More than 100 million Americans are living with either diabetes or prediabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and most of them don’t know they have it. Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke and can lead to other serious complications, such as kidney failure, blindness, and amputation.
In an article for The Checkup by SingleCare, Summit Health endocrinologist Dr. Erica Weitzner provides must-know information about diabetes, including the different types of diabetes, the early warning signs, and risk factors. Also, Summit Health internist Dr. Soma Mandal recommends when to see a health care provider, saying “If you suspect you have diabetes, the first step would be to make an appointment with your primary care physician, such as your family practitioner, internist or pediatrician.”