Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body's production of glucose and insulin levels. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. Type 2, gestational and prediabetes are all a result of an excess amount of sugar in the blood (high glucose levels).
Diabetes care and education in Aventura, Florida
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, gestational diabetes or prediabetes, you can trust our highly skilled specialists to be there for you.
At HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, our diabetes program in Miami-Dade County has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for meeting the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management and Support. Our team of diabetes doctors and specialists will help you maintain your health and achieve the best possible outcomes.
Understanding diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. If diabetes goes untreated, the condition can lead to serious medical concerns, such as:
- Blindness
- Circulatory problems
- Death
- Kidney failure
- Heart conditions
- Pregnancy complications
- Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
Diabetes services we offer
We are proud to offer comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for diabetes. Our team will work with you to ensure you receive the compassionate diabetes care you deserve.
Diabetes diagnosis and testings
Our diabetes doctors use tests to determine your blood glucose level. Your blood glucose level will indicate whether diabetes is present or not.
Diabetes types
The most common forms of diabetes are:
- Gestational diabetes: This condition occurs among a small percentage of women during pregnancy. This type of diabetes causes high blood sugar and can potentially affect the mother and child's health.
- Type 1 diabetes: Once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, this chronic condition occurs when the pancreas produces little to no insulin. Typically, this condition appears in childhood or early adulthood, and it accounts for five to 10 percent of all diabetes cases. Type 1 diabetes is treated by insulin injections, which regulate glucose levels.
- Type 2 diabetes: This is a chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar. Due to the increase of obesity and sedentary lifestyles, millions of Americans are at risk of developing this disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases.
Diabetes risk factors
Although the cause of diabetes remains uncertain, certain populations are more at risk of experiencing diabetes than others. Known risk factors can include:
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Age
- Ethnicity
- African American, Latino, Pacific Islander, Asian and Native American ethnicities have a higher risk of developing diabetes
- Heredity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Previous gestational diabetes
- Obesity
- Stress
By making lifestyle changes to modify or eliminate certain risk factors, diabetes prevention is possible in some instances.
Our diabetes care program
If you have diabetes, know that you are not alone. Our goal is to provide you with essential tools to take full control over your diabetes management, and we will work closely with you and your primary care physicians to provide instructions on diabetes management.
Our hospital also offers specialized services, such as nutritional counseling and wound care, when needed.
Diabetes classes and support group
To help you in your diabetes diagnosis, we also provide diabetes classes and support groups. These include:
- The Diabetes Support Group, an independent non-profit organization that offers a safe space for you to speak with like-minded individuals about your condition
- Outpatient diabetes education classes and outpatient diabetes exercise classes
For more information about our support group or educational classes, please call (305) 682-7266.
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