St. Bernards Diabetes Management will offer free diabetes screenings for the interested public on Friday, Nov. 16, from 7 until 10 in the morning inside the Diabetes Management Center office at the St. Bernards Health & Wellness Institute, 1416 East Matthews Ave.
Nearly 26 million people in the United States have diabetes, a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action or both. Diabetes can lead to serious complications and premature death, but people with diabetes, working with support networks and their healthcare providers, can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications.
Types of diabetes include Type 1 diabetes (formerly referred to as juvenile-onset diabetes), Type 2 diabetes (previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes) and gestational diabetes (a form of glucose intolerance diagnosed during pregnancy).
Complications of diabetes include increased risk for heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness and eye problems, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputations, dental disease and complications of pregnancy.
Education and self-management can be key to improving health outcomes and quality of life, and those services are available through the St. Bernards Diabetes Management Center.
Screenings to be offered free of charge during the three-hour window Friday morning include body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, A1C (a test that is not impacted by fasting and gives a comprehensive look at the average blood sugar levels over the last three months), total cholesterol and anemia.
The 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. event is being held as a part of National Diabetes Awareness Month.