE, Director of Diabetes Education & Community Engagement for the Global Diabetes Program at Parkland, said, “Just as worrisome as diabetes is the estimate that about 86 million Americans – that’s one in three – have prediabetes and 90 percent don’t know it. Prediabetes is a condition in which sugar levels are not high enough to be classified as diabetes, but are elevated above normal levels. Persons with prediabetes have a 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes if they don’t make significant lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity,” she said.
People with prediabetes are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Many serious complications can result from diabetes, including eye damage, neuropathy, kidney damage, stroke and amputation.
“The good news is you can take steps to prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes,” Rodriguez added. “One of the best things you can do if overweight is begin a weight loss program that includes exercise as well as healthier eating,” she said. “Being more active can have very beneficial health effects.”
Risk factors for diabetes include being overweight or obese; having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes; high blood pressure; past history of having diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes); high cholesterol; and lack of exercise (less than three times a week).
In addition to SMAs for diabetes patients, Parkland provides group diabetes self-management classes through its Healthy Living with Diabetes Program at a number of its community health centers throughout Dallas County where patients learn how daily decisions impact their health.
Registered Dietitian Sharon Cox, RD, LD, CDE, teaches diabetes classes at Parkland’s Bluitt-Flowers Health Center. “We talk a lot about portion control, drinking water instead of sugary drinks, learning how to cook without saturated fats and salt, and the importance of eating more non-starchy vegetables, fruits and fewer processed foods,” Cox said.
Dallas County has a higher diabetes rate (11.4 percent) than the national average of 10.6 percent. The Diabetes Registry at Parkland has approximately 30,000 active patients. The Global Diabetes Program is part of Parkland’s continuing efforts to combat diabetes. The program is patient-centered and multidisciplinary, involving physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, behavioral health experts, social workers and financial experts across Parkland.
The Healthy Living with Diabetes Education Program at Parkland is recognized by the American Diabetes Association. To learn more about Parkland’s Global Diabetes Program, visit www.parklandhospital.com or call 214.590.7219.
