Author: Staff Writers

Link Between Triglycerides and Diabetic Nerve Damage: Triglycerides have recently been implicated as a primary factor in nerve damage among diabetics. This has led some in the medical community to suggest that Triglycerides should be monitored in much the same way glucose levels are.

FreeMD describes Triglycerides as, “Fats found throughout the body and the bloodstream. Triglycerides are a storage form of fat that provide energy for the body. Triglyceride is a form of fat that is made by the liver and intestines. Triglycerides are also present in food.”

According to a report in the upcoming journal, Diabetes, it is suggested that, “Diabetic neuropathy affects around 60 percent of the 23 million people in the United States who have diabetes. It is a complication in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.”

A study by the University of Michigan and Wayne State University suggests a link between high Triglycerides and neuropathy. Coauthor of the study Kelli A. Sullivan, Ph.D. said, “In our study, elevated serum triglycerides were the most accurate at predicting nerve fiber loss, compared to all other measures.”

Forbes.com reported, “The study included 427 diabetes patients with neuropathy. Those with elevated levels of triglycerides were significantly more likely to experience worsening neuropathy over one year. Other factors, including blood glucose levels, weren’t significant.”

What this report seems to suggest is blood glucose levels are important in the development of diabetes, but it is blood fat in the form of Triglycerides that may be the predominant factor in nerve damage as a secondary effect of diabetes.

HealthInAging.org suggests, “Diabetic neuropathy affects peripheral nerves — those that are outside of the brain and spinal cord, such as nerves in the arms, legs, hands, and feet. Some elderly diabetics with neuropathy also develop a condition called diabetic myopathy (muscle wasting), in which the small muscles of the foot, as well as some other muscles, become thinner and weaker.”

Until now most in the field of medical science believed that blood glucose levels had everything to do with neuropathy, but this report places the blame directly on elevated Triglycerides.

Interestingly the primary means of controlling Triglycerides is through diet and exercise. This is the same process for better control of blood glucose. What this may mean is that approaching managed care seriously and in the same way may effectively treat both elevated blood glucose and Triglycerides.

In most cases Triglycerides are screened in virtually all blood tests administered among patients. It is possible to develop a home blood test that monitors both blood glucose and Triglycerides. This information can help diabetics form an action plan that assists them in effectively managing their own care.

The numbness associated with neuropathy has a very profound effect on diabetic patients who can’t always tell when medical attention is required because they don’t always feel pain in the same way other patients might. Long-term neuropathy can actually cause its own type of pain that requires daily and planned management.

According to Innovations Report, “The new finding adds to an emerging picture of the close connections between cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Elevated triglycerides are one of the most common features of the lipid disorders found in patients with type 2 diabetes, by far the most common form of diabetes.”

Rodica Pop-Busui, M.D., Ph.D., one of the study’s authors concluded by saying, “We demonstrated that the same lipid particles that contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis are also very important players in peripheral nerve fiber loss.”

He Refused to Despair: The Travis Kellegrew Story: Travis Kellegrew was a natural born cheerleader. He has inspired a crowd of fans to stand to their feet and encourage the home team. He’s been in uniform pushing his teammates to do better. He’s even resorted to dancing from time to time to bring everyone back to the focus of the game. When he’s not cheering his team on to victory he’s contributing in the game.

Kellegrew is quoted in Boston.com as saying, “We had goals sheets we had to fill out at the beginning of the season and every one of mine had something to do with fun. For the other two [sports] seasons, I’m the one in the stands leading the cheers. I’m definitely not quiet at games, whether I’m playing in them or not.”

At the age of 18, Travis Kellegrew was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. His mother, Barbara Kellegrew, works in the medical profession and certain elements of his life caused her some concern, “I had suspicions because he had the classic symptoms, so I already knew before the tests came back that that’s what it was. He’d lost weight, was thirsty all the time and had blurred vision. He had no idea what it was; he literally thought he was dying. I told my husband about my suspicions but waited to tell Travis once it was confirmed.”

Travis lost around 30 pounds in 3 months and just wasn’t feeling, “Right.” A call from his mom set lifelong changes in motion. Kellegrew told Boston.com, “I came home at 4, Mom had to work at 5 so she said, ‘Let’s take some blood,’ before she left. An hour later, she called and I could hear her screaming because she was so upset. I had no idea what it was, then Dad told me and next thing, we were on our way.”

