Common Challenges in Managing Diabetes
Lourdes Health System offers a diabetes-education program, open to all. Participating in the program can be extremely helpful for patients, and Lourdes urges individuals who have diabetes, or who are at high risk for diabetes, to enroll. This effective, well-designed series looks at managing diabetes, and seeks to simplify and explain this widespread health challenge.
Certain key, well-known risks for patients with diabetes can be critical to controlling diabetes adequately enough to maintain health.These related problems can acerbate other secondary conditions connected to diabetes. Maintaining healthy weight and good cardiovascular condition stand at the top of this list of factors that can safeguard overall wellness or lead to a worsening of a variety of diabetic conditions.
Heart health and weight control can help patients with diabetes to lower risk of:
- orthopedic problems;
- high cholesterol and triglycerides;
- effects of sedentary lifestyle;
- peripheral circulatory problems;
- chronic ulceration;
- high blood pressure;
- stroke.
Patients must look to their healthcare providers for essential guidance on how to take control of these common challenges. Here, patients often find the role of the practice or clinic nurse to be especially important. These healthcare professionals can serve a vital role in:
- tracking and coaching diabetes patients;
- making sure patients undergo all needed tests and get to their many appointments;
- checking with patients to make sure they are testing their blood sugar, and getting advice on exercise and diet.
It's also important to know that drugs for diabetes are under improvement. The right combination of them can help patients significantly, including in managing blood sugar, lower blood pressure, control cholesterol and help guard against arterial plaque.
Sources of support for patients also include other diabetic patients, as well health clinics and senior centers that may offer special programs, exercise facilities and classes, as well as screenings and check-ups for blood pressure, blood sugar and other factors. The Lourdes Wellness Center offers monthly screenings for diabetes.
