Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Let's Talk Sex
March 6, 2012

Treatment of Diabetes

Over the last few weeks, we have been looking at the causes, types, presentation and complications of diabetes mellitus or “sugar”. This week we will be looking at the treatment of sugar.

Apart from the mildest cases of diabetes, there is very little use of “herbs” in the treatment of diabetes. In most of these cases, there is nothing that “herbs” can do that exercise and diet could not do. In other words, the mildest cases of type 2 or adult onset diabetes can be controlled by diet and exercise.{{more}} Indeed, a significant minority of obese diabetics may be controlled by diet and exercise, which results in weight loss, as obesity alone is a significant cause of type 2 diabetes.

We have already said that there are basically 2 types of diabetes: type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes, as its name implies, is treated with insulin; whilst type 2 is diabetes is treated with tablets.

An organ in the body, called the pancreas, normally produces insulin to help us utilize sugar absorbed from the diet. A severe deficiency or complete lack of insulin leads to type 1 diabetes. Obviously, a less severe deficiency or insulin resistance may also be treated with insulin, but they are better treated with tablets, since insulin has to be injected, sometimes twice a day, to control the sugar, whilst tablets do not. Apart from type 1 diabetes, insulin may also be used to treated type 2 diabetes, which is difficult to control on tablets, or having side effects of tablets, or have acute increases in requirements for insulin. Patients with these “acute changes” include those who have had recent surgery, those with acute infections, those with complications of diabetes, like kidney disease, those with acute trauma like burns or injuries, pregnancy and pregnancy induced diabetes and diabetics who cannot eat for whatever reason, e.g. after abdominal surgery. Presently, insulin can only be given by injection, but oral (under the tongue) and inhaled (across the nasal lining) insulin are being developed. Type 2 diabetics may opt to use insulin if they want to. This is especially so, if they think they are taking too many tablets and they want to stop taking these. Likewise, type 1 diabetics may use tablets, usually in an effort to reduce insulin dose since insulin dosage tends to increase with time, as the body tends to increase resistance to insulin, the longer you have been using it. There are different types of insulin, based on their duration of action. There is short, long acting and extra-long acting insulin. The popular 70/30 insulin is a combination of 30% short acting and 70% long acting.

Patients who use tablets to control their sugar are called type 2 diabetics. There are 2 types of tablets. Tablets that cause the pancreas to secrete insulin and those that do not; instead they sensitize the body to its own insulin. Tablets that cause insulin secretion include popular names such as Glyburide, Diamicron, Diabenese, Glucotrol and those that do not include medications such as Actos, Avandia and Metformin.

This week, I have given an overview of the medications used to treat sugar. Next week, I will discuss the side effects of the individual group of medications.

For comments or question contact:
Dr Rohan Deshong
Tel: (784) 456-2785
email:deshong@vincysurf.com

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok