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Friday, September 25, 2009

Diabetes Leg Pain Symposium On Advanced Wound Care And Wound Healing

Diabetes leg pain symposium of this kind is something I am glad to have come across as it will provide us with new connections to the world of Wound Care and Wound Healing, so crucial to diabetic patients. This 22nd annual meeting of wound care specialists from different disciplines met this year at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center in Dallas.

What is important is that at this meeting they are adding a limb preservation track to address the concerns of vascular surgeons and doctors of podiatric medicine. These are the people who treat the diabetics who have diabetes leg pain and are at risk for amputation.

From Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Kazu Suzuki said that about one-third of diabetics suffer from diabetes leg pain and foot wounds and poor circulation. Apparently, these lead to over 100,000 leg amputation each year and often these are preventable. How?

When the wound is detected and treated early, amputation could be avoided. That is why it is important to examine feet and legs for sores and wounds as the diabetics may not feel them and not know early enough that they are there. Examining the feet and legs every day should be part of the diabetes care plan.

There are limb preservation efforts through proper care of the wound and revascularization. These could save life and limb and are part of looking after the diabetic patients especially knowing that quality of life deteriorates after amputation.

My prayer is for no diabetic will ever need to use wheel chairs but if they do they should get Power Wheelchairs that are at low or no cost, free delivery, free training & setup! Medicare recipients, get your free consultation. ClickOnHealth This is a big help when they will deliver it for free and set it up too. I don't know about you but I am a technically challenged person so a company that gives free training and setup gets a big thumbs up from me!

So this spring meeting addressed the diagnostic tests and treatment to help prolong the lives of the diabetics. It is their aim to raise awareness of the symptoms, care and treatment options for diabetic leg wounds. It will lower the cost of complications because early detection is cheaper than leg amputations which will require hospitalization and rehabilitation.

It is my fervent hope that some experts will share what they have discovered at this symposium. I followed this up as I can't wait for new ways and treatment options for the diabetics but could not find any update on that meeting. Surely by now they must have something for the diabetics who suffer so much from their diabetes leg pain.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Blood Glucose Levels Study Suggests Lowering A1C Levels Could Reduce Decline In Cognitive Function

Blood glucose levels that are higher in type 2 diabetics are associated with lower cognitive functioning, that is worse functioning on three cognitive tasks. These will be any responsibilities that need speed, memory and the ability to do multitasking.

There were two ongoing studies on the relationship between high blood sugar levels and lower cognitive performance. One is called MIND (Memory in Diabetes) while the other is named ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes). What did these two researches find?

They both found that higher A1C levels are closely related to poorer functioning cognitively. As we know A1C is the measure that tells the average of the blood glucose levels over a period covering 2-3 months. The higher reading on this also shows a link with lower result on a global cognitive function test.

Before these ongoing studies, it has been found out that the diabetics have a 1.5 times more risk to decline cognitively and experience dementia than people who do not have diabetes. The results of MIND show that diabetes may also be related to cognitive impairment although mild.

Although the cognitive function is only mildly impaired, still it is a concern to those with type 2 diabetes. So said Dr. Tali Cukierman-Yaff who is the leader of the research team. He works at the School of Medicine of Israel's Tel-Aviv University. If you want more help in lowering your blood sugar, Click Here!

It is not known whether the higher blood glucose leads to the cognitive impairment or whether it is the other way around. Does the impairment lower the ability to control the blood sugar level? Here is where the sub study Accord comes in.

In this research, there will be follow-up on the patients and they will be tested three times. This will let the researchers know whether the lower sugar levels will result in better cognitive functioning. And it looks there is improvement in cognitive functioning with the lower or near normal blood glucose levels.

The lesson of the story? Work hard at getting those blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. I know you can do it. Will do it in fact. Knowing the ramifications in terms of complications will spur all of us into action to make sure we reach the normal reading for the blood glucose levels.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Cardiovascular Disease: Taxus Liberte Gets CE Mark to Use for Diabetics

Cardiovascular disease is one complication the diabetics may have to face so it is with much anticipation to read Senior vice president of Boston Scientific International, David McFaul announcing that Taxus Liberte stent has been given a CE Mark approval to use for diabetics. He further said that clinical trials and real life statistics have shown it has benefited patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Taxus Liberte is the drug-eluting stent technique most often used in Europe. Getting the approval for use in diabetic patients is quite a milestone for Boston Scientific whose aim is to offer patients the latest treatment option for cardiovascular disease.

Since the diabetics are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, this is a helpful solution. The patients they examined, 1529 of them, were treated with Taxus Liberte stent system at their clinical trial. Of this number, 413 were diabetics. Four trials showed the effectiveness and safety of this system for diabetics. But don't forget that you can protect the heart by exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.

About 50% of patients with CAD (coronary artery disease) in Europe are diabetics. These patients showed worse results after revascularization due to their blood vessels that show a tendency to have more plaque. Their CAD also develops more rapidly and so is the most frequent cause of death among those with diabetes in Europe.

Taxus Liberte is not available yet in the United States but Boston Scientific is waiting for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve it. For now, it is available outside the United States. It comes in a wide variety of sizes to treat a range of lesion lengths and vessel sizes in patients suffering from coronary artery disease.

I tried to update this but could not find any additional information except to say the TAXUS Liberte has more CE Mark-approved indications than any other drug-eluting stent. We already know that Boston Scientific Corporation that the system received CE Mark approval for the diabetic patient use.

Boston Scientific also reported that the Taxus Liberte has done well for patients with diabetes who also has coronary artery disease. The benefit is not only authenticated by clinical trials but also by real world reports. No wonder it is the most frequently used system in Europe. This is good information for the diabetics who also suffer from cardiovascular disease.

Alzheimer's Disease a Type 3 Diabetes?

I wrote this last week but I think someone was giving trouble to Google and I couldn't input this so this week I will have two posts unless the same thing happens again. Scientists started naming Alzheimer's disease a type 3 diabetes. Why? Because they think there's a strong relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. They have found new proof linking resistance to insulin and the disorder of the brain.

Northwestern University in the United States declare that when the brain stops the insulin from doing its job correctly, the result is chemical imbalance. This disproportion of the chemicals then could help out in activating Alzheimer's disease.

The research undertaken is suggesting that patients with dementia have brains with protein that ties to the tips of the end of nerves. This leads to resistance to insulin which plays a role and therefore important for the brain in order for it to learn, accumulate information and knowledge and then remember them along with the memories.

The leader of this study is Dr. William Klein who said that type 2 diabetes drugs may be helpful in treating Alzheimer's disease. Even Diabetes UK Care advisor, Libby Dowling, said there are other researches that link diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

There is a need though for more studies on this matter in order to arrive at a more definitive conclusion as to the relationship between Alzheimer's and diabetes. There is no doubt for this because the speed at which change in medical science occurs is breathtaking.

Just look at the latest announcement regarding the stem cells resulting from adult skin cells that were genetically engineered. We all need these weapons so we can win the battle with diseases including diabetes. These are imbedded in the minds of these researchers who are tireless in their quest for new ways to make things better for all, regardless of motivation.

Now they're saying that insulin's importance to the body of type 1 diabetics and some type is also equally important to the mind. That is why they are thinking that Alzheimer's loss of memory is because of a new form of diabetes which they call the third form.

I repeat that researchers have discovered the reasoning why the signaling of the brain insulin which is important for memory would cease working in Alzheimer's disease. They found a toxic protein in the brains of those who have Alzheimer's that removes from the nerve cells the insulin receptors. This makes the neurons resistant to insulin.