Online References for Diabetics

Type 2 diabetes is an illness where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the insulin that the body makes is not sufficient. The insulin that the body produces does not function sufficiently to clear the blood stream of sugar. There are serious medical implications when sugar builds up in the blood and we list these below.

The medical problems of too much blood sugar over time can lead to heart problems, kidney problems, blindness, and most severly can lead to a need for an amputation. These serious medical conditions can be managed if individuals know that they have type 2 diabetes. In the initial stages of type 2 diabetes, the individual does not have overt symptoms. To find out if an individual has type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to screen people and this can be an issue. Screening will determine whether individuals have too much sugar in their blood. If the test results show too much blood sugar, then treatment can begin to lower their blood sugar.

The United Kingdom is making efforts to screen individuals for type 2 diabetes. Screening is a systematic examination of healthy individuals to identify risk and symptoms of the disease. Healthy individuals can be eliminated. Individuals, whose test results indicate some possibility of the condition, will need further testing. Further testing may indicate that there is too much blood sugar. Individuals with too much sugar in their blood will diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. These diagnosed individuals will be treated for type 2 diabetes. The type of treatment will depend on the measured sugar in the blood and stage of the disease. Some individuals will be at the beginning of the disease. These individuals can be watched and retested periodically. They can be educated on how to eat and exercise to manage the disease without medication. Other individuals will need medication as well as a healthy diet and exercise.

Screen programs are UK-wide. There is a national overall program, yet each part of the country as its own policies and programs. It is helpful to visit the website for further information: http://www.screening.nhs.uk/programmes#fileid7946

For public health policy, the United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) ties to determine as accurately as possible individuals with high risk for type 2 diabetes and those who do not have the condition. The UK NSC has the responsibility to determine the prevalence of the disease. Such information and statistics will be the basis upon which medical policies for the country will be determined. Therefore the goal of the screening is to determine who has the disease and who can be eliminated from the population of individuals with type 2 diabetes. While the goal for the screening is to be 100% accurate, it is often the case that the screening is not 100% accurate.

Based on the data collected from the screening, UK NSC develops recommendations and policies. Often there is controversy over policies. Controversy can be clarified with research, the UK NSC recommends research. Research evidence informs policies.

 

 

Nicholas Stevens is a keen blogger who covers various aspects of health and has contributed to various sites and blogs.