Physician Spotlight
Diabetics: Blood sugars must be controlled

Blood glucose is the main fuel the body burns to produce energy that allows us to do our daily tasks. If necessary the body can burn fat to produce energy, and only as a last resort will the body burn proteins as fuel (starvation). The tissues that make up our bodies can only use the glucose in the blood in the presence of insulin. Insulin facilitates the transport of glucose from the blood stream into the billions of cells that make up our body. There is a medical condition characterized by a relative absence and eventually an absolute absence of insulin called DIABETES MELLITUS.

Diabetes mellitus is the most common glandular (endocrine) disorder; effecting 19 million adults in the United States. Although the death rates of heart disease, stroke, and cancer have all remained stable or have declined since 1980; death rates from diabetes continue to increase. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus is diagnosed by a fasting blood sugar. Because the prevalence of diabetes increases with age all individuals at age 45 years and above (especially if overweight) should be screened for diabetes mellitus. If an individual is diagnosed early, they can usually be treated with diet, exercise and if necessary oral anti-diabetic agents. Eventually most type 2 diabetics will require insulin therapy. As the pancreas continues to fail more insulin is required, so oral meds are discontinued and the patient will require short acting insulin prior to meals and long acting insulin at bedtime.

Fortunately in the mid 1980's insulin pumps became available to treat Type 1 diabetes in children and by the mid 1990's it was being used to treat Type 2 diabetes in adult patients. The insulin pump is a battery powered device the size of a beeper, worn attached to your waist belt with fine plastic tubing connecting it to your abdominal wall. The pump is designed to give accurate amounts of insulin in a continuous fashion, just as our pancreas gives continuous insulin into the blood stream in the normal non-diabetic state. The insulin pump allows for tighter blood sugar control and therefore less diabetic complications over the long run.

Dr. Johnson practices with The Cleveland Clinic of Tennessee located on 55 Ben Drive NW, Cleveland, TN. 37311 Phone: 423-472-1991. If you would like to submit material for our "Physician Spotlight" please email clmays@txhha.com.