About 500,000 to one million Americans have this type of diabetes. It s most commonly diagnosed during childhood. Symptoms usually develop after 45, but doctors are seeing more cases in younger people and even children. Over time, diabetes can damage the blood vessels and cause complications throughout the body. It s the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease and blindness in patients 20 to 74.
Diabetics are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke.
Up to 70 percent of patients have some degree of nerve damage. In severe cases, nerve damage and slower healing times can lead to wounds that don t heal and a need for amputation. More than 56,000 amputations are performed annually in patients with diabetes. It s a synthetic form of human insulin which is gradually absorbed into the bloodstream. One injection at bedtime provides a relatively constant level of insulin for 24 hours.