Diabetes is the #7 leading cause of death in the U.S.

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Diabetes is the #7 leading cause of death in the U.S.

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deaths caused by diabetesThe ranking of deaths for Diabetes has not differed much in the last dozen years.

First of all, it is important to note that there are different risk factors. First of all, some are inherited.  Hence,  type 1 diabetes. Second of all, Much of type 2 can be developed from a life style.  Furthermore,  type 2 diabetes has a strong correlation  with obesity. Diabetes is also connected with other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease,” said Med-Q Medication Management System’s lead editorial writer, Samuel Demar.

He said diabetes-related have long been under estimated as well as incorrectly reported.  First, the doctor will often not make diabetes the primary cause of death.  Hence, that will be missing from the death certificate.  However, looking at any mention of diabetes on death certificates, shows if and when diabetes was a contributing factor,   To sum up, all the data shows the numbers are much much larger.

“2015 showed about 75 thousand deaths due to diabetes .  However,  it has been  listed as a contributing factor in death on close to 240 thousand death certificates”, said Demar.

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deaths caused by diabetesDiabetes has bobbled up and down on the top ten list over the years.

“It hasn’t changed a whole lot over last 10 years or so. There are different risk factors. Some are inherited, like in type 1 diabetes. Much of type 2 is associated with obesity. Diabetes is also connected with other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease,” said Anderson.

He said diabetes-related deaths are likely under reported — physicians may not make it the primary cause of death on a death certificate, but “if you look at any mention of diabetes on death certificates, cases where it’s a contributing factor, the numbers are much much larger.”

There are about 76,000 deaths caused by diabetes each year, but it is listed as a contributing factor in death on close to 245,000 death certificates annually.

The Number 8 cause of death. Influenza and pneumonia

First of all,  not all of the deaths were flu-related deaths. There was a  combination of influenza and pneumonia.  Second, a category for flu mortality surveillance was created. Furthermore, an estimate of up to 18 Percent  of the deaths are actually associated with different kinds of flus. A lot of these deaths are elderly folks who, say, have a stroke and are in the hospital and may develop pneumonia from being in a static position.”

Fatalities specifically mentioning “flu” number about  6,000 deaths per year. The deaths will often  fluctuate during flu season.  However,  deaths from pneumonia stay pretty stable over time.  The changes help  determine the effects of flu season.  “So that’s why these two are combined,” Demar has explained.

9. Kidney disease

This category includes chronic kidney issues, including kidney failure or end-stage renal disease.

“A large proportion of this category is renal failure. Some are probably related to diabetes in some way, or heart disease and heart failure, and high blood pressure. It’s always been on the second half of the list, at least in recent memory,” Anderson said.

10. Suicide

Suicide is the nation’s 10th leading cause of death, and the number of cases has been on the rise. “The rate of suicide has gone up nearly steadily since 1999,” Sally Curtin, a statistician with the National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC, said when the latest figures were released this spring.

“It has typically been there between number 10 and 15, but occasionally it has popped up into the top ten and it’s something we’re keeping our eye on,” said Anderson.

A study out earlier this year also suggested medical errors can be blamed for a significant number of deaths each year, although they were not included on this list. Anderson said many physicians likely do not report medical errors on death certificates.

Life expectancy

The report also found that life expectancy at birth is 78.8 years, unchanged since 2012. Life expectancy rose for black males, Hispanic males and females, and non-Hispanic black males. Life expectancy shrunk for non-Hispanic white females from 2013 to 2014, possibly due to a rise in opioid use and suicide.

2014’s data shows that the death rate is going up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the numbers.

  • The CDC is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Its main goal is to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and internationally.

First of all, the numbers are based  2014 death certificates. The overall death rate rose to nearly 729 deaths per 100, Thousand men and women last year, from about 722 tin 2013.

“I think, ideally, what we would like to see is people living well into their nineties with a  good Quality of Life. That’s what I’d like to see,” Demar said. “That’s one of the reasons for creating these lists.”

If you can’t remember whether you took your medication, what do you do?

What happens if you don’t remember if you took your medications?  When one is not sure if you took a pill, never, ever just take another dose yet. What could happen if you double dose?  If someone ingests an additional dose, the consequences can be deadly. In fact, an extra dose can raise the risk of harmful effects. Check your pill organizer, count the remaining pills in the bottle, or review the instructions that came with your prescription to find specific guidance. 

doctorHealth care profsionals are in agreement, “For most medications, it is safer to accidentally miss a single dose than to double dose” . Keep in mind that the pill/dosing guidelines vary drastically depending on the medication.  For example, it is different for  blood thinners or something like birth control.), it is always best to double-check with a professional.  If in doubt, call the local pharmacy you got the prescription filled.  Also, call e the America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 .  This can help if you are concerned about over dosing. 

For further guidance, consult I can’t remember whether I took my medication, what do I do? on Medical News Today. To help prevent confusion in the future, you can implement some 9 Simple Strategies for Remembering To Take Your Medication or read the Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Medication guide on WebMD.
 
If you are missing doses consistently, a few strategies can help get your routine back on track:
  • Use a weekly pillbox: These old fashion pill holders can be useful.   They show a quick visual cue to show which days  doses have been taken.
  • Use a Digital Pill Reminder: Medication reminders, like the Med-Q pill Box. have flashing guides.  These alarmed reminders help preventing over dosing. 
  • Try to do Habit stacking: Match up your daily pill-taking with a non-negotiable daily habit.  For example, your first cup of coffee or brushing yourhair.
  • Set electronic reminders: Use persistent reminder apps, alarm clocks, or simple smart phone alarm reminders.

What to do if Unsure?

The worry about over doing is real.  When unsure whether the dose has been taken, the best thing to do is speak with your health care provider or even your pharmacist. They will  advise you on the best course of action based on ythe specific medication. that is over dosed.

pill box for seniors

If you take oral tablets or capsules, you can count how many pills you have left. If you know when you started taking the pills out of that prescription bottle, this could help you determine whether you’ve taken your dose for that day.

Sometimes, when you haven’t taken your medication, there may still be time to take that dose. However, this could depend on the drug and dosing schedule.

Although in some cases, if it’s almost time to take your next dose, your doctor may recommend skipping the missed dose and taking your next dose at its regular time. Never take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose as doing so could raise your risk of side effects.

What happens if you accidentally take your medication twice?

Do not take more of a drug than your doctor prescribes. While serious side effects may be rare, for some medications, taking more than the recommended amount may lead to harmful effects or overdose. Some of the most dangerous medications to double-dose include:

  • heart maintenece medications
  • ADHD drugs, for example “Adderall”
  • medications for Type 1 Diabetes
  • prescription narcotic pain pills
  • psychiatric medications , for example “Wellbutrin.”

If you have any doubt, act quickly. 

Fist of all, contact your doctor right away.  Let them know you may have accidentally taken two doses or three doses of your daily medication. They will offer up advice.  The Healthcare profesional can often advise of what steps to take.  Also, they will let you know about symptoms to watch out for.

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