Rising Incidence Of Diabetes Among American Adults

By Author: meenaxi gusain
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The federal government has reported the number of American adults suffering from diabetes to have doubled since 1996, from nine million to 19 million. There were significant increases in the incidence of diabetes across all age groups. However, these increases were more apparent between the age groups of 45 – 64 years and 65 years and over. The incidence of diabetes in the 18 to 44 years age group rose from 1.2 million to 2.4 million, with increases of 3.7 million and 5.3 million being reported among the 65 and over age group and the 45 and 64 years age group respectively.

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, in which the body’s own immune system attacks and prevents the action of the body’s insulin-producing cells, and type 2 diabetes, in which the body loses its sensitivity to insulin that is produced. Both forms of diabetes leads to high blood glucose levels and when the amount of glucose in the bloodstream remains at a higher than normal level, the body can become damaged in numerous ways. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity and makes up the majority of diabetes cases.

Two decades ...
... ago, type 2 diabetes in children and young adults was unheard of. However, it is now frequently diagnosed in these younger age groups. While it may be argued that this rise is, in part, due to increased public awareness and increased detection of diabetes in healthcare settings, the significance of the rise cannot be ignored. The rising rate of diabetes among American adults is largely due to the increase in obesity among this population.

The rising incidence of diabetes cases comes at a cost, however and it cannot be denied that treating the ever-increasing number of diabetics is a strain on healthcare budgets. According to data derived from the national Medical Expenditure Panel, total expenditure due to diabetes between the years of 1996 and 2007 went up $22.5 billion to reach a staggering $41 billion.

Diabetes costs are not just related to treatment. Outpatient costs for adults suffering from diabetes rose from five billion dollars to ten billion since 1996 and during this time, the cost of prescription medicines for diabetes increased almost fourfold, from four billion dollars to $19 billion. To put this into context, the annual cost of prescription medications per-patient rose from $495 to $1,048.

The cost of treating diabetes has risen for several reasons. Newer diabetes medicines are significantly more expensive than older generic diabetes medicines. Furthermore, patients are being diagnosed at a younger age and often require multiple drugs as part of their treatment. Complications of diabetes are also on the rise, contributing to spiraling medical costs, and the longer the patient has diabetes, the greater the chances of them developing complications. These complications include retinopathy (eye damage), nephropathy (kidney damage), neuropathy (nerve damage) and cardiovascular disease. The cost of treating these complications far outweighs the cost of treating hyperglycemia (high blood sugars).

Diabetics residing in America and Canada can acquire diabetes medicines from CanadaDrugCenter.com, a licensed Canadian pharmacy. Diabetics can save a trip to the pharmacy by making use of Canada Drug Center’s fax, mail, e-mail, online and phone-based prescription ordering services. The diabetes medicines are 100% genuine and the pharmacy offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

With CanadaDrugCenter.com’s lowest price guarantee on all medications, diabetics in America and Canada will find it difficult to discover a lower price elsewhere. CanadaDrugCenter.com is a valid member of PharmacyChecker.com and is certified by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA). It is also a member of the International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia (IPABC). Diabetics can rest assured that their purchase is safe with CanadaDrugCenter.com.

CanadaDrugCenter.com sells both brand name and generic equivalents of approved, prescription- only diabetes drugs at outstandingly low prices. These include sulfonylureas, the first oral anti- hyperglycemic medications available for treating diabetes, and biguanides, which reduce hepatic blood glucose output and increase peripheral blood glucose uptake. Meglitinides, drugs that aid the pancreas in producing insulin, and thiazolidinediones, which aid the cells of the body in using the glucose provided to them, are among many other diabetes medicines available for purchase.

This Canadian pharmacy has provided American and Canadian diabetics with a lifeline for many years. As a trusted, leading provider of Canada drugs for many years, CanadaDrugCenter.com knows the importance of providing diabetics with their medicines in a timely manner. All medicines will be received within a maximum of 12 business days from the date the order is received by the pharmacy.

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