| Diabetes Facts |
| Diabetes kills one American every three minutes. Sixteen million Americans have the disease; of these 5.4 million are undiagnosed. Diabetes afflicts 120 million people worldwide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that number will skyrocket to 300 million by 2025. A new case of diabetes is diagnosed every 40 seconds. |
| A Deadly Disease, Diabetes... |
| Attacks Many Organ Systems: Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, and non-traumatic amputations and a leading cause of nerve damage, stroke and heart attacks. Increases Risk: People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than someone without the disease. Shortens Life: Life expectancy of people with diabetes is shortened by an average of 15 years. |
| Single Most Costly Chronic Disease |
| Diabetes accounts for more than $105 billion of health-care costs annually in the U.S. It accounts for 25 percent of all Medicare expenditures. |
| Warning Signs |
| Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes include: extreme thirst; frequent urination; drowsiness or lethargy; increased appetite; sudden weight loss for no reason; sudden vision changes; sugar in urine; fruity odor on breath; heavy or labored breathing; stupor or unconsciousness. These symptoms may occur suddenly. |
| Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include: any symptoms of Type 1; recurring or hard-to-heal skin; gum or urinary tract infections; drowsiness; tingling of hands and feet; itching of skin and genitals. |
| Information from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation |
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