Many in the diabetes community view islet transplants to treat Type 1 diabetes as trading in one set of problems for another. While such transplants often restore the body’s insulin-producing and blood-sugar controlling abilities, they do not address the autoimmune component of the disease. Therefore, patients have to take immunosuppressant drugs, which slow the body’s attack on the transplanted islets but also open the patient to other sicknesses. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Patients’
Islet Transplant Patients Swear By Procedure
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Alzheimer’s Patients Could Benefit From Diabetes Drug
Friday, November 26th, 2010
Metformin, a drug used in type 2-diabetes might have the potential to also act against Alzheimer’s disease. This has been shown in a study from scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the University of Dundee and the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics. The researchers have found out that the diabetes drug metformin counteracts alterations of the cell structure protein Tau in mice nerve cells. (more…)
Combining Aerobic And Resistance Training Appears Helpful For Patients With Diabetes
Friday, November 26th, 2010
Performing a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training was associated with improved glycemic levels among patients with type 2 diabetes, compared to patients who did not exercise, according to a study in the November 24 issue of JAMA. The level of improvement was not seen among patients who performed either aerobic exercise or resistance training alone.
Although it is generally accepted that (more…)
Electronic Medical Record of Wounds May Help Prevent Amputations [in Patients With Diabetes]
Tuesday, October 19th, 2010An online wound (OW) electronic medical record (EMR) can help reduce amputation rates in patients with diabetes and lower extremity wounds‚ according to a study presented at the American College of Surgeons 96th Annual Clinical Congress.
The study authors noted that because of the number of people involved in the care of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), patient care could be coordinated with a centralized EMR. This would provide (more…)
Dogs Alert Diabetes Patients When Blood Sugar Is Off
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010The nonprofit organization Dogs4Diabetics (D4D) is one of a few facilities across the country that train constant–companion diabetes alert dogs.
These service animals are placed with diabetes patients and signal when their blood sugar is off‚ usually before any symptoms or blood tests can do so. D4D has placed 85 service animals so far. Applicants for a D4D dog enter a months–long process‚ which includes weeks of training for the (more…)