Category Archives: Diabetes Complications
Metformin May Prevent Cancer and Heart Trouble
David Spero at Diabetes Self-Management has an interesting article about how metformin may prevent cancer and heart disease, and slow the aging process. Metformin is the usual first drug of choice for type 2 diabetes. Steve Parker, M.D.
Filed under Diabetes Complications, Drugs for Diabetes
Vitamins Slow Rate of Brain Shrinkage in Elderly
A cocktail of three common vitamins slowed the rate of brain shrinkage over two years in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment, according to researchers at the University of Oxford. Less brain shrinkage should translate to better brain functioning. People … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications
Exercise, Part 8: Warnings and Precautions for Diabetics
Exercise clearly has many benefits, as discussed in prior installments of this series. Yet we shouldn’t overlook the potential risks to diabetics either. Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetics with retinopathy (an eye disease caused by diabetes) have an increased risk of retinal detachment and bleeding … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications, Exercise
Alcohol Long-Term May Impair Vision in Diabetics
MedPage Today yesterday reported that chronic consumption of alcohol may impair vision in diabetics. Drinkers performed less well on vision chart tests than non-drinkers. It’s not a diabetic retinopathy issue. Beer and distilled spirits were riskier than wine. The MedPage … Continue reading
Filed under Alcohol, Diabetes Complications
Diabetic Kidney Disease Diminishing
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a 35% drop in the rate of end-stage kidney disease caused by diabetes between 1996 and 2007. End-stage kidney disease by definition requires dialysis (“artificial kidney”) treatments or kidney transplantation to … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications
Diabetes and Shortened Lifespan: “How Bad Is It, Doc?”
Diabetes mellitus for years has been linked with cardiovascular disease such as heart failure and coronary heart disease (blocked arteries in the heart, and the leading cause of death in the Western world). How scared should diabetics be? An article in … Continue reading
Filed under coronary heart disease, Diabetes Complications, Stroke
Rosiglitazone Severely Restricted by FDA
MedPageToday reported yesterday on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s ruling that the diabetes drug rosiglitazone should be used in new patients only if blood sugars are not controlled with other diabetes drugs, such as pioglitazone. It sounds as if … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications, Drugs for Diabetes
Myth Busted: Alzheimer Dementia NOT Caused By Diabetes
Contrary to popular belief among the experts, type 2 diabetes is not one of the causes of Alzeimer dementia. They may indeed be associated with each other, but that’s not causation. An oft-repeated theory from Gary Taubes 2007 masterpiece, Good Calories, Bad Calories, … Continue reading
Filed under Carbohydrate, Diabetes Complications
Chocolate Fights Heart Failure
My recent post at the Self/NutritionData Heart Health Blog outlines late-breaking evidence that chocolate seems to reduce both deaths and hospitalizations from heart failure among women. You’ll also find my thoughts on milk versus dark chocolate and the healthy “dose.” Steve Parker, … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications
Difficulty Controlling Blood Sugar? Consider Diabetic Gastroparesis
One disorder I see fairly frequently in the hospital is diabetic gastroparesis. It’s a condition in which the stomach doesn’t empty its contents as quickly into the small intestine (duodenum) as it should. The nerves that tell the stomach muscles … Continue reading
Filed under Diabetes Complications
