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For Healthcare Professionals

This section contains information specifically for healthcare professionals that have an interest in Diabetes. To access this area you must be registered on this site and be logged in.

Services for Professionals

Under 18?

This section is for under 18's and contains a great interactive tool to help you and your family learn more about diabetes.

Managing Diabetes

- The interactive web tool for children and families. It may be helpful to look at this section with your parents at first.

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Treatment

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Diabetes does not have a cure, but it is manageable. With the proper treatment plan, you can reduce the complications related to diabetes. Common treatments for diabetes include insulin injections, oral medications, diet and exercise. Work closely with your healthcare team to create the best treatment plan for you.

Over time, high blood glucose levels may also cause other health problems. Diabetes has been linked to:1

  • Heart disease
  • Heart attacks
  • Strokes
  • Kidney disease
  • Nerve damage
  • Digestive problems
  • Eye disease
  • Tooth and gum problems

You can help prevent other health problems by keeping your blood glucose levels on target through regular monitoring.2

Choosing food wisely and staying physically active are the first steps. If you can’t reach your target blood glucose levels with diet and physical activity, your healthcare professional may prescribe specific medication to assist in controlling your diabetes. The medication type will depend on your type of diabetes, your schedule and your other health conditions.

1 National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke. Available at http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/#connection. Accessed on November 11, 2008.
2 Endocrine Today. Use of SMBG results is needed for successful outcomes. Available at: http://www.endocrinetoday.com/view.aspx?rid=30180. Accessed on November 13, 2008.

Insulin Treatment

Insulin is a natural hormone made in your pancreas. Insulin is responsible for moving sugar (blood glucose) from your bloodstream into your cells. If your body cannot generate its own insulin, it will be necessary to take insulin in order to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. In these cases, insulin must be placed into the bloodstream. Insulin can be injected by a syringe or a pen, or through an insulin pump. Insulin cannot be taken in tablet form because the acids in the stomach break it down.

There are a variety of insulin types, brands and sources. Healthcare professionals often prescribe 2 types of insulin: mealtime insulin and background insulin. Mealtime insulin (bolus) is used to control after-meal blood glucose. Background insulin (basal) is used to meet your needs throughout the day and night.

Insulin Characteristics

By observing how the insulin you use affects your blood glucose levels, you may gain a better understanding of your therapy. Each type of insulin has 3 characteristics :1

  • Start, or onset—how long it usually takes for insulin to start working.
  • Peak—the time when the insulin is working hardest.
  • Duration—how long the insulin usually stays in your body.

Make a point of knowing the characteristics of the insulin(s) you use and understand how they affect your blood glucose levels.

Insulin Delivery Methods

Because people with type 1 diabetes do not produce their own insulin, they need to supply their bodies with insulin from an outside source. There are currently 3 main insulin delivery methods:

  • Injections are the most common way people with diabetes deliver insulin to their bodies. It involves drawing insulin from a vial into a syringe and injecting it into the subcutaneous tissue of the body.
  • Insulin pens offer a different method of injection. They look like writing pens and are prefilled with insulin. The person dials a dose of insulin from a cartridge in the pen.
  • The insulin pump is attached to the body at all times, delivering insulin to the body 24 hours a day. However the pump can be temporarily taken off for showers, swimming etc.

1 International Diabetes Foundation. About Insulin. Available at http://www.idf.org/home/index.cfm?node=1396. Accessed on November 13, 2008.

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This website contains information on products which are targeted to a wide range of audiences and could contain product details or information otherwise not accessible or valid in your country. Please be aware that we do not take any responsibility for accessing such information which may not comply with any valid legal process, regulation, registration or usage in the country of your origin. For people with diabetes. Use only as directed. See your healthcare professional for medical advice.