A recent report has listed the increase in Diabetes among the elderly as a pending economic disaster on the nation’s (and world’s IMHO) health care systems. The report cites the increase by 25% of the number of elderly Americans diagnosed with diabetes in the last ten years.
The cited study in the article concludes that the numbers represent a significant risk of overpowering the health U.S. health care system with the costs of treating and caring for the associated problems of diabetes.
Cardio Vascular Disease, Stroke, Hypertension, Infection, Blindness, Kidney Failure, and general disability all will have a significant impact on the resources available in the near future, according to the researchers.
They argue that:
“Given these possibilities, primary prevention programs must be put in place before the diabetes of advancing age becomes a reality.”
As medical professionals on the front lines of that prevention initiative, I urge you all to beef up your awareness of this issue and include prevention and treatment tips in your patient contacts over the coming years in an effort to help keep the numbers of future diabetics down.
