Diabetes
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Elise M. Brett, MD, PC
Endocrinologists & Diabetes Specialists located in Upper East Side, New York, NY
Over 100 million Americans are living with prediabetes or diabetes, increasing their risk of severe health complications. At Elise M. Brett, MD, PC, in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Dr. Brett, a board-certified and fellowship-trained endocrinologist, provides expert diagnosis and customized diabetes management. If you are concerned about diabetes, call the New York City office or schedule a consultation online today.
Diabetes Q & A
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a group of diseases that occur when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use it correctly to convert glucose into energy.
As a result, your blood sugar levels increase, which puts you at risk of a wide range of health conditions ranging from high blood pressure to blindness and amputation.
Dr. Brett uses a variety of tests to diagnose diabetes, including:
- Fasting plasma glucose test
- Hemoglobin A1C test
- Oral glucose tolerance test
- Random plasma glucose test
There are several types of diabetes, classified by their causes.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, occurs when your pancreas doesn’t make insulin. It’s due to an autoimmune disorder that damages the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood, but it can develop at any time.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as insulin resistance, develops when your body doesn’t use insulin correctly and is relatively low in insulin. While your genetics factor into your risk of Type 2 diabetes, your lifestyle, including your diet, exercise habits, and weight, also contribute to your risk by interfering with the way your body uses insulin. Type 2 diabetes used to emerge during adulthood but is becoming more common in children and adolescents.
Prediabetes
If you have prediabetes, it means that your blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but you don’t have full-blown Type 2 diabetes, yet. The good news is that you can usually make lifestyle adjustments to regulate your insulin use and glucose levels.
What are the signs of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes symptoms usually emerge rapidly, causing fatigue and increased thirst, hunger, and urination.
Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, usually develops slowly, and its symptoms — which are the same as Type 1 diabetes — develop so slowly you might not notice them.
When left untreated, diabetes can damage your blood vessels leading to kidney damage, blindness, neuropathy, and sores and ulcers that don’t heal.
How is diabetes treated?
Treatment for diabetes depends on the type and severity of your disease. For example, if you have Type 1 diabetes, you will need to take insulin to replace what your pancreas doesn’t make. She can prescribe insulin injections with pen devices.
If you have prediabetes or mild Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Brett recommends lifestyle changes to your diet and exercise habits to try to regulate your blood sugar with or without medication.
If you’re looking for personalized diabetes management from an experienced endocrinologist, call Elise M. Brett, MD, PC or make an appointment online today.
