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Connected Health and Diabetes (Infographic)

Diabetes remains one of the most prominent diseases in America today. Here we’ll take a closer look at the disease and some ways you can manage it with healthy living and technology.

Connected Health and Diabetes (Infographic)

 

 

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which a person has high blood sugar as a result of either an insulin deficiency or the body’s inability to properly respond to insulin.

Insulin – A hormone that converts sugar, starches, and other food components into energy
Glucose – The main sugar in your blood and your body’s main source of energy
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Diabetes appears in three main forms:

Type 1 – The pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.

  • Also known as juvenile diabetes, early-onset diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes
  • Affects about 5% of diabetics in America
  • Requires regular insulin injections

Type 2 – Your body does not use insulin properly (known as insulin resistance).

  • Most common form of diabetes
  • Affects 90-95% of diabetics in America
  • Often exacerbated by bad health, including:
    • Physical inactivity
    • Unhealthy diet

Gestational diabetes – Pregnant women may exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy despite not having diabetes in the past.

  • Affects up to 9.2% of pregnant women in the U.S.
  • Affects women whose diets include more animal fat and cholesterol
  • Can be controlled with:
    • Exercise
    • Healthy diet
    • Glucose-controlling medications

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Prediabetes

Prediabetes describes a condition wherein blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to indicate diabetes.

  • Puts you at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes
  • Has no clear symptoms, though some patients with prediabetes exhibit some symptoms of diabetes
  • About 86 million adults in the U.S. have prediabetes

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Diabetes in the U.S.

29.1 million people in the U.S. have diabetes.

8.1 million of those people are undiagnosed. That means 27.8% of people with diabetes don’t know they have it.

An estimated 208,000 Americans under 20 years old have diagnosed diabetes.

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death. In 2010:

      • 69,071 death certificates listed diabetes as the underlying cause of death.

<liL234,051 death certificates listed diabetes as an underlying or contributing cause of death.

$245 billion – Total cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2012

      • $176 billion – Direct medical cost
      • $69 billion – Cost of reduced productivity

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Treatments for Diabetes

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Managing Diabetes with Technology

In addition to medication, healthy diet, and an active lifestyle, technology offers support to keep diabetes in check.

Websites

      • www.diabetes.org – American Diabetes Association
        • Basic information and statistics about diabetes
        • Food and fitness tips
        • Community events
        • Planning tips for parents and kids living with diabetes

www.diabeticlivingonline.com – Diabetic Living Magazine

        • Healthy eating and activities
        • Recipes
        • Weight loss tips
      • www.dLife.com – dLife
        • Interactive tools
        • Blogs, polls, online discussions
        • Recent news
        • Recipes
        • Supplies

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Mobile Apps

    • mySugr Companion
      • A diabetes logbook that gamifies the experience, offering points for every entry and personal challenge
    • Glucose Buddy
    • Track carbohydrates, insulin dosage, physical activity, and glucose values
    • Glooko

Upload glucose readings straight from your meter, track your goals, and share information with your doctor

  • Dbees.com
    • A personalized app that helps you manage your insulin, medications, and diet
  • Diabetic Connect
    • Interact with other diabetics to share tips, learn, and give support

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Tech

  • t:slim Insulin Pump
    • A device that delivers a steady amount of insulin to your system throughout the day
  • MedTronic Guardian
    • A real-time continuous glucose monitoring system that anticipates glucose changes, offers predictive alerts, and delivers trend graphs to determine patterns
  • iBGStar
    • The first blood glucose meter that can be used standalone or connected directly to your iPhone, allowing you to manage and share your diabetes information

    <M/li>

  • Telcare
    • The first FDA-cleared cellular blood glucose meter that automatically sends data to your care team and provides messages, reminders, and personalized education
  • YoFiMeter
    • The first all-in-one cellular glucometer featuring a touch screen, built-in Bluetooth, and cassettes that hold 20 lancets and 20 testing strips
  • Dexcom CGM
    • A continuous glucose monitoring system featuring a small, painless sensor and a sleek, discrete receiver with a 20-foot range that weighs just 2.4 ounces

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Resources:
• http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/
• http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/parents-and-kids/everyday-life/shots-and-checks.html
• diabetes.org
• diabetes.org
• healthline.co
• http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/gestational/what-is-gestational-diabetes.html
• http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diagnosis/
• dc.gov
• http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/?loc=db-slabnav
• hopewarshaw.com
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• http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/top-iphone-android-apps-diabetes
• tandemdiabetes.com/Products/t-slim-Insulin-Pump/Touch-Screen/
• fda.gov
• medtronicdiabetes.com
• http://www.ibgstar.us/what-is-ibgstar.aspx
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