In the end many are asking, “Why Travis?” Why someone honored for having “Most Team Spirit.” Why this young man who participated in an undefeated Chelmsford team? Why him? Why now?

Travis is active in three separate sports and was recently honored as Merrimack Valley Conference Athlete of the Year and is team captain for his Chelmsford High team. However, instead of throwing a personal pity party Travis is learning everything he can about his disease and working to manage the disease so he can continue to show team spirit and wear his school colors with pride. Travis spent time with, “endocrinologists, nutritionists, and dietitians to find the proper plan to keep healthy.”

Boston.com indicates, “Kellegrew has found the right balance between his diabetes and his active lifestyle. He takes three shots of insulin each day, injecting himself either in the thigh or the abdomen. He checks his blood-sugar levels four to five times a day and closely monitors his carbohydrate intake.”

Next year Travis plans to attend the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, but this year he’s received the adulation of coach Matt Dibble, “Everyone on the team is more educated and makes sure he has plenty of fluids during games. He’s on a strict regimen, but that’s what he wanted to do. He’s very dedicated in everything he does, including managing his diabetes. He’s just great to have around. He keeps things light.”

Kellegrew’s team spirit is evident when he talks about his future plans. At least for now they include an eventual return to Chelmsford as a math instructor. Sounds like a plan that does not allow Type 1 diabetes to control the future success of this team-spirited young man.

Sonia Sotomayor: Facing a High Profile Decision: She loved reading Nancy Drew mysteries and dreamed of becoming a forensics detective when she grew up. However, at the age of eight she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and her dream required a shift.

Sonia Sotomayor found this condition altered the course of her life and future aspirations. Most recently this altered course has meant a Supreme Court nomination by President Obama to replace retiring Justice David Souter.

Sotomayor’s father died within a year of her diabetes diagnosis. Her mother stressed a strong education. This not-so-subtle push resulted in Sotomayor’s excelling to the head of her class in high school as well as her time at Princeton and Yale. Sotomayor turned in her Nancy Drew mysteries along the way to find inspiration in the television series, Perry Mason. The courtroom dramas helped her to determine the court would be her future. This became Sotomayor’s passion.

While the potential of the first Latina justice is being debated Sotomayor’s nomination has sparked its own sense of controversy. Can someone with a nearly 50-year history with diabetes be a meaningful candidate for the nation’s highest court?

Regardless of the ultimate answer to that question the American Diabetes Association (ADA) consider this a teaching moment for America’s citizens. Dr. Paul Robertson told CNN, “It’s wonderful for diabetics. I think it will go a long way toward being a major push against the stigma that some people with diabetes feel.”

Bill Ahearn is the vice president of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International and he agrees with Robertson, “It’s a great educational moment for people in general. They can see that people that have type 1 diabetes have just as great a chance of success as anyone else. They have to be a mathematician, a doctor, a dietitian all rolled into one. It takes a lot of work, but it’s achievable.”

The questions surrounding the nomination have to do with potential health issues that could plague Sotomayor in her potential role as a Supreme Court Justice. The mere fact that Sotomayor has Type 1 diabetes has some wondering about issues related to kidney, heart and vision health (among other potential health concerns).

Experts indicate it all comes down to how Sotomayor has managed her own care over the past five decades. Robertson told The Huffington Post, “The advancements for management of type one diabetes have been just amazing over the last two decades because of the advent of insulin pumps and the ability of people to measure their glucose levels at home. We’re talking a whole different ball game now in terms of how well patients can do; what their longevity is like and how well they can function.”

You have to remember there once were prohibitions against diabetics fulfilling certain types of jobs. The fear was that the diabetic could find himself or herself in danger or be a danger to others if they passed out from the effects of diabetes complications. This could mean jobs that required the use of heavy machinery as well as other types of jobs were not available to diabetics. Advances in the distribution of insulin and self-management tools allow diabetics to engage in virtually any job today.

Does that extend to the nation’s high court? This is a question for which many diabetics are anxious to find an answer.

Diabetes Education From a Bigger Platform: It doesn’t take long to see shows like American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent or Dancing with the Stars to know that the success of the shows are predicated on the ability to market a concept or idea. This could be dancing, singing or even national pride.

Some may argue that marketing has become too slick and over-the-top, but marketing remains the key to the success of these broadcasts.

There should be no surprise in reading that many organizations and drug manufacturers are pushing marketing concepts that draw on either big ideas or the status of celebrities who are on board with a concept.

