Castletown Chemist » diabetes

Protect your kidneys

PSA.org.au — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:39:01 +0000

The kidneys are two small fist-sized, bean-shaped organs situated on the lower back of the abdomen. Small they may be, but they do an enormous job. In fact, one functioning kidney is essential for life – a really good reason then for celebrating what is known as World Kidney Day; this year on 11 March.

If the lungs are our air-conditioning unit, then the kidneys are our body’s washing machine and waste disposal system. They’re also a superbly effective filter system with about 200 litres of blood passing through 2 million tiny filters every day; resulting in the removal of about 2 litres of waste products and unneeded water.

As well as enabling us to excrete certain unwanted and toxic substances, the kidneys produce hormones and regulate water levels and blood pressure.

Of course, properly regulated blood pressure is critical for good health. While there are no firm and fast rules about what constitutes a normal blood pressure reading – blood pressure varies from person to person and with individuals from time to time – a confirmed reading of greater than 140/90 is considered sufficiently high to require treatment.

There is a close relationship between high blood pressure and kidney disease: high blood pressure can cause kidney damage and kidney damage can cause high blood pressure.

The kidneys produce a hormone called renin which helps control blood pressure. When the kidneys are not functioning effectively, there is often an increase in the release of renin and a subsequent rise in blood pressure. Likewise, if high blood pressure is left unchecked, it can cause the walls of blood vessels in the kidneys to become, thickened. The blood vessels therefore become narrow causing reduced kidney function and ultimately kidney failure.

Uncontrolled blood glucose levels (diabetes) is another major risk factor for long-term or so-called chronic kidney disease (CKD). About half of all people with diabetes develop kidney damage; so it’s important for people with diabetes to have regular kidney function tests.

With diabetes, all the small blood vessels in the body are damaged; and those in the kidneys are especially vulnerable. The blood cleaning activity of the kidneys does not operate effectively; the body retains more salt and eater than it should, leading to swelling of the ankles and weight gain.

Diabetes may also cause damage to the nerves in the body. This can cause difficulty in emptying the bladder and further injury to the kidneys. Kidney failure is one of the most serious complications of diabetes; and kidney failure cause or contributes to about 10% of all deaths in Australia.

Being overweight or obese are in themselves risk factors for kidney disease. As well as increasing the likelihood of both blood pressure and diabetes (and therefore increasing the risk of CKD), as we get bigger and more overweight, the kidneys have to cope with a greater workload.

Being overweight is a very visible characteristic, but having high blood pressure and diabetes can often go unnoticed until the CKD is well established and difficult to treat. So a regular visit to the doctor is essential. The kidney health check involves a blood pressure test, a urine test for protein and blood test for a substance called creatinine.

Prevention strategies (and often initial treatment as well) involves dietary and lifestyle changes – losing weighty, cutting down on alcohol intake, exercising regularly, consuming less salt and stopping smoking. If medication is necessary it may involve life-long treatment.

This year the theme for World Kidney Day is ”Protect your kidneys – control diabetes”. You can get more information about diabetes and high blood pressure and their relationship to kidney disease from pharmacies throughout Australia providing Self Care health information. For the nearest location phone the Pharmaceutical Society on 1300 369 722 or check the website www.psa.org.au and click on Self Care Pharmacy Finder.

Bringing diabetes to light

PSA.org.au — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:45:47 +0000

On the evening of 14 November – and maybe for a few nights either side as well – the Arts Centre Spire in Melbourne will be lit blue. It’s just one of several major landmarks in Australia and what’s expected to be over 1000 buildings and monuments worldwide that will take on a temporary blue appearance.

The aim is to raise awareness of diabetes.

That might seem almost unnecessary, yet diabetes is fast reaching epidemic proportions. In fact, diabetes is the fourth main cause of death in most developed countries. Recent figures from the World Health Organisation indicate that more than 3 million deaths throughout the world are attributable to diabetes each year; numbers comparable to the most deadly of infectious diseases – AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

In 1985, the best data available suggested that 30 million people had diabetes. Fast-forward 15 years and the numbers were revised to just over 150 million. Today, less than ten years on, new data launched last week show that a staggering 285 million people are now living with diabetes. In 20 years time that number will rise by another 100 million. The latest figures from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas indicate that people in low and middle-income countries are bearing the brunt of the epidemic.

However, we Australians are certainly not immune. Studies show that nearly one in four Australian adults either has diabetes or so-called impaired glucose metabolism which is associated with a substantial risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Diabetes is a condition where the body can’t use glucose properly – usually because of a lack of insulin or so-called insulin resistance when the body fails to respond to its own insulin. Insulin is the chemical messenger or hormone that controls the uptake of glucose by muscles, liver and fat tissues.

