Health Information: Diabetes

Diabetes affects the body's ability to convert food into energy. In a person with diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin, or the body's tissue does not metabolize blood sugar properly.

Diabetes Statistics

There are 18.2 million people in the United States who have diabetes. Thirteen million have been diagnosed, while 5.2 million are unaware that they have diabetes.

Who Is At Risk for Diabetes?

People who:

are overweight.
are 40 years or older
have relatives with diabetes
are African American, Latino, Native American, or Asian
have high blood pressure
have high cholesterol or trigycerides
or have delivered a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.

Symptoms of Diabetes

If you notice one or more of the following symptoms on a recurring basis, see a doctor:

frequent urination
unexplained weight loss
excessive thirst
increased hunger
nausea and vomiting
fatigue
severe headaches
blurred vision
frequent infections
slow-healing cuts
tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, or itching of the skin and genitals

Treatment

Proper diabetes management can prevent possible long-term problems like heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, and foot problems. Treatment often includes dietary counseling and exercise along with medications.

Things To Do

Talk to your health care team about:

how to monitor your blood sugar
diet and exercise plans
risks of tobacco use
flu and pneumonia shots.

Key Tests, Exams, and Vaccinations for People with Diabetes

Annual Eye Exam
Hemoglobin A1c (measure of average blood sugar)
Lipid Profile (cholesterol)
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Urine Protein Test
Foot Exam
Flu and Pneumonia Shots

Medicare Helps Pay for Diabetes Care

In addition to the services above, Medicare pays for preventative services for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes (insulin users and non-insulin users) including blood sugar monitoring units, lancets, blood sugar test strips, sugar control solutions, and diabetes education. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for more information.

For More Information

Call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or log on to www.diabetes.org (link opens new window).

The Colorado Foundation for Medical Care (CFMC), the Medicare quality improvement organization for Colorado, prepared this material under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents do not necessarily reflect CMS Policy.