Dr. Isaac Corney Explains How Pre-diabetes can be as Dangerous as Diabetes
Southwest Ohio Physician Shares Warning Signs and Treatment Options for Pre-diabetics
DAYTON, Ohio (Nov. 5, 2012) – Excessive thirst, excessive urination, blurred vision, numbness or tingling and fatigue are all warning signs of a serious, potentially life-altering condition – pre-diabetes, or even diabetes.
As many as 79 million people, or 24 percent of the U.S. population, are estimated to have pre-diabetes, according to statistics from the American Diabetes Association. This is why Premier HealthNet, one of the largest primary care physician networks in Southwest Ohio, is warning Southwest Ohioans to get checked for this potentially dangerous condition.
Isaac Corney, MD, a Premier HealthNet physician practicing at Trotwood Physician Center in Trotwood, explains that diabetes is the abnormal metabolism of blood glucose. “People whose fasting blood sugar is not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic, but not low enough to be diagnosed as normal are considered pre-diabetics. In addition to those exhibiting pre-diabetes conditions, people who are obese, have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30, have a family history of diabetes and are over age 45 should have their blood glucose or sugar levels tested as a precaution,” Dr. Corney says.
“While not facing the potentially fatal conditions that a diabetic faces, pre-diabetics are still at risk for serious health problems, including the development of Type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes), heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. Corney. According to the Centers for Disease Control, without lifestyle changes to improve their health, 15-30 percent of people with pre-diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within five years.
“The most important way for a person with pre-diabetes to prevent it from becoming Type 2 diabetes is to eat a healthier diet,” says Dr. Corney. This includes avoiding processed sugars, eating more lean meats and vegetables, eating more complex carbohydrates and limiting calorie intake.
“If a person loses 10 to 15 pounds they can decrease their prognosis for developing diabetes by 50 percent,” said Dr. Corney. “Exercising 30 minutes a day at least five days a week is also one of the best ways to help prevent pre-diabetics from becoming diabetes.”
Making permanent lifestyle modifications is difficult for many patients and a physician may elect to put a person with diabetes on a medication for insulin resistance medication in order to keep blood glucose levels under control. A physician may also opt to send a patient to a diabetes class where he or she will be educated on meal planning by a certified dietician.
For those who are exhibiting signs of pre-diabetes, Dr. Corney says their best course of action is to immediately make an appointment with their primary care physician to get tested.
For more information on diabetic testing, or to visit a Premier HealthNet primary care physician near you, visit www.premierhealthnet.com/doctor.
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