Let's Talk About Prediabetes
Let's Talk About Prediabetes
Dr. Bill Lombard presented on how prevalent both diabetes and prediabetes are, often without the individual knowing and the prediabetes is not a benign condition. And most importantly, prediabetes is the rare occurrence where a devastating disease can be prevented. Sponsored by the Mount Baker Foundation.
TAKE THE TEST TO SEE IF YOU ARE AT RISK FOR PREDIABETES
Early Blood Sugar Test Saves Lives
The SARS-CoV2 pandemic is not finished with us. New cases and hospitalizations for Covid-19 are increasing. In late 2020, a global analysis published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found that upwards of 15% of people who were hospitalized with severe Covid-19 also developed diabetes.
Dr. Bill Lombard, local nephrologist, past medical director of the Mt. Baker Kidney Center, and board member of Mount Baker Foundation said,
"The connection between diabetes, kidney disease, and Covid-19 complications cannot be overlooked. Having kidney disease increases a person's risk of developing life-threatening complications from Covid-19, including newly diagnosed diabetes and kidney failure. Diabetes is a chronic disease that develops when blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is elevated for an extended period of time."
Mount Baker Foundation MBF is launching a diabetes awareness campaign to follow up on its March 2021 Kidney Health Awareness initiative. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is called the silent epidemic because symptoms often do not appear until the disease is advanced and harder to treat. Unfortunately, prediabetes often doesn't have any early signs or symptoms either.
Dr. Bill Freeman, also a MBF board member and volunteer on the Kidney Health Awareness initiative, serves Northwest Indian College NWIC a tribal college and university, as human protections administrator and program director for its Center for Health NWIC-CFH.
Dr. Freeman, a non-directed kidney donor, said it is imperative that we do more to help our most vulnerable populations,
"One way we can do that is to test blood sugar levels out in the community -- make these tests available and easy to get. The good news is that if a prediabetic person is identified early, diabetes prevention programs can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems."
Local resources include the opportunity to enroll in a Diabetes Prevention Program. To enroll in WSU's Diabetes Prevention Program, call diabetes life coach Diane Smith (360) 395-2355. To enroll in the YMCA DPP, contact their healthy living coordinator, Tara Marshall (360) 733-8630, ext. 1109. Smith and Marshall are trained to help with lifestyle choices to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Individuals can also take a prediabetes one minute risk test. Prediabetes Test
This presentation by Dr. Lombard clarifies connections between diabetes-kidney disease-heart disease, 1 in 3 adults is at risk for kidney disease, are you the one? Dr. Lombard Presentation