Feline Diabetes: The Influence Of Diet

Feline Diabetes: The Influence of Diet

Feline diabetes mellitus is similar to human type II diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. In these patients, the pancreas is able to produce insulin, though it is not enough to adequately control blood sugar. This may be due to damage from inflammation of the pancreas, overwork/exhaustion of the pancreas due to chronically elevated blood sugar and/or if the cells of the body have become somewhat resistant to insulin. Whatever the cause or causes, the end result is the insulin produced by the pancreas is no longer enough to control blood sugar.¹ Glucose is a sugar, so the terms blood glucose and blood sugar are used interchangeably.
Certain disease states can contribute to or cause diabetes if they damage the pancreas or cause sustained increases in blood sugar. These conditions include pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas, hormonal diseases such as hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, and persistent infection, such as that from chronic dental infection. Certain pharmaceutical drugs that cause increases in blood glucose, most notably steroids, may also contribute to diabetes in cats.² Lastly, obesity contributes to diabetes. Obesity in cats leads to peripheral insulin resistance. A substance called amyloid which interferes with pancreatic function has also been found to be present in the pancreas of obese cats.³ Certain breeds of cats seem more likely to develop diabetes, primarily Burmese cats.
The more common reasons for obesity and peripheral insulin resistance in cats however, are quite simple. An inappropriately high-carbohydrate Continue reading

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Do you have diabetes, liver disease? Watch out for CVD

A study analyzing the medical data of more than 133,000 people shows that those with diabetes and a medical history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
Recent data suggest that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of liver disease affecting people in the United States. NAFLD is defined by a range of conditions determined by excess fat accumulating in the liver.
Liver disease is also associated with a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and brings an elevated risk of mortality. At the same time, studies have shown that there is a strong association between NAFLD and type 2 diabetes. Often, when the two conditions coexist, they augment the probability of developing other complications.
However, although diabetes and NAFLD so commonly occur together, and although NAFLD is associated with a risk of CVD and death, no studies so far have conclusively shown that people with both NAFLD and diabetes are also more exposed to CVD and mortality.
But now, Prof. Sarah Wild, from the University of Edinburgh, and Prof. Christopher Byrne, from the University of Southampton - both in the United Kingdom - have analyzed data from hospital records to confirm this risk in people with NAFLD and diabetes.
They have recently presented their findings at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting, held in Lisbon, Portugal.
Higher CVD incidence, doubled death risk
To test for a higher risk of mortality and CVD in people with both diabetes and NAFLD, the resear Continue reading

New health ALERT: Statins raise risk of diabetes by 30%

Long-term use of the cholesterol-busting pills was linked with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes of up to 30 per cent.
Statins, which cost just a few pence, are the most commonly prescribed drugs in Britain, with six million people taking them.
But they are controversial because they have been linked with causing muscle weakness. Other patients have complained of muscle aches, memory loss, kidney problems and sleep disturbance.
Doctors last night urged people prescribed statins to continue with their medication but warned that they should take extra steps to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce their diabetes risk.
Symptoms of diabetes
Fri, August 19, 2016
Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. There are 3.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 500,000 who are living undiagnosed with the condition.
In the first study of its kind, researchers focused on the development of diabetes among more than 3,200 statin users.
Over 10 years, statin use was linked to a 36 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, falling to 27 per cent after taking into account other risk factors.
More than four million Britons have type 2 diabetes and 12 million more are at risk of developing it.
The condition can lead to blindness, amputation of limbs, heart disease and stroke. Pav Kalsi, senior clinical adviser at Diabetes UK, said: “Statins can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke, so it is important that people who have been prescribed statins continue to take them.
“If they have any concerns about the medi Continue reading

Diabetes Management Guidelines

Source: American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2016.
Diabetes Care. 2016;39(suppl 1):S1-S106. Available here.
Refer to source document for full recommendations, including class of recommendation and level of evidence.
Jump to a topic or click back/next at the bottom of each page
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) & Diabetes
Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Management & Treatment Targets
Screening
Measure BP at every patient visit
Confirm elevated BP at a separate visit
Treatment targets
Systolic (SBP) targets
<140 mm Hg
Lower target (<130) may be appropriate in certain individuals*
Diastolic (DBP) targets
<90 mm Hg
Lower target (<80) may be appropriate in certain individuals*
*Younger individuals, people with albuminuria, and/or individuals with hypertension and one or more additional ASCVD risk factor
Only if the lower target can be achieved without undue treatment burden
Treatment of High Blood Pressure
Individuals with BP >120/80 mm Hg
Lifestyle changes (See below)
Individuals with confirmed office BP >140/90 mm Hg
Prompt initiation and timely subsequent titration of pharmacologic therapy (see below) in addition to lifestyle changes
Older adults
Treating to <130/70 mm Hg is not recommended
SBP <130 has not been shown to improve CV outcomes
DBP <70 has been associated with increased mortality
Pregnant individuals
Targets of 110-129/65-79 are recommended to optimize long-term maternal health and minimize impaired fetal growth
Pharmacologic Therapy for High Blood Pressure
Regimen to include ACEI or ARB—but never in combination
If either ACEI or ARB Continue reading

Do Endurance Sports Cause Diabetes?

Earlier this month, an article was published suggesting that endurance athletes may be more susceptible to diabetes. Since diabetes is usually associated with a sedentary lifestyle, in addition to a poor diet, this goes directly against what most people would expect. We were curious about the conclusions of the article so we decided to jump into our own database to see if InsideTracker’s endurance athletes suffer from the same fate.
So, the question was clear: do runners, cyclists, and triathletes have higher fasting blood glucose levels?
The article looked at a study of 10 endurance athletes that exercised for at least six hours per week. They were connected to a continuous glucose monitor for 6 days, which captured blood glucose levels the entire time, including in the fasted state. After analyzing the data, three out of the 10 athletes had fasting blood glucose levels in the prediabetic range (100-125 mg/dL). Prediabetes, as defined by the American Diabetes Association, is a precursor to diabetes and roughly 25% of prediabetics will develop diabetes after five years. The average fasting blood glucose in the study was about 96 mg/dL (5.34 mmol/L). While this is less than the cutoff for prediabetes of 100 mg/dL, it is still higher than expected.
Looking in our own database, we found an overwhelmingly clear trend between endurance exercise and fasting blood glucose levels. Endurance activity is associated with LOWER blood glucose levels. Here are a few comparisons:
for the non-science crowd, if the p value is less than .05, the value is statistically significant). Therefo Continue reading