Burden of diabetes care rivals disease complications

No implications, except how these patients are receiving intensive insulin therapy may need to be improved.

The news reported in the Reuter on the 2nd October, 2007 has highlighted an important part of diabetes patient's quality of life. Contrary to popular beliefs about good care enhancing quality of life, the article reported the findings of a research of 701 adult diabetes patients fronm Chicago area clinics, in which they have found taking care of diabetes were as much a burden as diabetes-related...

I know that Pfizer finally came out with the inhaled insulin after many years of hype. Unfortunately its launch and the product has been a flop, primarily because of the size if the inhaler. It is large and looks like a can of tennis balls. It is difficult for the patient to understand the dosing and usage as well. However, it was a good try for a first generation product. I think our country is getting...

A recent Chicago-area study has made it clear that diabetics view the daily-injection routine as being equally as onerous as many of the long-term complications from the uncontrolled disease. In addition to multiple daily injections, diabetic patients usually take several concommitant medications every day. While patients greatly fear the most severe end-stage complications like blindness, kidney...

When patients elect to follow any physician advice, they are in effect demonstrating that they have weighed the costs of that advice (time, money, lifestyle modifications, etc) with the expected benefits.  All too often, however, patients do not understand or grossly underestimate the costs of not taking the advice.    This article highlights a simple point: physicians are, at...