Managing the Diabetes Epidemic

As global populations gain affluence, the incidence rates of diabetes have soared. The disease is segmented into two types. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-secreting beta cells by immune-mediated inflammation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease. Both are characterized by insufficient insulin production.

People with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of developing a plethora of additional diseases, including cardiovascular disease, renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, nerve disease, neuropathic pain, erectile dysfunction, skin ulceration, cataracts and cirrhosis, as well as increased risks from falls, bone fractures and cognitive decline . Currently, more than 170 million people throughout the world have developed diabetes (type 1 and 2 combined), and that number is expected to more than double by 2030. In the U.S., the cost of treatment was estimated at $174 billion in 2007. As the burden grows, existing models of the disease and management assumptions are being challenged.