Diabetes & Pancreatic Disorders

We want you to achieve the best possible outcomes, so we offer personalized treatment plans for managing your diabetes that address every aspect of your health. That includes providing you with the latest medical assessments and clinical treatments, helping you adjust to lifestyle changes, and educating loved ones about managing diabetes. All of our services are carried out in collaboration with expert, board-certified endocrinologists.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not properly use sugar, leading to high blood sugar levels. The body uses sugar (glucose) from food for energy. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps to transport glucose into your cells and maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range.

Type 1 diabetes typically starts in childhood or young adulthood, though some exceptions exist. It can run in families and is sometimes triggered by infections that damage insulin cells. Without enough insulin, the body cannot maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that affects how the body uses sugar for energy, and is the most common type of diabetes. It usually happens in older people, but overweight or obese young adults are being diagnosed with it more frequently. Type 2 diabetes can happen when the body does not make enough insulin (insulin deficiency). It can also occur when cells do not respond well to the insulin produced (insulin resistance).

Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who develop high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

There are other less common causes of diabetes as well.

Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes

You may be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if you:

• Are overweight or obese.
• Are 45 years of age or older.
• Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes.
• Are engaging in physical activity less than 3 times a week.
• Had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or gave birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds.
• Are of African American, Latino or Latina, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, or Asian American descent.

Diabetes & Obesity

Being overweight or obese is one of the most significant risk factors for developing diabetes.

Glucose is typically transported into muscles and other cells for immediate energy, and excess is stored in the liver. If you are overweight, your cells are likely to be resistant to insulin, while your liver may be filled with fat. Because there's nowhere to store it, the glucose remains in the bloodstream.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision. If you have one or more of these symptoms, see your doctor to see if you might have prediabetes or diabetes.

Complications

High blood sugar levels can lead to many complications. If left untreated, high blood sugar levels can damage the nervous, cardiovascular, and circulatory systems, as well as the kidneys. Common complications include blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and an increased risk of amputations.

Treatment

Our diabetes care team offers assessment, care, and education. This includes:

• Consultation and subsequent visits
• Prevention and management of diabetes complications
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Continuous glucose monitoring
• Non-insulin therapy
• Insulin therapy, such as daily injections or use of insulin pumps

We also offer nutrition services, obesity management referrals, and lifestyle medicine approaches to optimize benefits for patients living with diabetes.

We also collaborate with podiatry and ophthalmology to prevent and manage diabetes-related complications. For those in need of primary care services, we provide referrals to UConn Health’s primary care team.

Our specialists participate in various diabetes-related conferences to stay up to date with the latest advances in diabetes management. 

Care & Education

We focus on empowering patients and informing them about the latest technologies and therapies to help them make choices that are appropriate for their lifestyle. This is accomplished through individual one-on-one sessions, group workshops, case management, and routine follow-up care. We can also help you with meal planning, exercise, weight management, medications, and equipment selection, as needed.

Why Choose UConn Health?

Comprehensive Clinical Care

We want you to achieve the best possible outcomes, which is why we provide broad, comprehensive clinical care for the management of diabetes, including medical assessments, lifestyle changes, and education for people living with diabetes and their loved ones.

Excellent Diabetes Education

Our Diabetes Self-Management Education Program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association. We have registered nurses and registered dietitians who are Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists here to guide and advise you.

Customized Patient Care

All of our services are carried out in collaboration with expert, board-certified endocrinologists. We offer personalized treatment plans that address every aspect of your health.