| Lifelong Health: Nip Disease in the Bud for Best Health Care Fix In the debate over health care reform, the lack of substantive legislation for the prevention and early detection of disease is a concern.
Amid all discussion over insurance and government programs, we have completely glossed over the fact that more than 80 percent of American illnesses are preventable. Real health care reform must include strong incentives and redirection of funds for health promotion and disease prevention.
The need for prevention-oriented health reform is particularly well- illustrated by the recently released statistics indicating an explosive epidemic of diabetes.
In a recently published study in the journal Diabetic Care, research suggests that by 2034, the number of Americans with diabetes will increase to over 44 million, and the cost of treating this chronic illness will rise from $113 billion annually to $336 billion (a threefold increase). The burden of this illness alone has the potential of overwhelming the American health care system, and without major changes to educate and empower citizens to prevent diabetes, we will be ill-equipped to handle the problem.
Although the issue of disease prevention has been largely absent in the national debate, most Americans are well aware of the poor health habits contributing to the growing incidence of preventable illness. From a sedentary lifestyle to poor eating habits, a stressful life to little medical monitoring for identifying problems early, the average American is a candidate for poor health and poorly managed disease.
Despite major campaigns to encourage healthy habits, economic uncertainties, apathy and the ready availability of unhealthy, cheap fast food suggests that the chances are small to reverse this trend.
While the health care community must remain committed to public education, they must also be more attuned to the early indicators of potential illness; they need to act appropriately to prevent or curb further deterioration of health.
For example, the majority of Americans with Type II, or adult onset, diabetes have an elevated blood sugar long before the disease becomes clinically apparent. This condition is called pre-diabetes, which is relatively easy to diagnose by finding a fasting blood sugar above 100 or above 140 two hours after consuming a 50-gram glucose load.
From age 20 on, screening for pre-diabetes should be done every five years for those at high risk of developing diabetes. This includes those who are very sedentary, overweight, have a family history of diabetes or have proven cardiovascular disease. After age 50, screening should be done more frequently.
If pre-diabetes is diagnosed, patients should make every effort to follow a healthy lifestyle. A large number of experts believe that treatment with medications can reduce the risk of developing full diabetes. The drugs include Metformin or Acarbose -- both have been shown to be beneficial in well-designed research studies.
The case of diabetes is particularly important in the disease prevention discussion, since patients being screened for diabetes are all at increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack and stroke. Early intervention to reduce diabetic risk can also include lowering cholesterol and treating a minimally elevated blood pressure, which both reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
There are many ways to encourage a healthier, more disease-free nation. From a consumer perspective, opportunities to promote healthy living must be encouraged and change should be rewarded. Also, incentives from all forms of industry should promote healthier products and businesses. And any true health care reform must make it possible to identify and treat risk factors for disease early.
Diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure are all "silent killers" that lead to heart disease and stroke. Particularly, unchecked diabetes can cause renal failure, blindness, severe neurological disease, foot problems and a high risk of amputation. While early medical intervention is certainly valuable, it is still secondary to lifestyle change.
Heed the call for health promotion and disease prevention. Without our health, we have nothing. Only through a major commitment to prevention and early detection of disease can we turn the tide against chronic disease -- saving trillions of dollars and preparing a healthier future for generations to come.
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Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book "Breaking the Rules of Aging." To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. More information is available at www.DrDavidHealth.com. Copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate Inc. |
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