Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how the body uses glucose (blood sugar). Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions in the country and recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report as many as 30 million Americans (one in ten) have the disease.
Diabetes type 1 accounts for around one in ten cases of diabetes in the United States, with diabetes type 2 making up the remaining 90 percent. Diabetes is associated with a number of other medical conditions and complications, including diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetes insipidus.
Common symptoms associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes include unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, increased thirst, extreme hunger, fatigue, irritability, frequent infections, and slow healing sores.
Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, but the risk of developing type 2 diabetes can be reduced through lifestyle changes. Risk factors include family history; certain medical conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome or some viral conditions; age; physical inactivity; obesity; hypertension (high blood pressure); and poor diet.
Patients with prediabetes, can reduce the chance it will develop into type 2 diabetes by eating healthier foods, getting more exercise and losing excess weight. Treatment of diabetes usually involves lifestyle changes, monitoring blood sugar levels, administering insulin, and certain oral or injected medications.
Left untreated or poorly controlled, diabetes can lead to a variety of other medical conditions and health complications, including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, skin conditions, and retinopathy (eye damage).
A new authorized generic of Eli Lilly’s insulin drug Humalog (insulin lispro) will soon be available in US pharmacies at half the price of the branded equivalent. The pharmaceutical giant made the announcement on March 4th 2019, asserting that the introduction of an alternative insulin option...
Read MoreLast year saw some significant steps forward in diabetes technology, with a number of new monitoring technologies and insulin delivery devices gaining US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval over the course of 2018. Among the new products available to American diabetes patients last year...
Read MoreA diabetes diagnosis may seem overwhelming at first, but learning to manage diabetes mellitus enables you to start taking control of your condition, reducing the risk of further diabetes complications and improving your quality of life. Many healthcare professionals can help...
Read MoreEveryone has experienced physical pain at some point in their lives, sometimes severe or unbearable pain, yet with proper pain treatment and time, pain recedes in the majority of cases. However, as many as 100 million Americans suffer from persistent or chronic pain (pain which lasts several...
Read MoreAdult diabetes may fall into five different categories rather than type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to new research. A study conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden found new classifications for diabetes, each with their own distinct genetics and characteristics. It is hoped the...
Read MoreDiabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions in the United States, with figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggesting almost one in ten people live with the condition, the equivalent to 30 million people across the country. The majority of cases - nine out of ten...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first continuous glucose monitoring system for adult patients with diabetes. The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System enables patients to make decisions about their treatment without needing to calibrate using fingerstick...
Read MorePfizer's Lyrica CR (pregabalin) extended-release tablets CV gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use treating neuropathic pain experienced by patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and for managing postherpetic neuralgia. The drug's safety and efficacy were...
Read MoreObesity and diabetes are significantly more common in the United States than 20 years ago, according to recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). In 1997, under 20 percent of American adults over 20 years of age were classified as obese, a figure that rose to 31.4 percent...
Read MorePatients with health plans with value-based contracts for diabetes, high cholesterol, and HIV medication benefited from significantly cheaper co-pays than patients on other plans, according to new data from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). On average, these...
Read MorePharmacies in the United States will soon stock two more medications for treating type 2 diabetes after pharmaceutical giants Merck and Pfizer had a pair of products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Steglujan (ertugliflozin and sitagliptin) and Steglatro (ertugliflozin) were...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has permitted marketing of a medical device that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to detect certain eye problems related to diabetes. It is the first device of its kind to harness AI to detect diabetic retinopathy considered greater than a mild level...
Read MoreFor parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus the diagnosis often comes as a bolt from the blue. There is always a huge amount of information to digest and process and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information on medications, blood glucose testing, dietary...
Read MoreManagement of type 1 diabetes in pediatric patients could become easier following the approval of an automated insulin delivery and monitoring system for use in children between the ages of seven and 13. Medtronic’s MiniMed 670G hybrid closed loop system monitors glucose levels and...
Read MorePatients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes now have a new option for monitoring their glucose levels following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve the first continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system with a fully implantable sensor. The Eversense CGM can be...
Read MoreSenior patients with diabetes could be more than $350 better off each year if a share of negotiated manufacturer rebates is passed on the patients at the point of sale, according to recent IHS Markit analysis commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Passing...
Read MoreIn an exciting breakthrough for patients with diabetes, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of the Dexcom G6 integrated continuous glucose monitoring system (iCGM). The latest version of the continuous glucose monitoring system is indicated for use by patients...
Read MoreSanofi’s Admelog (insulin lispro injection) is the first short-acting “follow-on” insulin product for diabetes treatment to gain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The rapid-acting insulin is similar to Humalog and is indicated to improve blood sugar control...
Read MoreAdults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a new treatment option available to them following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve Novo Nordisk's rapid-acting mealtime insulin Fiasp (insulin aspart). The drug is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults...
Read MoreMore than one-third of adults in the US live with either diabetes or prediabetes, a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed. It found that in 2015 there were 30 million people with diabetes, while a further 84 million people had prediabetes. Left...
Read MoreNovo Nordisk has announced a recall of six batches of the insulin cartridge holders used in its NovoPen Echos due to the possibility they will crack or break when exposed to certain chemicals. The company revealed some cleaning agents may contain agents that could leave the device susceptible to...
Read MoreA generic version of the cholesterol-lowering medication Vytorin has been launched by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, bringing another cheaper statin medication to US pharmacies. Vytorin is an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor/statin with a lipid modifying agent developed by Merck. IMS data from...
Read MoreAfter an indulgent holiday period, you may be one of the many Americans considering setting some 2019 weight loss goals. Losing weight (and goals related to this) are among the most common resolutions for 2019, according to data from YouGov Omnibus. The poll found 48 percent of people planning to...
Read MoreAre you one of the many people in the United States planning to enjoy a smoke-free 2019? A new year comes with the promise of a clean slate and the opportunity to make resolutions to improve your quality of life, leaving you a healthier, stronger and happier person. A YouGov NY poll conducted last...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee has voted 16-0 to approve semaglutide as a once-weekly treatment to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Novo Nordisk submitted the application in December 2016 under the FDA’s Prescription drug user Fee Act...
Read MoreMany medications are available for treating type 2 diabetes, but intensive lifestyle management could hold the key to controlling blood sugar levels, according to a recent clinical trial. The results of the study conducted in Denmark suggest adding "intensive" lifestyle management to traditional...
Read MorePharmaceutical giant Merck has been granted tentative approval for Lusduna Nexvue (insulin glargine injection) 100 units/mL by the US Food and Drug Administration. The follow-on biologic basal insulin comes in a pre-filled dosing device and will be used to treat patients with type 2...
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