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Diabetes Related Stocks
Approximately twenty one million people in the United States have diabetes according the American Diabetes Association. That is the amount of seven percent of our population! The number of people with pre-diabetes is practically forty one million! One out of every five persons in the U.S. either has diabetes or the precursor to the disease when you add up the numbers.
It was estimated that diabetes had an economic impact of $130 billion in 2002. Although diagnosed diabetics only account for about 4% of the U.S. population, their healthcare costs comprised over 19% of personal health care expenditures. In 2002, direct health care costs for diabetics totaled $92 billion as compared to $44 billion in 1997. The direct costs for diabetic healthcare more than doubled in just five short years. If only the stock market could provide such gains! Due in large part to the extensive number of lost work days caused by disease indirect economic costs associated with diabetes totaled over $40 billion.
Diabetes is classically associated with six different sequels including micro and macro vascular disease which are problems with the arteries and veins, nephropathy, which are kidney problems, neuropathy which are nerve problems, retinopathy which are eye problems, periodontal disease which are gum problems, and poor wound healing. These complications of diabetes can lead to a plethora of problems, including blindness, cardiovascular disease, limb amputations, tooth loss, and sexual dysfunction. Diabetics are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease than non-diabetics. Diabetics are two to four times as likely to have a stroke and nearly three times as likely to die from that stroke. The fact of the matter is that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, end stage renal (kidney) disease, and extremity amputation. Diabetes is a nasty business!
Most of these problems come up when patients are unsuccessful in adequately controlling their blood sugar (glucose) levels. Blood glucose levels are controlled by different methods depending on the type of diabetes that afflicts the patient. Diabetes can develop in one of many different ways. Type 1 diabetics produce no insulin and are dependent on the injected form of the drug to stay alive. Type 2 diabetics usually produce some insulin, but often in quantities that are insufficient to sustain normal body functions. Type 2 diabetics characteristically have a lack of insulin receptors, defective insulin receptors, or inadequate insulin production. These patients are generally treated with oral medications, diet modifications, and exercise. Injected insulin is not required in the treatment of Type 2 diabetics in many cases. Physicians prescribe medication for the patient when treating diabetes, but it is up to the patient to correctly administer this medication. Sad to say, many patients fail to correctly adhere to the doctor's instructions, and for this reason, they often develop the problems that are characteristically associated with diabetes.