Diabetes is a condition in which a person's blood sugar is higher than what is accepted as normal. It is a condition that is increasing in the United States every year. It is a condition that is associated with age and increased weight. In recent years, diabetes has reached epidemic numbers in the United States. Recently published in one of the Nation's premier medical magazines was a study that looked at 5200 American men and women who participated in the on-going Framingham Heart Center. This study found that diabetic women had more than twice the risk of developing heart disease than non-diabetic women. The study went on to say that diabetic women, who already had heart disease, were more than twice as likely to die compared to non-diabetic women. Among men the researchers found that those with diabetes also had twice the risk of developing heart disease and faced a 1.7 times higher risk of dying after developing heart trouble compared with non-diabetic men. One of the most startling aspects of this study found that those 50 years and older, the diabetic men lived an average of 7.5 years less than men without diabetes.

In diabetic women they lived an average of 8.2 years less. This held true for whether or not the persons had heart disease or were free of it. The study pointed out that approximately 10 percent of health care expenditures around the work is spent on diabetes and its complications. The best way to treat diabetes is to prevent it. This can be done by keeping a person's weight as close to their ideal weight as possible. Exercise is another measure that will prevent diabetes. It is important for everyone 45 years and older to see their family doctor on a regular basis. Many times in the early stages of diabetes, it cannot be detected unless a blood test is done. It is a good idea to schedule a routine visit with your family doctor on a regular basis.

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool is a specialist in family practice and geriatrics at Gessler Clinic, Winter Haven.