Diabetes Specialist
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South Coast Family Medical Center, Inc.
Walk-In Primary Care located in Laguna Niguel, CA
Nearly 10% of American adults have diabetes. It’s a condition that causes excess sugar to collect in your blood, leading to other health complications. Diabetes is a condition that requires lifelong management. If you have diabetes and you need acute care, visit South Coast Family Medical Center in Laguna Niguel, California. Lauren Kent Davis, DO, Christopher Michael Davis, DO, and their team offer immediate care to patients with diabetes, no appointment necessary. Call the office today to learn more about diabetes care.
Diabetes Q & A
What’s diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body uses glucose, or sugar, in your blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the cells of your muscles, tissues, and brain. Glucose comes from your liver and the food you eat. It is processed and enters your cells with the help of insulin, a hormone that’s produced in your pancreas.
If you have diabetes, your body can’t use insulin properly or it doesn’t have enough to move the glucose from your blood to your cells. As a result, your blood sugar rises and other health complications can develop.
The most common forms of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes can develop in childhood.
Type 2 diabetes appears when your body becomes resistant to insulin or it can’t make enough. Being overweight is closely linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, but not everyone who has Type 2 diabetes is overweight.
What factors put me at risk of Type 2 diabetes?
The exact cause of diabetes is still unknown. Prediabetes is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. A patient with prediabetes has high blood sugar levels but doesn’t have diabetes yet. Some people with risk factors develop prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, while others never develop the condition.
Certain risk factors are strongly linked with the development of diabetes, including:
- Excess weight
- Low activity level
- A family history
- Race
- Age
- High blood pressure
People that are overweight or who live inactive lifestyles are more likely to develop diabetes, and your risk increases as you get older. Diabetes is also linked to genetics and race. Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian people are more likely to develop diabetes than white people.
What complications can diabetes cause?
Type 2 diabetes and complications develop over time. The longer you have the condition and the longer your blood sugar remains uncontrolled, the higher your risk of complications. Some common complications include:
- Cardiovascular and heart disease
- Nerve damage
- Kidney damage
- Eye damage
- Wounds that don’t heal
- Alzheimer’s disease
To manage diabetes and prevent complications, it’s important to closely monitor your blood sugar levels. Making lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, can help prevent complications, too.
With chronic conditions like diabetes, sometimes you need immediate care. At South Coast Family Medical Center, you can walk in for diabetes care without scheduling an appointment. The team sees to your needs right away. Call the office today to learn more.