A report by PharmaLive.com focuses on marketing partnerships that are being used effectively to educate and inspire with issues related to diabetes.

What follows is a brief listing of ideas and partnerships outlined in that report.

Bayer – Offers, “new educational resources and services that help simplify life with diabetes. In August 2008, the company embarked on a new chapter in its partnership with Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of the best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and a new partnership with Fit4D (fit4d.com), an organization that provides personalized diabetes coaching.” Other partnerships include one with recording artist and Type 1 diabetic, Nick Jonas.

Eli Lilly and Co. – “Partners with legendary swimmer Gary Hall Jr. in June 2008, and Grammy-nominated, singer-songwriter Angie Stone in April 2008 on diabetes initiatives.”

Johnson & Johnson – “The Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute LLC (jjdi.us) opened its first training center in the United States in February 2008. The facility, based in Silicon Valley, provides comprehensive training each year for thousands of community-based nurses, physician assistants, diabetes educators, and other health professionals using a curriculum developed with national diabetes organizations and academic centers. It addresses an acute shortage of skills training in diabetes management at the community level, which practitioners cite as one of the major obstacles to improving patient outcomes.”

Merck & Co. – “Expanded with Healthy Interactions Inc. (healthyi.com) on a multi-year relationship to transform how health-care professionals engage patients in learning about diabetes and to improve Diabetes Self-Management Education among patients.”

Novo Nordisk – “Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis and her husband, actor Louis Zorich have teamed up with Novo Nordisk (novonordisk.com) to launch the Ask.Screen.Know. awareness campaign to educate people about Medicare’s free diabetes screening benefit. In particular, they want people who are 65 years and older to ask their doctors to get screened for diabetes and to know their blood sugar numbers.”

One of the primary reasons for partnerships is networking often allows greater success. Why? More people are involved in the potential success of an idea. In many cases the individuals or organizations that have stepped up to the plate have a vested interest in the success of the program. This could be based on advancing the directives of their own organization or the platform they are using for promotion of an idea to assist others who have diabetes fulfills a philanthropic need of their own.

The Internet has shown the power of social media. This is a prime component of marketing to assist in mutual objectives. When multiple parties work together for a common and very good cause it is entirely possible that all will win in the end.

Education is a prime component of virtually every diabetes marketing effort. The results of a minority, if taken to heart, can mean life improvements for the majority.

The Role of Sleep in Diabetes: A recent report by Phillips Electronics indicates 61% of those surveyed say sleep deprivation has had a negative impact on job performance. The report also indicates nearly 7 workdays a year are lost to sleep deprivation issues among employees. The financial impact of this seemingly universal loss of sleep runs in the billions.

Dr. David White who helped interpret the study’s findings told HealthNewsToday, “People lose sleep either because they cannot sleep (insomnia) or because they are not setting aside enough time for sleep – both of which can happen because of work-related stress in the current economic environment. People simply need to take sleep much more seriously.

“Sleep is not optional – it is absolutely critical to people’s health. The consequences of not sleeping enough are well documented. People who do not get enough sleep can gain weight, are prone to diabetes, high blood pressure and even heart attacks. We are facing a serious healthcare problem if we do not take sleep more seriously.”

Dr. White isn’t alone in his concern about sleep issues and their related effect on the development of diabetes. A UK-based study conducted by Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine studied more than 100 patients and have discovered that, “People who have both type 2 diabetes and the eye condition known as retinopathy might want to have a sleep test,” according to a report in Ivanhoe.com.

Dr. Sophie D. West said, “Our message would be for doctors and nurses who see patients with type 2 diabetes to consider whether they could have OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) and whether they should therefore be referred for a sleep study. Future research will try to determine whether the treatment for OSA, that is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), can delay the development or progression of retinopathy, associated with diabetes.”

A third study conducted by Temple University indicated, “The high prevalence of undiagnosed, and therefore, untreated sleep apnea among obese patients with diabetes constitutes a serious public health problem.” This according to Dr. Gary Foster who led the study.

Foster continued, “Doctors who have obese patients with type 2 diabetes need to be aware of the possibility of sleep apnea, even if no symptoms are present, especially in cases where the patient has a high BMI (Body Mass Index) or waist circumference.”

The UK-based study found, “A very high awareness of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as a curable illness (60 percent). Interestingly, despite the fact that snoring can be a key symptom of OSA, only 35 percent considered snoring a problem for them personally and 65 percent described snoring as a minor inconvenience that they did not feel needed to be dealt with. This highlights a key problem facing the medical profession which is that Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are often under diagnosed because people do not recognize the symptoms or do not take sleep problems seriously enough to talk to their physicians. Research in recent years has shown a link between OSA, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.”

