You can actually test yourself for diabetes by purchasing some of the diabetes blood testing kits at a drugstore. However, it is highly recommended that you consult a health care professional especially if you have not yet been diagnosed for diabetes. Some of the symptoms of diabetes include fatigue, weight loss, frequent urination, extreme thirst, feeling hungry most of the time, and eyesight problems.
Do you or someone you know have diabetes? At Aventiv Research we have diabetes clinical studies available for participation. To learn more about this opportunity visit our Columbus diabetes page today!
The complications of diabetes fall into two major categories, microvascular (involving small blood vessels) and macrovascular (involving large blood vessels).
Microvascular complications include eye damage (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). These conditions can range in severity from those that cause no symptoms (such as protein in the urine) to moderate (impotence, digestive difficulty, foot ulcers) to devastating (blindness, dialysis, amputation). The best way to prevent microvascular complications is to maintain blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible. In addition, diabetics should obtain routine eye exams, and consult a physician when they notice any symptoms linked to diabetic complications, such as numbness or tingling in the feet, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort.
Macrovascular complications include atherosclerosis of large blood vessels, which can predispose to angina and heart attack, as well as stroke. It is not clear if blood glucose levels have much of an effect on these problems, but high cholesterol levels and blood pressure definitely do, and should be treated aggressively in people with diabetes.
The above complications apply to people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and usually take years to develop. People with type 1 diabetes can also develop ketoacidosis, an acute condition in which the absence of insulin causes extremely high blood sugar levels and the accumulation of ketones (which often give the breath a fruity smell) in the blood. This constitutes a medical emergency that usually requires hospitalization.
People with diabetes often have reduced sensation in their feet, which means that they can step on something sharp or otherwise hurt themselves without realizing it. This puts them at risk of developing sores on their feet. If not caught in time, these lesions can become infected, and in extreme cases may require limb amputation. Thus, proper foot care is essential for diabetics.
It is very important for diabetics to clean and dry their feet every day. While doing this, they should look for sores or breaks in the skin on their feet. Toenails should be filed and the corners should not be cut. Diabetics should be careful to wear low-heeled shoes that fit well, and should never go barefoot. If sores, redness, blisters, pain or breaks in the skin develop, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Many diabetics see podiatrists regularly for help with foot care.
Aventiv Research is currently conducting a wide array of clinical trials targeted towards certain conditions. You may be eligible to participate in one of our diabetes clinical trials and contribute to the development and approval of a new drug or treatment. As a participant, there is no cost to you at any point during the study. Browse our clinical trials being conducted now to find the study best suited for you.
Aventiv Research performs diabetes clinical trials in Columbus to evaluate investigational medications from pharmaceutical companies on diabetic subjects under FDA-approved study protocols. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in a diabetes study, fill out the diabetes study form or call us to learn more about this great opportunity to be involved in diabetes research.