DIABETES UPDATE |
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Management of some common complications Hypoglycemia <65 - dizziness, confusion, weakness, tremors. <40 - coma, seizures, irreversible brain damage. Treat with quickly absorbed glucose - orange juice, soft drinks, glucose tablets (15-20g), cake icing applied to the inside of the mouth. Hyperglycemia Blood glucose >130. Dangerous when symptomatic, but must be identified and treated to avoid complications. Signs and symptoms are as above. If associated with infection, can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. This results in severe dehydration, acidosis and sepsis. This is a potentially fatal illness; therefore, early recognition and avoidance is important. It is imperative not to skip insulin if the diabetic is unwell and not eating. Maintain adequate hydration. Get urgent medical help if unable to control blood glucose levels or if patient appears unwell. Hyperosmolar non-ketotic state In the elderly, Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent. Because there is no absolute lack of insulin, ketoacidosis does not occur. What does occur is a hyperosmolar non-ketotic state which can lead very quickly to coma. Again, prevention is better than cure. Skin care Diabetic patients suffer from skin problems for a number of reasons. First, they are more prone to developing infections due to impaired immunity; secondly, they develop peripheral neuropathies which allow easy disturbance of skin integrity; thirdly, they have microvascular disease, which prevents adequate perfusion and immensely compromises the ability to repair. It is imperative to educate patients in thorough cleansing and inspection of extremities. Good podiatry care is very important. Any injuries should be addressed quickly and treated aggressively to avoid chronic ulcers.
Foot ulcers The primary goal in the treatment of foot ulcers is to obtain healing as soon as possible. The faster the healing, the less chance for an infection. There are several key factors in the appropriate treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer: • Prevention of infection • Taking the pressure off the area, called "off-loading" • Removing dead skin and tissue, called "debridement" • Applying medication or dressings to the ulcer • Managing blood glucose and other health problems Not all ulcers are infected; however if the podiatric physician diagnoses an infection, a treatment program of antibiotics, wound care, and possibly hospitalization will be necessary. There are several important factors involved in keeping an ulcer from becoming infected: • Keep blood glucose levels under tight control • Keep the ulcer clean and bandaged • Cleanse the wound daily, using a wound dressing or bandage • Do not walk barefoot For optimum healing, ulcers, especially those on the bottom of the foot, must be "off-loaded." Patients may be asked to wear special footgear, or a brace, or specialized castings, or to use a wheelchair or crutches. These devices will reduce the pressure and irritation to the ulcer area and help to speed the healing process. The science of wound care has advanced significantly over the past ten years. The old thought of "let the air get at it" is now known to be harmful to healing. We know that wounds and ulcers heal faster, with a lower risk of infection, if they are kept covered and moist. The use of full strength betadine, peroxide, whirlpools and soaking are not recommended, as this could lead to further complications. Appropriate wound management includes the use of dressings and topically-applied medications. These range from normal saline to advanced products, such as growth factors, ulcer dressings and skin substitutes, which have been shown to be highly effective in healing foot ulcers. For a wound to heal there must be adequate circulation to the ulcerated area. The podiatrist can determine circulation levels with noninvasive tests. Vision and dentation
Diabetics should receive regular follow-up for their vision and dentation. They should also be monitored closely by their primary care physician or diabetology team in order to maintain optimum health and prevent future complications.
Sulfonylureas
Sulfonylureas stimulate the beta cells of the pancreas to release more insulin. Sulfonylurea drugs have been in use since the 1950s. Chlorpropamide (brand name Diabinese) is the only first-generation sulfonylurea still in use today. The second-generation sulfonylureas are used in smaller doses than the first-generation drugs. There are three second-generation drugs: glipizide (brand names Glucotrol and Glucotrol XL), glyburide (Micronase, Glynase, and Diabeta), and glimepiride (Amaryl). These drugs are generally taken one to two times a day, before meals. All sulfonylurea drugs have similar effects on blood glucose levels, but they differ in side effects, how often they are taken, and interactions with other drugs. MeglitinidesMeglitinides are drugs that also stimulate the beta cells to release insulin. Repaglinide (brand name Prandin) and nateglinide (Starlix) are meglitinides. They are taken before each of three meals. Because sulfonylureas and meglitinides stimulate the release of insulin, it is possible to have hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels). It is important to be aware that alcohol and some diabetes pills may not mix. Occasionally, chlorpropamide and other sulfonylureas can interact with alcohol to cause vomiting, flushing, or sickness. BiguanidesMetformin (brand name Glucophage) is a biguanide. Biguanides lower blood glucose levels, primarily by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver. Metformin also helps to lower blood glucose levels by making muscle tissue more sensitive to insulin so glucose can be absorbed. It is usually taken two times a day. A side effect of metformin may be diarrhea, which can be reduced by taking the drug with food. ThiazolidinedionesRosiglitazone (Avandia), troglitazone (Rezulin), and pioglitazone (ACTOS) form a group of drugs called thiazolidinediones. These drugs help insulin work better in the muscle and fat and also reduce glucose production in the liver. Thiazolidinediones are taken once or twice a day with food. Although effective in lowering blood glucose levels, thiazolidinediones can have a rare but serious effect on the liver. For this reason, the physician should perform blood tests regularly to monitor the health of the liver. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitorsAcarbose (brand name Precose) and meglitol (Glyset) are alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. These drugs help the body to lower blood glucose levels by blocking the breakdown of starches, such as bread, potatoes, and pasta in the intestine. They also slow the breakdown of some sugars, such as table sugar. Their action slows the rise in blood glucose levels after a meal. They should be taken with the first bite of a meal. These drugs may have side effects, including gas and diarrhea. Oral combination therapy
Insulin therapy Most insulin in use today is synthetically produced from laboratory cultures. However, a small percentage of people with Type 1 diabetes still use animal-based insulins that are distilled and purified from the pancreases of cows (bovine insulin) and pigs (porcine insulin). There are six types of synthetic insulin available-rapid-acting, regular, NPH (N), lente (L), ultralente, and long-acting basal. Each has its own unique therapeutic effect. An insulin's onset of action is how long it takes the hormone to start working at lowering blood glucose levels. The peak is the point at which the dose is at the height of its therapeutic effectiveness, and the duration is how long the insulin's blood glucose lowering effect lasts from injection to end. Summary
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Medications commonly used to treat diabetes and their side effects 
Because the drugs listed above act in different ways to lower blood glucose levels, they may be used together. For example, a biguanide and a sulfonylurea may be used together. Many combinations can be used. Though taking more than one drug can be more costly and can increase the risk of side effects, combining oral medications can improve blood glucose control when taking only a single pill does not have the desired effect. Switching from one single pill to another is not as effective as adding another type of diabetes medicine. 