State Health Department promotes Diabetes
awareness and prevention
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[November 21, 2014]
CHICAGO
–This November, American Diabetes Month, Illinois Department of Public
Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck is encouraging everyone to learn
their risk factors for diabetes and how to reduce or eliminate them.
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Diabetes is a serious chronic disease caused when blood sugar
(glucose) levels are above normal and a hormone called insulin is
not able to help glucose get into the cells. This causes sugar to
build up in the blood. If left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes
can lead to serious health problems, including kidney failure,
blindness, heart attacks, strokes and amputations.
“Knowing how to control your risk factors is important,” said Dr.
Hasbrouck, who encourages residents to talk with their health care
providers to identify their risk factors and develop a plan to
control or eliminate them.
The percentage of Illinois adults diagnosed with diabetes rose 60
percent between 1995 and 2010, and it is projected the number of
diagnosed diabetes cases will rise another 25 percent by the year
2020. In 2013, approximately 969,000 adults and 7,500 children had
diabetes in Illinois.
The good news is that people with diabetes can lower their chance of
having diabetes-related problems by managing their diabetes ABCs:
Have an A1C blood test,
which measures the average glucose level over the past three months
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Get your Blood pressure
checked Know your
Cholesterol level Stop
smoking
An estimated one out of every four people is unaware that they
have diabetes. The signs of the disease include frequent thirst,
constant urination, unusual hunger, rapid weight loss, fatigue and
blurred vision. To learn more about diabetes, and to take a test to
determine your risk, go to
http://www.idph.state.il.us/diabetes/index.htm
[Illinois Department of Public
Health]
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