This article is from the WebMD News Archive
Diabetes Complications Cost Billions
Report Shows Cost of Treating Diabetes Complications Is $10,000 per Patient Each Year
Reviewed by
Louise Chang, MD
April 10, 2007 -- Retired pro football player Ron Springs knows firsthand about the dangers of ignoring type 2 diabetes.
The former Dallas Cowboys cornerback, who is now 50, lost his right foot and several toes on his left foot to the disease. And he spent the last three years on dialysis due to diabetes-related kidney failure before receiving the kidney of friend and former teammate Everson Walls six weeks ago.
Diagnosed 16 years ago, Springs now blames the many complications on his failure to take his diabetes seriously for over a decade.
"I'll tell anyone that I was naïve, I ignored it, and I didn't believe it could happen to a national football player who had been in shape all his life," he says. "But it happened to me."
Still recovering from his transplant surgery, Springs made the comments Tuesday at a news conference held to release the report, "State of Diabetes Complications in America," issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). The report was paid for by drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline. The company is a WebMD sponsor.
Among the major findings:
- The cost of treating diabetes complications in the U.S. was estimated at $22.9 billion in 2006.
- 3 out of 5 people with type 2 diabetes have at least one other serious health problem related to their disease.
- The cost of treating the complications of diabetes averages $10,000 per patient per year, with patients paying nearly $1,600 of that out of their own pockets.
Diabetes Complications
Common complications of type 2 diabetes include heart disease, stroke, eye damage which can lead to blindness, kidney disease, and vascular (blood vessel) problems that can lead to foot amputation.
"The risk of death for people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of a similar age," said AACE spokesman Daniel Einhorn, MD, FACP.
Einhorn pointed out that uncontrolled diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults under the age of 75 and the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of new cases in 2002. It is also responsible for 60% of noninjury foot amputations.
And he noted that death rates from heart disease are two- to four times higher in diabetes patients than in heart patients without the disease.
"Every cardiologist will tell you that the diabetics simply don't do as well as patients who don't have diabetes," he said.
The new report is an analysis of data from two large, national studies -- the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
It was released Tuesday at the AACE 16th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress in Seattle, and was conducted in partnership with a diabetes complications consortium that includes the National Kidney Foundation, the National Federation of the Blind, the Amputee Coalition of America, and The Mended Hearts, Inc.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Is This Normal?
Get the Facts Fast!Answer:
Your level is currently NormalHigh (hyperglycemia).Low (hypoglycemia). |
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Your blood sugar level is slightly high. You should call your health care provider and ask if laboratory tests to check for diabetes are needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is currently normal. However, if you are concerned about diabetes speak with your physician. There may be other risk factors that increase your risk for diabetes.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your blood sugar level may be high, depending on when you last ate. If you have not eaten for at least 8 hours, your blood sugar should be less than 100. If you've eaten within the last 2 hours, your blood sugar should be less than 140. You should call your health care provider and ask if you need laboratory tests to check for diabetes. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Blood sugars consistently above 180 warrant prompt medical attention.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your blood sugar level is high. You should call your health care provider and ask if laboratory tests to check for diabetes are needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Become a Rite Aid wellness+ for diabetes member and get:
- Diet tips and fitness ideas
- Tools and trackers to help monitor your blood sugar and more
- Special offers and money-saving coupons
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
