Diabetes


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Diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders involving inappropriate sugar levels in the blood. This is caused by problems with insulin production or activity. Diabetes mellitus occurs in three common forms: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a relatively rare disease diagnosed in children and young adults after they develop symptoms. Gestational diabetes, which occurs only in pregnant women, can harm the baby and mother if left untreated. Women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, tends to occur in adults during mid or later life, although it can occur in children also. Type 2 diabetes can go unnoticed for many years, so it is important to be screened for type 2 diabetes if you are at high risk.

Here is an assessment tool based on recommendations from the American Diabetes Association to help you determine your risk of type 2 diabetes. This tool is for people who do not have diabetes symptoms. If you have symptoms of diabetes (eg, urinating frequently, always thirsty, numbness or tingling in your hands or feet), see your doctor for an evaluation.

Please answer the following questions:

1. How old are you?Less than 45 years old
45 years or older

2. How much do you weigh? pounds

3. How tall are you? feet inches

4. Which of the follow best describes your race?African American
Native American
Hispanic American/Latino
Asian American or Pacific Islander
White

5. Do you have a brother or sister with type 2 diabetes?Yes
No

6. Do you have a parent with type 2 diabetes?Yes
No

7. How often do you exercise?Most days of the week
Never or almost never

8. Is your HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol") level low? (less than 35 mg/dl)Yes
No
I don’t know

9. Is your triglyceride (a type of fat found in your blood) level high? (greater than 250 mg/dl)Yes
No
I don't know

10. Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure? Yes
No
I don't know

11. Do you have a history of borderline high blood sugar levels (sometimes called pre-diabetes)?

Values on tests you may have had in the past include:

Fasting glucose of 100-125 mg/dl (5.6-6.9 mmol/l)
2-hour glucose tolerance test showing a blood sugar level of 140-199 mg/dl (7.8-11 mmol/l)
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 5.7%-6.4%

Yes
No
I don't know

12. Do you have a history of heart disease (eg, heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure)?Yes
No
I don't know

13. Do you have acanthosis nigricans (darkening lines of skin on the back of your neck)?Yes
No
I don't know

14. If you are a woman, have you ever given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4.1 kilograms)? Yes
No
I don't know
Does not apply to me

15. If you are a woman, have you ever had gestational diabetes?Yes
No
I don't know
Does not apply to me

16. If you are a woman, have you been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome?Yes
No
I don't know
Does not apply to me