More than a Third of Adults With Diabetes Affected by Sleep Apnea

August 30, 2008

When collapsed airways result in impaired breathing, sleep apnea happens. People affected wake up many times during the night. New research now suggests that people with type 2 diabetes may constitute the 36% of diabetics who suffer from sleep apnea.

The Whittier Institute for diabetes in La Jolla, California had their researchers examine the sleeping habits of 279 adults with type 2 diabetes. One of three of these suffered from sleep apnea. They found that men, chiefly those over 62 years old were two times more than women to suffer from sporadic sleep.

This is not a surprise as a prior research has shown the link among glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and interrupted sleep. This is the first research though that examined data from a diabetes clinic. Dr. Daniel Einhorn, the lead researcher said that type 2 patients should be screened on a regular basis for sleep apnea as treatment for this condition has shown to lower the blood pressure and improve the blood sugar level.

We have more information on related matter like sleep deprivation or sleep disorders. There are other studies that link obesity and so to type 2 diabetes to lack of sleep, loss of REM sleep, snoring and other disorders that are related to sleep.

When one does not get enough sleep especially the REM sleep (short for rapid eye movement which happens when one is sleeping deeply), naturally one will be drowsy and perhaps irritable all day long. This will be enough to make one eat more and you know where that leads to. This is considered to be one diabetes risk.


Craving for foods with high sugar content is likely going to be the result of sleep deprivation. To stop the cycle of lack of sleep, then eat fast-energy foods, maybe a visit to a sleep disorder clinic where the problem can be addressed.

Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Cells

Stem cells? The shortage of donor tissue supply is a major challenge in the islet cell transplantation treatment for type 1 diabetes. Why? Because patients frequently need islet cells after the first treatment and this will require another donor. Have no fear for the researchers at the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami could perhaps ease the problem.

Before, researchers only fairly succeeded in distinguishing either adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells that turn into insulin-producing beta cells. The reason behind this is because they needed to bring on the culture environment to succeed. The islets need a high quantity of oxygen for health and herein lies the problem.

But the UM researchers produced a new device called "oxygen sandwich" to give the cells a better oxygen environment. Chris Fraker, senior research associate in the Tissue Engineering Laboratory at the Diabetes Research Center, designed the oxygen sandwich which is a close copy of the natural oxygen environment. The use of this helps differentiate the insulin-producing cells and opens the way to more treatment.

What is a stem cell transplant? It is the infusion of healthy stem cells into the body. Why is this an option? It is because the bone marrow stops functioning and doesn't produce adequate number of healthy stem cells. A stem cell transplant can aid the body make enough healthy white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. This will also reduce the risk of infections, anemia and bleeding that could threaten life.

Even though the process to restock the body's supply of healthy blood-forming cells is called a stem cell transplant, it's also known as an umbilical cord blood transplant or a bone marrow transplant. The name will depend on where the stem cells were taken.

The stem cell transplant is called autologous stem cell transplant if the source of the cells is one's own body and allogenic stem cell transplant if the cells used are from other donors. There is more information at this site on diabetes stem cells.

Release of Diabetic Care Product

An old device called Volvelles was first used in the 14th century to calculate and record almost everything has been resurrected in the form of wheel charts. These consist of two or more round disks linked at the center with a hole.

Rotate these disks and voila, the user gets instant information. In this modern age where large amounts of information are available on line, the users actually love these because they are easy to use. The wheel chart has made it possible for diabetics to keep track of the sites of their injection of the insulin.

Rotating the insulin injection site will reduce soreness and infection and avoid scar tissue from developing due to overuse. Sometimes this results in incorrect insulin injection. ADA also advised diabetics not to do their blood testing in the same finger each time.

The Anthony & Associates' EZ Site Tracker is compact. It is only 3.5" in diameter and so fits inside testing kits. It is made of 24 pt covered and toughened paper board with a nickel-plated metal hole center around which two outside discs spin. You can choose 20 glucose testing locations for side 1 and 20 insulin injection sites in Side 2.

Injection site rotation is really the way to go. The usual recommendation for injecting the insulin is in the abdomen although other sites can be used too. The important thing is to inject into a site where there is fat. Usually though people find it easier to inject into the abdomen rather than the thigh. There is more information on insulin therapy.


Whatever is the choice for the injection site, remember to rotate the site in the same area rather than doing the rotation in different areas of the body. Why? The reason is to prevent developing problems in the skin and under it. You know what some people do? They do their morning injection in one site, say the abdomen for example and the evening on the thigh.

Preparation for Natural Disasters Important for Diabetics

There are tips for diabetics when disasters occur like hurricanes, floods, fires. tornadoes, etc. Diabetics will be vulnerable during these disasters as they will need their medications and other things. They may also not have access to their homes and their health care team. It is important to be prepared.

Prepare a disaster kit in advance. Dr. Lawrence Blonde of the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans advice all diabetics to do so. In this regard, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and Eli Lilly and Company prepared several tips to help get ready for natural disasters. Prepare a diabetes disaster kit that is both insulated and waterproof with the following:

• All medical conditions and surgeries listed.
  


• Information about diabetes like your medication and reactions
  


• List of contact information on your health care team


• Letter from your health care team about your diabetes and routine with your latest laboratory results.


• All medications listed along with the pharmacies


• 30-day supply of medications like insulin, oral medications, glucagon kit if the doctor prescribed this


• Blood glucose testing supplies with extra batteries


• A cooler to store insulin


• Empty plastic bottles to dispose needles and such


• Source of carbohydrate just in case you need to treat hypoglycemic episode and two-day supply of food that does not need refrigeration
  


• Three-day supply of bottled water


• Pen or pencil and notepad to record test results

For an emergency of a different kind, you will have to be prepared with some kind of an emergency card so people around you will be able to summon for immediate and appropriate help. One never knows when an emergency such as a hypoglycemia attack could occur. Here’s an information card you should have with you at all times:

I have diabetes and if I behave in an unusual manner or if I lose consciousness, it may be because of my diabetes, activity and treatment. Please give me some form of sugar in the form of soft drink, fruit juice, candies or table sugar if you think I can swallow. If I become unconscious, please call 911 for help or my doctor and hospital mentioned below:

My Name:

My Address:

My Phone Number:

Please Contact:

Relationship to Contact Person:

My Doctor:

Doctor’s Phone Number:

Hospital’s Phone Number:

Blood Type:

Allergies:

Health Card Insurance Number:

Type 2 Diabetes Found to Have Multiple Genes Implicated In It

Type 2 diabetes and multiple genes? Bruce Goldfarb reported in Doc News on a new research implicating multiple genes in it. He said that the interaction of the genes are multifaceted and on top of this they are influenced by the environment. However, and this is the good news, they may help in the treatment.

A new research has shown that some genes may be implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes. The research group documented seven new genes among 32,000 people composed of four population groups of Asian, African, American and European.

Then the report further said that ten genes are found to be implicated in around 80% of the risks of developing this condition. They explained further though that the effects on individuals were moderate. Francis Collins, MD, who is the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute said that more genes related to diabetes remain to be discovered.

This discovery will help learn how diabetes comes about. Collins further said one of the genes is connected to the control of triglyceride and another manufactures a protein involved in carrying zinc into the beta cells in the pancreas.

Mind you the treatment of this condition through genetic correction is still far-off but knowing these genes are there could help the patient. For example, this finding is encouraging the development of new tests that would evaluate the individual risk.

Also this new genetic knowledge may lead to drug treatments that are better targeted. In the future, drugs may be developed that will more closely do the job of the naturally occurring procedure with greater effectiveness and less side effects. There are some more information at this site on type 2 diabetes.