Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese
Medicine - Diabetes Mellitus
Status of Diabetes Research
In recent years, advances in diabetes research have led to better ways to manage diabetes and treat its complications. Major advances include:
o New forms of purified insulin, such as human insulin produced through genetic engineering.
o Better ways for doctors to monitor blood glucose levels and for people with diabetes to test their own blood glucose levels at home.
o Development of external and implantable insulin pumps that deliver appropriate amounts of insulin, replacing daily injections.
o Laser treatment for diabetic eye disease, reducing the risk of blindness.
o Successful transplantation of kidneys in people whose own kidneys fail because of diabetes.
o Better ways of managing diabetic pregnancies, improving chances of successful outcomes.
o New drugs to treat NIDDM and better ways to manage this form of diabetes through weight control.
o Evidence that intensive management of blood glucose reduces and may prevent development of microvascular complications of diabetes.
o Demonstration that anti-hypertensive drugs called ACE-inhibitors prevent or delay kidney failure in people with diabetes.
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