Keep reading so that your mind stays sharp :) I will post new, exciting words everyday. Also I will be posting my interesting findings on my journey though the imperfect science which is medicine. Including ethics issues and some politics.
January 18, 2012
Paula Dean?!?!
From a medical stand that is exactly how one develops type 2 diabetes, you just don't have 1 super bad meal and the BOOM, you have type 2 diabetes. It develops over time from a long history of poor eating habits. I think she needs more basic information before she becomes a spokes person for this issue.
March 3, 2009
Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis: A feature of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus characterized by a combination of ketosis and acidosis. Ketosis is the accumulation of substances called ketone bodies in the blood. Acidosis is increased acidity of the blood.
Symptoms of ketoacidosis include slow, deep breathing with a fruity odor to the breath; confusion; frequent urination (polyuria); poor appetite; and eventually loss of consciousness.
The treatment of ketoacidosis is a matter of urgency and is usually done in a hospital. It may require the administration of intravenous fluids, insulin, and glucose, and the institution of changes in the person's diet.
See also diabetes mellitus and ketone bodies.
February 14, 2009
Coffee, Caffeine, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
The results showed that coffee consumption did lower ones risk of type 2 diabetes, and the study was able to quantify the results for many consumption levels. After multivariable adjustments the Relative Risk (RR) for type two diabetes where (.87) for one cup of coffee per day, (.58) for 2-3 cups per day and (.53) for four or more cups per day. It was found that tea consumption was not substantially associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. One result showed that the way the coffee was made did vary in caffeine content, and that a “Starbucks latte” type of drink has the lowest caffeine content. Another finding was that high coffee consumption was also linked to a higher risk that the individual in the study smoked and/or had a high level of alcohol intake. I think this is because if you have an addictive personality you are more likely to become addicted to stimulates/drugs.
In looking at the data I did not see any mistakes that the researchers concluded; the number of individuals left in the study was large enough to be statically valid. The confidence intervals were very reliable and ranges from P=.05-.0001 so the RR that were calculated were valid. Some of the possible mistakes that could have entered this study were that people could have not told the truth about weight, but I believe this to be minimal because the population in question were medical professionals, and I think they would care less about weight than the normal population. Something that was not noted was if the follow up questionnaires monitored exercise. This is important because if the person changed their exercise habits it would lower the persons risk for type 2 diabetes, in addition to their coffee intake.
This study is important in the sense that it shows people that drinking coffee does lower ones risk for type 2 diabetes, and you don’t have to drink excessive amounts of coffee for the benefits. This information should be used carefully, because drinking too much coffee is not a good idea due to the health effects on the heart, such as rapid heart rate. In the end I think it will prove that drinking a moderate (2-3 cups) amount of coffee will help save lives from type 2 diabetes deaths.
Rob M. Dam PHD. (2006). Coffee, Caffeine, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 29(2) 398-403