Science continues to explore the cause of diabetic issues instead of simply treating the symptoms. It seems this approach is important to managing the care of diabetes instead of masking the effects of the disease by simply addressing individual symptoms. In this case sleep issues may have a direct link to the development of diabetes and associated complications.

Leave it to Beaver to Manage Diabetes: One of the things we were always used to when watching “Leave it to Beaver” was the trouble ‘Beav’ got into and the perfect answers his parents always had. Wally and Eddie provided their own unique textures, but most had to admit life with the Cleavers seemed about as perfect as possible.

What many may not know is that Jerry Mathers who played the young Beaver Cleaver would one day find himself in a less than perfect situation. In his own words Mathers told SharingMiracles.com, “I started eating way too much, and not doing a lot of exercise. I put on about 45 or 50 pounds. When I was getting ready to turn 50, a good friend who is a doctor cajoled me into getting checked. I finally went in, and she asked me if I wanted to see my kids get married and hold my grandbabies. I said…of course! That’s when she told me that if I didn’t do something about my high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, I’d be dead in three to five years.”

Thankfully ‘Beav’ listened and took off 50 pounds and his blood sugars stabilized. Mathers said, “I like to use my celebrity to go out and tell other people about the danger of diabetes. I was so lucky that my doctor cared about me. People that have diabetes have to take care of it. There are so many people that have been diagnosed with diabetes, who say, ‘it’s not bothering me’. We just have to get to those people and tell them to start treating it because by the time it becomes a problem for you, it could be too late.’”

Mathers knows firsthand how difficult taking the weight off can be. He also knows it can be easy to give up, “People tend to think that if you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and you don’t take the weight off in the first month, then you never will. People then tend to give up and rely on their oral medications. Since it took awhile to put on the weight, it’s going to take some time to lose it. Then, it’s going to be even harder to keep it off. You just have to gear yourself up and pace yourself for the long haul.” Mathers made these comments in DiabetesHealth.

In the years since the original “Leave it to Beaver” aired Mathers has been an in demand personality focusing on pop culture from the 50s and 60s. He has also written a book and has starred in a ten-year run of “The New Leave it to Beaver”.

Doctors told Mathers he was on a “collision course with death” and he took decisive action to avoid a collision. Trouble was not unknown to Mathers. As a child he struggled with dyslexia and as an adult dealt with psoriasis. Beaver simply took what he had learned from other struggles in his life and channeled them to provide the courage needed to face diabetes. Today he remains a lecturer on the subject.

If you wondered if Mathers has advice for those facing life with diabetes, SharingMiracles.com quotes him as saying, “If you find out that you have diabetes, you have to treat it aggressively. You’ll have a much better quality of life the earlier you treat it. And it can be a long and productive life. You have to take control of the diabetes. You can’t let it take control of you!”

Advance Screenings the Way of Limiting Diabetes: A recent UK study suggests it may be possible to predict up to five years in advance whether an individual will develop diabetes. However this answer only satisfies part of a complex question.

The study took a look at over 6,000 UK civil servants for more than a dozen years as part of their overall findings. The participants were primarily male and Caucasian.

The findings suggest that certain functions of the body seem to alter as much as five years prior to a diagnosis of onset diabetes. These include beta-cell function as well as fasting blood glucose levels.

Experts aren’t really sure what the findings ultimately mean. The results would make sense if there were regular screenings that monitor these issues, but in many cases individuals do not visit their health care provider for regular diabetes screenings. In effect the doctors would have nothing to compare new data to if the patient had never been screened before.

What does have the medical community excited is that this type of screening could serve as a means to address behaviors that could lead to diabetes as much as five years prior to a potential diagnosis. If a trend is noted an individual could adopt lifestyle changes that might delay or stop the advance of diabetes potential.

Numerous factors make this study something that provides compelling possibilities without offering a specific course of action. What that means is there seems to be ample evidence that earlier screenings may provide greater ability to catch the advance of diabetes before it requires a full diagnosis. However, the study compared a group that was heavily loaded in favor of both the male gender and the Caucasian race.