Diabetes is generally classified as type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes, previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes, usually affects children and young adults. With type 1 diabetes our bodies don’t produce sufficient insulin, so this must be replaced with daily injections.

We don’t know yet the exact cause of type 1 diabetes but we do know it has a strong family link. However, it can only occur when something such as a viral infection triggers the immune system to destroy the insulin-making cells in the pancreas. This is called an auto-immune reaction. While the cause of type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with lifestyle, a healthy lifestyle is very important in helping to manage the condition.

In type 2 diabetes which accounts for about 85% of all people with diabetes, insulin is still produced but for some reason it doesn’t work effectively. While it most often affects mature adults, more and more younger people, even children, are getting type 2 diabetes. It’s very much a lifestyle disease, and more young people are getting type 2 diabetes because more young people are getting fatter sooner.

Over the next five years the continuing theme for World Diabetes Day will be education and prevention. It’s timely then that the Commonwealth Government has begun a $30 million awareness, education and prevention campaign to tackle obesity. The Measure Up campaign encourages people to measure their waist to tell if they are at risk of developing a lifestyle-related chronic disease such as diabetes or cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease.

For most Australians, a waist measurement of more than 94 centimetres for men and 80 centimetres for women puts you at an increased risk of developing a chronic disease.

The risk is greatly increased if waist management is over 102 centimetres for men and 88 centimetres for women. Excess weight around the stomach is a likely sign of internal fat deposits around organs. The location of fat can be an important sign of the risk of developing ongoing health problems.

The campaign will also provide people with facts about lifestyle choices and promotes physical activity and healthy eating to reduce the risk.

You can get more immediate advice on diabetes and how to maintain a healthy weight from pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s health information. Phone 1300 369 772 for the nearest location or log on to the Society’s website at www.psa.org.au and click on Self Care Pharmacy Finder; and ask for the fact cards Diabetes, Exercise and the Heart and Weight and Health. And keep your eye out for those blue buildings.

Taking the pressure off diabetes

PSA.org.au — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:45:14 +0000

National Diabetes Week has again focused our attention on the fastest growing non-infectious disease in the world. And this year there is special emphasis on the association between diabetes and high blood pressure.

Uncontrolled diabetes poses a serious risk to our health. Complications can include blindness, kidney failure and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Diabetes is the name given to the condition where our body is unable to use glucose properly – and glucose is our major energy source; the fuel which keeps our body functioning effectively.

There are two major forms of diabetes – type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in childhood or young adulthood – possibly because the body’s immune system runs a bit wild and attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas gland. Because the body stops making insulin, people with this form of diabetes need daily doses of insulin.

However, type 2 diabetes is the form of diabetes likely to affect most Australians (in type 2, insulin is produced, but we just can’t use it effectively). It accounts for 85-90% of the more than a million Australians with the condition – a number that could double over the next 10 years or so, if control strategies are not put in place.

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older adults – it used to be called maturity onset diabetes – but increasingly the condition is affecting younger people. Family history is one reason.

Of course our parents are not totally to blame. Family history is just one risk factor. Lifestyle issues are also highly significant. Overweight and obese adults are two to four times more likely to suffer from diabetes.

We now know that high blood pressure is another major risk factor for diabetes; a factor which is apparently not widely understood. According to Dr Neville Howard, President of Diabetes Australia – NSW, “there is a staggering lack of awareness about the link between high blood pressure and developing diabetes and its serious complications.” “While most people are aware that family history and being overweight can put them at risk,” he said, “a Diabetes Australia Study conducted last year has shown that 90% of people surveyed did not know that high blood pressure was a risk factor.”

When blood pressure is measured, two reading are taken; and it is usually expressed as one larger number over another. The top reading (so-called systolic blood pressure) is a measure of the force of the heartbeat. The lower reading (diastolic) is a measure of the blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.

There is no “ideal” blood pressure – it will vary from person to person; but as a guide the target blood pressure is less than or equal to 130/80.

Lifestyle changes are the key to reducing the risks of and treating high blood pressure, said Dr Howard. This should involve healthy eating, regular exercise, drinking lots of water, reduced salt intake, alcohol in moderation (no more than two standard drinks per day) and no smoking. Most of us will also need to lose some weight around our waist line. The aim should be a waist circumference of less than 80cm for women and 94cm for men.

And every time we visit the doctor we should get our blood pressure checked. If we seem otherwise healthy, we should make sure we have at least a yearly check up, especially if we’re over 40.

