Care of People with Diabetes

Book excerpt: Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease affecting a large percentageof the population world-wide. In the UK alone there are over 1.4million people diagnosed with diabetes, a new diagnosis of type 2diabetes is made every five minutes, and as many as a millionpeople are suspected to have the condition without knowing it. Asmany as one in ten patients in hospital have diabetes and diabetesaccounts for almost a tenth of NHS spending, largely due to thehigh costs of complications such as heart disease, blindness,kidney disease, stroke, and amputation which all require specialistnursing care. This manual is an essential guide to the care and management ofpeople with diabetes mellitus, aimed at nurses and healthcareprofessionals, and written by an experienced clinical nursespecialist with extensive knowledge of evidence-based diabetescare. This revised and updated second edition of Care of Peoplewith Diabetes serves as an essential companion to clinicalpractice with a particular emphasis on the acute care setting. Detailed information is included on the underlyingpathophysiology and types of diabetes, assessment and management ofdiabetes, formulating care plans, and patient instruction. Newchapters are included on sexual health, older people, andcomplementary therapies and the chapter on special circumstanceshas been substantially revised. Important new information is alsoincluded on corticosteroids, brittle diabetes, autonomicneuropathy, teeth, gums and haemochromatosis.