Diabetes specialists in Derry, New Hampshire
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, gestational diabetes or prediabetes, the diabetes specialists within Parkland Medical Center's endocrinology program will work with you to help you maintain your health and achieve the best possible outcomes. Managing diabetes now can mean a healthier life later.
For more information about diabetes treatments or preventative care, call our Consult-A-Nurse® team, available 24/7, at (877) 642-2362.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that leaves the body with a shortage of insulin or a decreased ability to use insulin, a hormone that allows sugar (glucose) to be converted to energy. When the body can’t produce enough insulin or the cells don’t use it effectively, glucose remains in the blood and can cause damage to vital organs. Untreated, diabetes can lead to conditions ranging from dizziness to more serious health concerns, such as:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Circulatory problems
- Pregnancy complications
- Death
Types of diabetes
The most common forms of diabetes are:
- Type 1 diabetes: Accounting for five to ten percent of all cases, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body fails to produce any insulin. It generally appears in childhood or early adulthood. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections to regulate glucose levels.
- Type 2 diabetes: Accounting for 90 to 95 percent of the diabetic population, Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the body can’t produce enough or properly use insulin. The incidence of Type 2 diabetes in the U.S. is growing at an epidemic rate due to increased obesity and sedentary lifestyles.
- Gestational diabetes: This condition occurs among a small percentage of women during pregnancy, making detection of gestational diabetes a component of prenatal care. The blocking effects that hormones have on insulin create gestational diabetes.
Diabetes diagnosis and testing
Your diabetes doctor will use various tests and may refer you to our endocrinology program to determine an individual’s blood glucose level, which indicates whether diabetes is present. All adults should be tested for diabetes every five years beginning at 45 years old. If you have several risk factors, talk with your doctor about being tested earlier.
Diabetes risk factors
The cause of diabetes remains uncertain. However, ethnic background is a component, with African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asians experiencing higher rates of diabetes. Other known risk factors, including:
- Obesity
- Stress
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Inactivity
- Age
- Heredity
- History of babies weighing more than 9 pounds at birth
- Previous gestational diabetes
People at risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by making lifestyle changes to modify or eliminate risk factors.
Your partner in diabetes care
When it comes to managing diabetes, you’re not alone. Your primary care provider and/or your endocrinologist will help you develop a plan to control your glucose levels and weight.
You can also take advantage of Parkland's services to learn more about managing diabetes by maintaining a healthy diet, increasing your physical fitness, exploring surgical weight loss options and improving your overall health.