You can get more information about diabetes from the Diabetes Australia website or pick up a Fact Card from one of the 1,650 pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Phone 1300 369 772 for the nearest location or go to the Pharmaceutical Society’s website at www.psa.org.au and click on “Self Care Pharmacy Finder”.

Blue buildings for Diabetes Day

PSA.org.au — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:37:56 +0000

Over 500 major buildings and monuments worldwide will be lit blue on or around 14 November to commemorate World Diabetes Day.

World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year at this time. It was established over 15 years ago by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) to co-ordinate education and awareness programs worldwide.

It might seem almost unnecessary to have to raise awareness of diabetes, yet diabetes is fast reaching epidemic proportions. In fact, diabetes is the fourth main cause of death in most developed countries. Recent figures from the World Health Organisation indicate that more than 3 million deaths throughout the word are attributable to diabetes each year; numbers comparable to the most deadly of infectious diseases – AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Today, more than 240 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Within 20 years, this number is expected to grow to 380 million. Children certainly are not spared from this global epidemic, with its debilitating and life-threatening complications.

So this year World Diabetes Day is focusing on diabetes in children and adolescents, and sets out to establish the message that no child should die of diabetes.

The Federal Government has recently begun a $30 million awareness, education and prevention campaign to tackle obesity. The Measure Up campaign encourages people to measure their waist to tell if they are at risk of developing a lifestyle-related chronic disease.

For most Australians, a waist measurement of more than 94 centimetres for men and 80 centimetres for women puts you at an increased risk of developing a chronic disease.

The campaign will also provide people with facts about lifestyle choices and promotes physical activity and healthy eating to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes.

You can get more immediate advice on diabetes and how to maintain a healthy weight from pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s health information. Phone 1300 369 772 fro the nearest location; and ask for the fact cards Diabetes, Exercise and the Heart and Weight and Health. And keep your eye out for those blue buildings.

Measuring the benefits of weight management

PSA.org.au — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:57:42 +0000

Australia’s Health 2008, the recently released report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), provided mostly good news; but bad news in one significant respect.

Worldwide, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions, and that epidemic has spread to Australia. It’s been conservatively estimated that 1 million Australians are affected by diabetes and this number could double over the next 12 years.

Uncontrolled diabetes poses a serious threat to our health and well being. Complications can include blindness, kidney failure and particularly increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Globally, it kills someone every 12 seconds.

In these days of greater awareness of health issues generally, most of us probably have a pretty good idea of what our blood pressure is; and many of us know our blood cholesterol levels as well. Certainly, nearly everyone knows what a reasonable cholesterol reading should be.

However, how many of us know the healthy range of blood glucose levels?

The interrelationship between heart disease and diabetes is now well established; so knowing not only your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, but also your blood glucose levels (BGL) becomes even more important.

We know there are two major forms of diabetes – type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in childhood or young adulthood and is one of the most common childhood diseases in developed countries. It is thought to occur when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas gland. Because the body stops making insulin, people with this form of diabetes need daily insulin injections.

However, type 1 diabetes represents only about 10-15% of all cases of diabetes. The majority of cases are type 2 whereby insulin is still produced by the pancreas, but for some reason it doesn’t work effectively.

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in adults over the age of 45, but increasingly it is occurring at a younger age. If you have a close relative with diabetes, you are at greater risk yourself; and lifestyle factors such as an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are known to make type 2 diabetes even more likely.

Of course, diabetes is not a new condition. The symptoms were recognised by the ancient Egyptians as far back as 3,500BC. In 150AD the Greek physician Aretaeus first used the word diabetes and 1,600 years later Scottish doctor William Cutler added the word “mellitus” – Latin for honey.

Early methods of monitoring the severity of “sugar diabetes” depended on measuring glucose levels in urine. But this “dipstick” method gave unreliable results. Now the miniaturised, mobile phone sized blood glucose meters offer a convenient, accurate and reproducible way of determining the best possible treatment.

Self monitoring of blood glucose levels is considered necessary for all people with diabetes type 1, and type 2, if being treated with insulin. The need for blood glucose monitoring in people with type 2 diabetes being managed by just diet, exercise and oral medication, is debatable. Certainly the required frequency of testing is not so great; but there is no doubt self testing empowers the person with diabetes to be in control of their own condition.

Pharmacists providing the Self Care health information have fact cards titled Diabetes type 1 and Diabetes type 2, and you can also get advice about the benefits of knowing your BGL. Phone the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia on 1300 369 772 for the nearest location of your Self Care pharmacy.

