Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the United States, and about nine-million of those affected are age 60 or over. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why the risk of diabetes increases with age. Fortunately, every day there are new advances in diabetes research. In this month’s “Doctor on Call,” I’ll discuss some of the new advancements that make controlling and living with diabetes easier than ever before.

What is diabetes?
The number of people with adult onset or Type 2 Diabetes in America keeps rising. According to the American Diabetes Associations (ADA), the number of people with Type 2 Diabetes in the United States has increased from 18 million to 20.8 millions. Almost a third of those people are undiagnosed.

So what exactly is diabetes? Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the body control blood glucose. In Type 2 Diabetes, insulin secretion from the pancreas can’t keep up with sugar intake—either because the pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin, or the existing insulin isn’t being utilized efficiently by the body.

Don’t settle for “generic” diabetes care
The American Geriatric Society (AGS) recommends that doctors focus on reducing cardiovascular risks from diabetes, and not treating all people over age 60 with diabetes as if they are one homogeneous group.

To help decrease the elevated risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems associated with diabetes, diabetic patients are often advised to take aspirin daily. However, that shouldn’t be a blanket recommendation. You and your physician should discuss this option carefully.

Build a diabetes health team
To truly manage your diabetes, you will need to rely on health care experts besides your primary care doctor. A dietician with expertise in diabetes can be a critical member of your team, as can a nurse practitioner for regular blood pressure checks and a pharmacist for the latest information on new medicines and devices.