Treatment of Diabetes has advanced in the last 50 years or so. Back in the 50′s a strip that was placed in the urine could give a rough estimate to an insulin user on the amount that was needed in their injection. It was not very accurate and not at all convenient.
Today diabetes patients are able to use electronic blood sugar monitors that give automatic readouts every 5 minutes. Also available are insulin pumps that are the size of a beeper, strap to patient’s belts and give an insulin injection right under the skin. These products, along with advanced medication to control blood glucose and a form of insulin that is actually inhaled rather than administered by an injection, are available on the market today. As of right now, not all of those are covered by every insurance. They can be quite costly if paying out of pocket but obviously well worth it.
So what is in the works for the advancement of diabetes treatment? One of the most interesting, in my opinion, is an artificial pancreas. This would essentially be the cure for diabetes as we know it today. The artificial pancreas would consist of a monitor that gives a readout of the blood sugar level directly to an insulin pump. This would be an automatic function which the patient would not have to constantly worry about. This is years in the future but definitely in sight.
There are an estimated 20.8 million diabetics in the country today. As we all hear, this number is actually on the rise. The CDC has predicted that 1 out of 3 Americans born in the year 2000 will wind up with diabetes. It is about time that there are finally options in treatment for diabetics. You and your doctor can work together to find the treatment that is best for you.
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