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Mariners Hospital has opened a Diabetes Care Center to serve adults, 18 years of age and older, who have diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes is on the rise. More than 14 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United States, up from 8.5 million in 1996. In Florida, over 6 percent of the population is diabetic and about one-third of those with the disease don’t know they have it.
The Centers for Disease Control warn that the more weight Americans gain, the greater the number of diabetics in the population. This country’s obesity epidemic is believed to be responsible for a huge rise in type II, or adult-onset, diabetes. Type II diabetes results from insulin resistance – the body’s inability to use insulin properly. Most Americans diagnosed with diabetes have type II diabetes, and excess weight and lack of exercise are big contributors to this form of the disease.
The other type of diabetes, type I, is caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin, the hormone that moves blood sugar – called glucose – into cells for energy. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of Americans with diabetes have type I disease.
Both types of diabetes can lead to many serious complications, including heart attack, stroke and damage to the eyes, nerves and kidneys.
“I’m very happy Mariners is taking this step to help improve the health of our community,” said Nelson Lazo, Mariners CEO. “Our center will educate patients about type I and II diabetes. We will help patients learn how they can manage their disease better, how to avoid the complications of diabetes and how to attain a healthy lifestyle.”
Internist Sara Badano, M.D., is the medical director of the center. The comprehensive program includes one-on-one counseling by certified diabetes nurse educators, registered dietitians and exercise physiologists.
In classroom sessions, patients can learn about diabetes, its treatments and how to prevent serious complications. The center is located in Suite 206 of the Tassell Medical Arts Building on the hospital’s campus at 91550 Overseas Highway in Tavernier. Patients must be referred by a physician. For information about the center, call 305-434-3700.
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