Nikki Sommer, a nurse with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about Medical Matters.
National Diabetes is this month.
Sommer said, “Diabetes affects at least 38 million Americans. I saw somewhere else that it is continuing to rise. The numbers are going up of how many Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. So managing your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are really the most important thing to take care of yourself when you have diabetes, because uncontrolled diabetes can wreak havoc on the bad body. It can damage the eyes, the kidneys, nerves, and create heart disease. It’s even been linked to some types of cancer, if it’s not taken care of correctly, it could spiral out of control. Once it’s out of control, sometimes it’s really hard to rein it back in and get it in control.”
The ABC’s for managing diabetes are A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Sommer said, “A1C is usually an indicator of how your blood sugar has been running over the last, like, say, three months. So even though people will with diabetes, depending on the medication, they may check their blood sugar once a day, twice a day, sometimes the ones that are only good at checking it once a day should check it more. It’ll be good in the morning, but sometime in the afternoon it spikes, and they don’t know. So the hemoglobin A1C is an indication for the provider of how well your diabetes is under control.”
Blood pressure is important, too.
Sommer said, “Your blood pressure needs to remain under control. A lot of times, diabetics get put on medicine that can, not hurt your kidneys, but it’s just important that everything is in balance. So you might be put on the blood pressure medication if you’re borderline high blood pressure, but then you get diagnosed with type two diabetes, you will most likely be started on a blood pressure medication and just like taking your diabetic medication, it’s important to take your blood pressure medication.”
C is for cholesterol.
Sommer said, “They all go together. Type two diabetes is associated with obesity. So most obese people tend to also have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. So it’s kind of like a trifecta. That’s what they call the ABCs.”
There are healthy habits to help keep diabetes at bay.
Sommer said, “Begin with healthy meals, being physically active, making sure that you’re not as stressed. You get enough sleep. Of course, if you are a smoker, you should stop smoking. Limit the amount of alcohol and obviously no illicit drug use, and take your medications when you’re supposed to, try not to miss any doses. Because when it comes to diabetes, it’s regulating your blood sugar, and that goes hand in hand with your diet.”
How does diabetes affect wound healing?
Sommer said, “In a diabetic when their sugar is out of control, obviously it can affect wound healing, and even wounds such as minor cuts, wounds and burns, which we have to have. It’s a part of life. But when you’re a diabetic and your sugar is not controlled, it can spiral into a very large infection, especially if you have already had issues with poor circulation. So people with diabetes, their wounds are slow to heal, and sometimes they do not heal well. I have personally seen they never heal, and the outcome is never good. With a diabetic, when they get an infection, if they don’t take care of it in time, it can spread to the tissue or bone near close to the wounds and if they do not get enough care, it can be life threatening. Diabetics and are really known, when their blood sugar is not in control, they usually get foot ulcers, and a lot of times they have what’s called neuropathy, where they lose the sensation in their feet. So a lot of times they’ll cut their foot or even like a small bump turns into a bruise, and they are sedentary. It can create pressure, it can cause an ulcer, and they become very difficult to heal if the blood sugar is not under control.”
Why does diabetes interfere with wound healing?
Sommer said, “When the blood sugar is high all the time, it actually impairs the functions of your white blood cells. White blood cells, usually when you have an infection, if they check your blood work, your white cell count is going up. That is the role of the immune system. They’re going to that area to try and heal it. So because the blood sugar is high, it makes it difficult for those white blood cells to fight infection. Leads to, obviously, a decrease in wound healing.”
What is diabetic neuropathy?
Sommer said, “That is when diabetics tend to lose sensation in their lower extremities, because, actually, high blood glucose can damage the nerve. So that’s what I meant when they say they can’t feel their feet. If they have, say, an ingrown toenail, it can become a huge problem. It can turn into a really large infection. If it’s left unattended, that’s where you see diabetics that have had amputations, and up to 80% of all amputations in America are usually due to uncontrolled diabetes from wounds. People with diabetes have come in that needed surgery. I mean, elective surgery, and it has that it has been postponed because their blood sugar is too high and they’re just too high risk for wound healing, because once you make that cut, you can’t take it back.”
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