Diabetes awareness month: Mount Sinai experts share tips for disease prevention

Nov 3 2017

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Today, 29.1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and Mount Sinai Health System experts are sharing tips on self-management, treatment options, reversing the disease, and the newest advances in diabetes research.

Experts Available for Interview:

• Andrea Dunaif, MD, Chief, Hilda and J. Lester Gabrilove Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Carol Levy, MD, Clinical Director, Mount Sinai Diabetes Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
• Andrew Stewart, MD, PhD, Director, Mount Sinai Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Ronald Tamler, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Clinical Diabetes Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Maria Rodriguez, RD, Certified Diabetes Educator, The Diabetes Alliance, Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Artificial Pancreas Research Program:
Dr. Levy and her team of researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are studying the safety and efficacy of artificial pancreas systems to improve the blood glucose control and reduce the burden of disease for people with type 1 diabetes.

The Mount Sinai Hospital is the first clinical site in Manhattan to use the first FDA-approved artificial pancreas device-; Medtronic's MiniMed 670G hybrid closed looped system.

To learn more go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP1VjQg6Jg&t=4s

Type 1 diabetes patients on the artificial pancreas are available for interview

Symptoms of Diabetes:

• Frequent urination and blurry vision
• Unusual thirst and sensations of hunger and fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
• Recurrent infections, like skin, gum, or bladder infections

Tips for Diabetes Prevention:

• Make smarter food choices
• Increase physical activity
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Reduce salt and sugar intake

Risk Factors for Prediabetes:

• Elevated blood glucose levelsFamily history of diabetes
• Having hypertension, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides
• Sedentary lifestyle and obesity and a history of cardiovascular disease