Turning blue for diabetes

PSA.org.au — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:06:24 +0000

The Opera House in Sydney, Flinders Street Station in Melbourne, Old Parliament House in Canberra, Brisbane City Hall and many more buildings and monuments throughout Australia will all soon be coloured blue.

It’s not a massive repaint job, it will simply be done with lights; however, this blue tinge won’t only apply to buildings in Australia. The Jet d’eau in Geneva, the Empire State Building in New York and the London Eye will all turn blue for a night or two.

And there will be hundreds of other buildings too, coloured blue all round the world from Albania to the Virgin Islands.

The reason is a truly international effort to raise awareness of diabetes.

This year World Diabetes Day – November 14 – has been recognised by the United Nations with the theme Diabetes in Children and Adults. It’s an acknowledgement that diabetes is not only one of the fastest growing chronic diseases among older people, but it is of increasing concern because of its increasing prevalence among children.

Diabetes is the name given to the condition where our body is unable to use glucose properly – and glucose is our major energy source, the fuel which keeps our body functioning effectively.

Insulin is the hormone or chemical messenger which is formed in the body and controls the level of glucose in muscles, liver and fat tissues. Problems can occur when either insufficient insulin is produced (type 1 diabetes), or there is so-called insulin resistance – that is, the body fails to respond to its own insulin (type 2 diabetes).

Uncontrolled diabetes poses a serious threat to our health and well being. Complications can include blindness, kidney failure and particularly increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Diabetes can strike children at any age, including pre-school children and even toddlers. Yet diabetes in children is often diagnosed late, or it is misdiagnosed completely. In many parts of the world, insulin, the main live-saving medication that children with diabetes need to survive, is not available (or it is available but remains inaccessible for reasons of economy, geography or constraints on supply). As a consequence, many children die of diabetes, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Those closest to the child – family, school staff, family doctor – may not be aware of the ominous signs.

Type 2 diabetes was once seen as a disease only of adults. Today, this type of diabetes is growing at alarming rates in children and adolescents as well.

World Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness of the increase in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents. Early diagnosis and early education are crucial to reducing complications and saving lives.

You can get more information about diabetes from the Diabetes Australia website at www.diabetesaustralia.com.au or pick up a fact card from a pharmacy providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Call 1300 369 772 for the nearest location.

Check your risk of type 2 diabetes

PSA.org.au — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:54:17 +0000

National Diabetes Week – this year 8-14 July – focuses our attention on the fastest growing non-infectious disease in the world.

In Australia more than one million people have diabetes. And half of these people are not aware they have it, thus putting their quality of life and indeed their life at great risk.

Uncontrolled diabetes poses a serious threat to our health and well being. Complications can include blindness, kidney failure and particularly increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Type 2 diabetes is the major form of diabetes affecting Australians. It accounts for about 85-90% of all cases of diabetes.

Diabetes is the name given to the condition where our body is unable to use glucose properly – and glucose is our major energy source, the fuel which keeps our body functioning effectively.

Insulin is the hormone or chemical messenger which is formed in the body and controls the level of glucose in muscles, liver and fat tissues. Problems can occur when either insufficient insulin is produced or there is so-called insulin resistance – that is: the body fails to respond to its own insulin.

This is the case with type 2 diabetes. Insulin is produced; but for some reason it just doesn’t work as well as it should.

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older adults – it used to be called maturity onset diabetes – but increasingly the condition is affecting younger people. Family history is one reason.

Recent Australian research has found that the average age of diagnosis of diabetes is around 50 when one other family member had the disease. If six family members had diabetes, the average age of diagnosis falls to 42. If both parents had diabetes the average age of diagnosis is only 39.

Of course, our parents are not totally to blame. Family history is just one risk factor. Lifestyle issues are also highly significant. Overweight and obese adults are two to four times more likely to suffer from diabetes.

As well, having heart disease, high blood pressure or polycystic ovary syndrome the risk of getting diabetes is much greater. Having had diabetes during pregnancy also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes later on.

In the past 12 months, some 70,000 Australians were diagnosed with diabetes – one person every seven minutes. In some ways, however, these people are the lucky ones – early diagnosis means quick and effective management.

We can’t choose our relatives, but we can make some simple lifestyle changes to reduce our overall risk of diabetes. If you are even a little overweight, some physical activity will help you shed a few kilos. You’ll have increased energy levels and feel better about yourself. So you can really enjoy those extra years of life coming your way.

You can get more information about diabetes from the Diabetes Australia website or pick up a fact card from a pharmacy providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Call 1300 369 772 for the nearest location. If you are over 40 and overweight, see your doctor for a check on your blood glucose levels. And if you have any more of those risk factors, get to the doctor quick-smart.