Diabetes UK spokesperson Pav Kalsi told the BBC, “Although these markers provide a good indication of future type 2 diabetes the lack of sensitivity and specificity means we cannot know for certain, so we’d welcome further research into this promising area of study.” There are other similar studies with other nationalities, but in the end this study will simply be a call for more research that includes a broader range of study groups and gender types.

British Heart Foundation spokesperson Judy O’Sullivan also told the BBC, “This study provides better data than we have had before to show that those who are going to get diabetes have signs they are at risk for several years before the disease becomes clinically obvious.

“This reinforces the view that more careful and frequent earlier routine screening could lead to a significant gain in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease.”

Dr Adam Tabak was the lead researcher on the UK study and suggests, “Our model may help detect people at high risk to develop diabetes, so we can better target these people to prevent the development of the disease.

“We believe that an earlier intervention – before the conventional prediabetes stage – could delay diabetes development substantially.”

MedPageToday.com indicates this research supports, “A multistage model of diabetes development with a long compensatory period, then a stable adaptation, and finally a transient unstable period with a rapid rise of glucose to overt diabetes.”

It is this “rapid rise of glucose” that has health care professionals hoping that a better screening method could be used to hold back the tide on Type 2 diabetes diagnoses.

The Role of Sleep in Diabetes Prevention: Staying up late and getting up early are normal events in many American homes. Sometimes that is by choice and sometimes stress related factors make it difficult at best to move past regular bouts of insomnia.

Lest any of you think that the more sleep the better research seems to suggest that anything less than seven hours, or more than nine, can contribute to a variety of health issues including obesity and diabetes.

This is a bit like the children’s story “Goldilocks” in which the little girl tries two extremes and settles for the middle option she refers to as “Just right.”

There is the old adage; “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” I don’t know about wealthy, but there is wisdom in managing your health account. It makes little sense to ‘spend’ your health at the expense of sleep.

Findings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies held recently were reported in ScienceDaily.com. The report suggests, “Results indicate that short sleep was associated with obesity, with the adjusted odds ratios for black Americans (1.78) and white Americans (1.43) showing that blacks had a 35 percent greater risk than whites of obesity associated with short sleep. The prevalence of obesity (body mass index of 30 or higher) was 52 percent for blacks and 38 percent for whites. The prevalence of short sleep (5 hours or less) was 12 percent for blacks and eight percent for whites.”

That report further states, “Individuals who sleep for less than seven hours per night may be at a greater risk for becoming obese.”

ABCNews.com suggested, “One study found that those who slept five hours or fewer per night were 24 percent more likely to develop diabetes, while those who slept nine or more hours per night were 48 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those sleeping more typical hours.”

Another study suggests that if you want to sleep well you should skip working out although this was a controversial study at best. This was a small study conducted over a short period of time. Most medical experts suggest continuing physical activity, but perhaps reduce overall stresses in other areas of your life. You may also find that certain times of the day are better for physical exercise than others.

Some individuals are also finding that eating close to bedtime is not helpful to waistline goals. By managing meals at strategic times you may find that your overall health might just improve.

It is no secret that in the modern world we try to pack in more opportunities than our parents and we involve our kids in more activities than we ever thought of participating in ourselves. We may even feel this provides our offspring an advantage, but the related stress may be damaging the health of two generations. The stress we face can result in sleepless nights and caffeine-enriched days. This cycle, while typically accepted in our culture, is often a recipe for negative health conditions including heart disease and diabetes.

You may be able to add more life to your days by declining even good offers to participate in good things if those things will interfere substantially with your sleep patterns and stress levels.

In this case wise opportunity subtraction could be a key to a healthier future. Sleep well – live better.

Are Weight Loss Meds the Next Diabetes Treatment Option: Physician representatives for the makers of drugs Qnexa, Lorcaserin and Contrave all believe that the next stage in the battle against Type 2 diabetes will be in the area of managed weight loss.

The drugs listed above are involved in investigative trials. A report in MedPageToday suggests, “All three showed improvements in risk factors besides obesity, including blood glucose, blood pressure, and Triglycerides.”

In other words the use of these drugs resulted in weight loss accompanied by a reduction in risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.

A new term has been coined that describes the condition many face in America – Diabesity. Medical science has long been aware of the link between being overweight and the development of diabetes. The premise of this approach to diabetic care is to manage a primary contributor to disease conditioning. By reducing personal weight patients may either avoid diabetes or reduce symptoms in a post diagnosis scenario.

