Patients with diabetes are at higher risk of life-threatening complications

Diabetes and prediabetes affects a staggering number of Americans. According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report of 2017, there are 30.3 million people affected by this disease in the U.S.

Prediabetes affects an additional 86 million Americans. 

The percentage of adults with diabetes increased with age, reaching a high of 25.2% among those aged 65 years or older.   In Worcester County alone an estimated 73,000 people have diabetes (more than 11% of the population).

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to a variety of complications including heart attack, stroke, hypoglycemia, nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney disease (nephrology), eye damage (retinopathy), skin conditions and more.  Proper treatment and recommended lifestyle changes may prevent or delay the onset of diabetic complications.  The Diabetes Center of Excellence and UMass Memorial healthcare teams include specialists who can help you recognize the symptoms and start taking care of complications as soon as possible. 

Ethnic diversity poses multiple challenges in diagnosing and properly treating individuals with prediabetes and diabetes. Overall, prevalence was higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives (15.1%), non-Hispanic blacks (12.7%), and people of Hispanic ethnicity (12.1%) than among non-Hispanic whites (7.4%) and Asians (8.0%)