More Americans Successfully Managing Diabetes

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A couple of decades ago, only 2 percent of people with any type of diabetes met or exceeded the three measures of good diabetes management. By 2010, that number had risen to 19 percent, according to new government research.

These measures of good diabetes management are average blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When researchers looked at each measure independently, more than half of people in the study met individual measures.

"Overall, there was a huge improvement between 1988 and 2010. These findings are very encouraging. However, only 19 percent of people were meeting all three goals," said senior study author Catherine Cowie, director of the Diabetes Epidemiology Program at the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

One expert had mixed reactions to the study results.

"I see these findings as the glass is half full and half empty. With so much more awareness of diabetes and with newer medications, it's very disappointing to see only 19 percent with good management," said Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

"If you look at the LDL [bad] cholesterol, only half were on [cholesterol-lowering drugs called] statins, but 100 percent of people with diabetes should be on statins. Only half were well-treated for their blood pressure. That means half of the people with diabetes aren't being treated for blood pressure. I see this as a big problem," Zonszein said.

The study was published online Feb. 15 in Diabetes Care.

The three measures of diabetes management are sometimes called the ABC's of diabetes. "A" is hemoglobin A1C, an estimate of blood sugar levels over the past three months. A1C is expressed as a percentage, and specific A1C goals should be determined by an individual's doctor, but the American Diabetes Association generally recommends that people with diabetes aim for an A1C of less than 7 percent.

The "B" is blood pressure, and the association advises that people with diabetes should have blood pressure of 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or less. And "C" is cholesterol, specifically LDL cholesterol. For people with diabetes, the association advises LDL levels be below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

It's important to keep these measures as close to the recommended goals as possible to avoid serious complications, such as heart disease, kidney failure and vision problems.

The researchers reviewed data from four U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which were done from 1988 to 1994, from 1999 to 2002, 2003 to 2006, and 2007 to 2010. Nearly 5,000 study volunteers said they had diabetes but didn't specify what type they had. All were older than 20.

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Health Tip: Managing Dry Eyes

Title: Health Tip: Managing Dry Eyes
Category: Health News
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Chronic Illness and Relationships: Communicating and Managing Stress

Don't let chronic illness weaken the bond between you and your partner.Reviewed by Kimball Johnson, MD

Having a chronic illness such as diabetes, arthritis, or multiple sclerosis can take a toll on even the best relationship. The partner who's sick may not feel the way he or she did before the illness. And the person who's not sick may not know how to handle the changes. The strain may push both people's understanding of "in sickness and in health" to its breaking point.

Studies show that marriages in which one spouse has a chronic illness are more likely to fail if the spouses are young. And spouses who are caregivers are six times more likely to be depressed than spouses who do not need to be caregivers.

Making Lust Last

By Keith Ablow, M.D. Rekindling Passion For The Husband You Still Love   People sometimes tell me they know a couple married 20 years whose sex life is still as good as it ever was. Here's what I tell them in return: "There are only three possibilities. One: This couple is lying. Two: They are telling the truth, because they didn't have good sex to begin with. Or three: Sex is all they really have together. They never connected emotionally." I've drawn that conclusion by listening...

Read the Making Lust Last article > >

Clinical psychologist Rosalind Kalb, vice president of the professional resource center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, says, "Even in the best marriages, it's hard.  You feel trapped, out of control, and helpless."

But with patience and commitment, there are ways you and your partner can deal with the strain a chronic illness can place on your relationship.

Relationships can suffer when people don't discuss problems that have no easy or obvious solution, Kalb says. And that lack of discussion can lead to feelings of distance and a lack of intimacy.

"Finding ways to talk openly about challenges," she says, "is the first step toward effective problem-solving and the feelings of closeness that come from good teamwork."

Marybeth Calderone has limited use of her legs and hands because of a neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Her husband Chris says that figuring out when to communicate is his biggest challenge.

"My wife gets frustrated with herself when she can't do things, like organize our 8-year-old daughter's desk," he says. "A lot of times, I'm not sure if Marybeth is angry at me or with her condition. Often, I try to figure it out on my own and don't say anything.”

The right level of communication is key. Boston College social work professor Karen Kayser says, "If the couple is consumed with talking about the illness, that's a problem. If they never talk about it, it's also a problem. You have to find a middle ground."

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Chronic Illness and Relationships: Communicating and Managing Stress

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WebMD Feature Reviewed byKimball Johnson, MD

Having a chronic illness such as diabetes, arthritis, or multiple sclerosis can take a toll on even the best relationship. The partner who's sick may not feel the way he or she did before the illness. And the person who's not sick may not know how to handle the changes. The strain may push both people's understanding of "in sickness and in health" to its breaking point.

Studies show that marriages in which one spouse has a chronic illness are more likely to fail if the spouses are young. And spouses who are caregivers are six times more likely to be depressed than spouses who do not need to be caregivers.

Recommended Related to Sex & Relationships Making Lust Last

By Keith Ablow, M.D. Rekindling Passion For The Husband You Still Love People sometimes tell me they know a couple married 20 years whose sex lifeis still as good as it ever was. Here's what I tell them in return: "Thereare only three possibilities. One: This couple is lying. Two: They are tellingthe truth, because they didn't have good sex to begin with. Or three: Sex isall they really have together. They never connected emotionally."I've drawn that conclusion by listening...

Read the Making Lust Last article > >

Clinical psychologist Rosalind Kalb, vice president of the professional resource center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, says, "Even in the best marriages, it's hard.  You feel trapped, out of control, and helpless."

But with patience and commitment, there are ways you and your partner can deal with the strain a chronic illness can place on your relationship.

1. Communicate

Relationships can suffer when people don't discuss problems that have no easy or obvious solution, Kalb says. And that lack of discussion can lead to feelings of distance and a lack of intimacy.

"Finding ways to talk openly about challenges," she says, "is the first step toward effective problem-solving and the feelings of closeness that come from good teamwork."

Marybeth Calderone has limited use of her legs and hands because of a neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Her husband Chris says that figuring out when to communicate is his biggest challenge.

"My wife gets frustrated with herself when she can't do things, like organize our 8-year-old daughter's desk," he says. "A lot of times, I'm not sure if Marybeth is angry at me or with her condition. Often, I try to figure it out on my own and don't say anything.”

The right level of communication is key. Boston College social work professor Karen Kayser says, "If the couple is consumed with talking about the illness, that's a problem. If they never talk about it, it's also a problem. You have to find a middle ground."

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