What Is The Treatment For Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that that must be treated for the rest of thr person's life. Presently, there is no sure cure, but there are new and innovative treatments coming to the forefront in the fight against diabetes. Lets discuss what diabetes is and the treatments available.

Explain Diabetes:

Diabetes is a condition characterized by increased blood glucose levels, usually present after eating a meal. The symptoms include increased urination and excessive thirst.

What Causes That?

Increased glucose levels (hyperglycemia) are caused when insulin is insufficient to turn the glucose into energy for the cells. Without insulin, the glucose level in the blood elevates to abnormal levels bringing signs and symptoms, such as increased urination, which is the body's attempt to rid itself of excess glucose.

How can I find out if I have it?

If you or someone you know are showing symptoms of diabetes, you will need to get tested as soon as possible. Diagnostic tests will be performed by your doctor, which includes checking your blood for glucose, as well as checking your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

What are the treatments available?

There are a wide variety of treatments for diabetes available and depends on the severity of the disease. Many times diabetes can be controlled with just dietary changes to include foods that are low in fats and cholesterol. Other times the person must check their glucose levels daily using a glucometer, and take multiple insulin injections every day to control the levels of glucose in the blood. The goal is to keep these values within normal limits to avoid complications.

Types of Insulin:

• Regular: This insulin starts to act in 30 minutes, peaks in about 3 hours, and last for up to 8 hours.


• NPH: Action begins in 2 hours after injection, effects peak in 4-12 hours, and last up to 26 hours.


• Lente: Starts acting in 2-4 hours, peaks in 6-12 hours, and lasts 18 to 26 hours


• Ultralente: onset in 4-8 hours, peaks in 10-30 hours, and lasts over 36 hours.


• Lispro: A rapid acting insulin that must be injected approximately 15 minutes before a meal.

Insulin is available only by prescription and comes in vials, prefilled syringes, or cartridges. Injection takes place subcutaneously in the abdomen, arms, or thighs. The abdomen is the preferred area and sites must be rotated to avoid skin problems at the injections sites.

Insulin can also be delivered by a pump that provides a continuous administration of insulin at preset times and intervals. The pump eliminates the need for multiple daily injections. It works great for teens who are on the go with school and extracurricular activities.

Daily Glucose Testing and Insulin Injections:

To keep your glucose levels within normal range, you must test yourself daily before meals and at bedtime. Before testing you will need to gather together your glucose testing kit and supplies, which include:

• Testing strips - for blood drop specimen


• Lancet - used to prick your finger for the drop of blood you will need


• Glucometer machine - the blood end of the testing strip is inserted into the glucometer for accurate readings.


• Alcohol wipes - to cleanse the area to be pricked prior to using the lancet.


• Syringes - To be used to draw up the necessary amount of insulin for injection


• Insulin vial - clean the top first with alcohol wipe then insert needle, slowly pulling back on the plunger to withdraw the needed amount of insulin. There are graduated lines on the syringe barrel that indicate the measured amount.

After drawing up the insulin, choose your area of injection, then cleanse it with an alcohol wipe. When using the abdomen, you can pinch up the area for injection using two fingers, then insert the short needle into the skin and push in the plunger with your thumb. When the insulin has been delivered pull out the needle and you're done.

Be sure to discard your used insulin syringe into the red biohazard needle box that came with your supplies. When your needle box gets full, follow the instructions to arrange to have it picked up, removed, and destroyed. It does not go in the regular trash as it is a biohazard to others.

Follow the instructions in your kit to properly test your blood sugars. The result will determine the amount of insulin you need to cover yourself. Your doctor will have given you this necessary information as part of the patient teaching aspect of your diabetes education. You will come to easily memorize it and know exactly the coverage you require without having to reference it.

New Treatments:

Pancreas and islet transplants are currently experimental procedures that are showing great promise. Patients who have undergone these types of treatments no longer need insulin injections.

• Islet Cell transplant: Islet cells are removed from the pancreas of a deceased donor and injected into the liver of the recipient, after which these islet cells begin to manufacture insulin.


• Pancreas Transplant: Involves the removal of the patient's bad pancreas and replaced with a new one from a deceased donor. It can also include a kidney transplant at the same time, whereby the patient can leave behind the dialysis treatments and insulin injections.

All in all, treatment for diabetes is embarking on new frontiers and a cure could be just around the bend. If you think you may have diabetes, contact your doctor to receive testing and diabetes treatment.

by Barb Hicks RN/LMT