There have been many changes with diabetes technologies over the last four decades. Management has had some noteworthy changes in insulin administration, measuring glucose, and types of insulin. Changes with diabetic supplies have improved the lives of numerous people significantly. For example, in the 1970s people monitored their glucose by urine using tablets that changed the color, and monitoring tapes. The dipstick was just newly introduced.
In spite of nonexistent technology, health care practitioners believed diabetes management was state of the art. There were no notable changes in the management of diabetes from 1947 to 1977. Folks monitored glucose in the urine and took one to two doses of insulin at a fixed amount. Today there are personal glucose monitors that test the blood, many different types of insulin, and a variety of options for injection. This disease requires a high level of diligence by the patient.
The patient must be checking glucose level, injecting insulin, and calculating meals and snacks. This type of monitoring requires the attention of the patient several times during the day. The patient needs to pay close attention so they can identify the feelings that indicate hypoglycemia. There are few medical conditions the will require this heightened level of awareness. This level of need for monitoring will likely never change.
Professionals who do not have the disease do not fully understand the huge burden their patients have. Regardless of the improvements that have changed the way people take insulin and monitor glucose, the day to day burden of managing the disease has not changed. Although the advances have made testing and insulin administering simpler, the individual will still need to be diligent with the attention this condition requires.
Nutrition therapy has also been affected by changes. There are many discussions about the type of food that should or should not be consumed. However, the actual concern seems to be whether insulin should be made to match the food or foods should match the insulin. For years patients were prescribed a diet, met with the dietitian, and given food exchange lists or lists with carbohydrate values. The insulin dosage was set and the foods prescribed.
With Diabetes Type I, the patient measures glucose and based on the level, adjusts the insulin dose. This takes place before the meal. Today, insulin dosage is matched to the food that is eaten. However, this does not give permission for people to consume anything they want. Contrary to traditional dosing, this method gives insulin following a meal.
With this method, the patient must evaluate the content of the meal, type of food, and amount. Once the analysis is complete, the individual makes a judgment and determines the amount of the insulin the will need after they eat. This is a more complicated method that many patients may not have the capability to perform. This method involves the calculation of the correct insulin dosage.
In the past, people ate their meal after they took a fixed dose of insulin. Now they have the option to select foods, analyze them, taking glucose level into account, and determine the dose of insulin that is needed following a meal. This method is indicative of a shift in managing diabetes.
In spite of nonexistent technology, health care practitioners believed diabetes management was state of the art. There were no notable changes in the management of diabetes from 1947 to 1977. Folks monitored glucose in the urine and took one to two doses of insulin at a fixed amount. Today there are personal glucose monitors that test the blood, many different types of insulin, and a variety of options for injection. This disease requires a high level of diligence by the patient.
The patient must be checking glucose level, injecting insulin, and calculating meals and snacks. This type of monitoring requires the attention of the patient several times during the day. The patient needs to pay close attention so they can identify the feelings that indicate hypoglycemia. There are few medical conditions the will require this heightened level of awareness. This level of need for monitoring will likely never change.
Professionals who do not have the disease do not fully understand the huge burden their patients have. Regardless of the improvements that have changed the way people take insulin and monitor glucose, the day to day burden of managing the disease has not changed. Although the advances have made testing and insulin administering simpler, the individual will still need to be diligent with the attention this condition requires.
Nutrition therapy has also been affected by changes. There are many discussions about the type of food that should or should not be consumed. However, the actual concern seems to be whether insulin should be made to match the food or foods should match the insulin. For years patients were prescribed a diet, met with the dietitian, and given food exchange lists or lists with carbohydrate values. The insulin dosage was set and the foods prescribed.
With Diabetes Type I, the patient measures glucose and based on the level, adjusts the insulin dose. This takes place before the meal. Today, insulin dosage is matched to the food that is eaten. However, this does not give permission for people to consume anything they want. Contrary to traditional dosing, this method gives insulin following a meal.
With this method, the patient must evaluate the content of the meal, type of food, and amount. Once the analysis is complete, the individual makes a judgment and determines the amount of the insulin the will need after they eat. This is a more complicated method that many patients may not have the capability to perform. This method involves the calculation of the correct insulin dosage.
In the past, people ate their meal after they took a fixed dose of insulin. Now they have the option to select foods, analyze them, taking glucose level into account, and determine the dose of insulin that is needed following a meal. This method is indicative of a shift in managing diabetes.
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