Dr. Christen M. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D. is a vice president of clinical development for drug maker Arena Pharmaceuticals. He presented findings on Lorcaserin by saying, “We had dramatic improvements in insulin resistance and in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. In terms of weight loss, 47.5% of patients on the drug lost at least 5% of their body weight, compared with and 20.3% of those on placebo, and 22.6% lost at least 10% of their body weight compared with 7.7% of placebo patients. After two years, patients on the drug maintained a significantly greater amount of weight loss compared with those who had switched to placebo after one year.”

Researchers are especially pleased to discover the trials seem to show the drug does not pose side effects of either depression or suicidal thoughts.

Meanwhile Qnexa demonstrated hemoglobin A1c level reductions for those who have diabetes as well as those deemed prediabetic.

MedPageToday reported, “Among diabetic patients, those on the drug had a 1.6% reduction in HbA1c from baseline, compared with 1.1% for patients on placebo. The patients also experienced significant reductions in blood pressure and Triglycerides, as well as better reductions in fasting plasma glucose.

“Patients on the drug had a significant reduction in antidiabetic medication use compared with controls, as well as significant improvements in fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. ”

Dr. Louis Aronne, M.D., of Weill-Cornell and New York Presbyterian represents Qnexa and is quoted as saying these drugs could, “Halt the progression towards type 2 diabetes.”

Most researchers were optimistic that these drugs could be used in future care of diabetes.

If there is any concern associated with what appears to be good news it may be that the benefit of these drugs could lead those who already live a sedentary lifestyle to assume there is no need and little benefit to physical activity if a prescribed drug could manage to improve health while reducing the waistline.

Most health care providers still strongly encourage patients to engage in exercise. Short bursts of vigorous physical activity can help flush excess blood glucose from your body and allows your body to stabilize glucose levels. It can also result in the flushing of toxins from your body through sweat and released endorphins that can lead to a better feeling about life in general.

These advances in weight loss medications may be a catalyst to other meaningful lifestyle changes for the diabetic or those who may be heading that direction.

Reducing Diabetes Costs May Be A High Tech Business: President Obama has both ardent supporters as well as equally ardent detractors from plans he has expressed to alter health care on the United States. Republican Senator Mike Enzi from Wyoming recently said, “We see that as a slippery slope to having the government run everything.”

Protesters have been an ever-present companion to Obama’s push for reformation. The most radical of comments liken the idea of government health care to Socialism.

On the other side of the fence are individuals seeking answers to what many consider a health care crisis.

Obama has been very vocal about the need to reduce health care costs. A trial partnership is attempting to come up with a few answers before some questions are even asked.

A recent article in the Miami Herald indicates proof of the partnership; “Microsoft is teaming with the University of Miami for a study to see if software and primary care can improve the healthcare of 25 diabetics in Overtown.”

You may wonder what a computer software manufacturer might be able to offer diabetic patients. “Microsoft is donating several software platforms. Other grants are contributing computers to the patients, most of whom are on Medicaid.

“The idea is that the system can measure patients’ interactions with nurses and doctors, their weight and blood sugar levels and other matters,” according to the Miami Herald report.

The University of Miami will be using the computers and software to forge an interactive relationship with their patients. Miami mayor Manny Diaz responded in a press release, “We are always looking to new technologies to increase the reach of services to our constituents as well as improve their health outcomes, especially for our neediest residents. The Overtown Health Project is another step forward for Elevate Miami, our public/private partnership to offer affordable technology packages that ensure residents and businesses are digitally enabled.”

It is widely believed that health technology will be the next big thing in computer software. Microsoft may be working to lead the way by encouraging developers to use their platform. Jack Hersey of Microsoft said in a press release. “Considering that diabetes is one of the leading illnesses in the United States, the ability for patients to more accurately track and manage their condition can have a meaningful impact on their personal health as well as the cost containment for our customers. These types of solutions can be replicated and implemented in any hospital or clinic in the country.”

One of the primary benefits of this program is that doctors can have daily access to information about patients and can address issues as they develop and not simply on the next scheduled visit or, worse yet, in an emergency scenario.

The integration of data and timely medical analysis could have the potential of reducing health care costs because issues can be addressed much sooner and education on health issues can be accessed through the high tech connection between patient and physician. The hope is that the 24 diabetic patients participating in Overtown will provide some sense of a model that could be adapted in multiple health care scenarios.

Overtown has been described as, “A predominantly African-American neighborhood in the city of Miami located near the Miami Health District, which includes the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. The study is funded by the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Miami with support from the United Health Foundation.”