Diabetes Care
Your Partner in Diabetes Care
Diabetes is a common chronic condition: About 38 million people in the U.S. have diabetes and 98 million have prediabetes, according to the CDC.
Diabetes means your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it properly to convert sugar to energy. If left untreated, high blood glucose levels may cause serious health complications. Fortunately, with proper diabetes management, the risk of developing complications is significantly lowered.
Diabetes Services at North Kansas City Hospital
At NKCH, you work with your personal diabetes care team to access services you need. Your team includes a nurse practitioner, registered dietitian, pharmacist, physical therapist, social worker and certified diabetes educators. Make the most of your health with services and programs, such as:
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test
The American Diabetes Association says 9 out of 10 Americans most at risk for type 2 diabetes don't know it. Are you one of them?
- Diabetes education that helps you understand your symptoms
- Fitness classes, including fitness on land and fitness in the pool classes
- Help to stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake
- NKCH-sponsored team in the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out Walk each September
- Nutrition counseling
You also have access to a complete range of related services if you need them, including:
- Endocrinology care for help with treatable hormone disorders
- Medical and surgical weight loss options at our Total Weight Loss Center
- Wound care at our Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center
Types of Diabetes
Find diabetes care for all types of diabetes:
- Prediabetes – Higher than normal blood sugar levels with a risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Gestational diabetes – High blood sugar that develops during pregnancy in those who did not have diabetes before getting pregnant
- Type 1 diabetes – An autoimmune disorder, typically diagnosed in children, in which the body does not produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes requires daily insulin injections. The CDC estimates that only 5-10% of people with diabetes have Type 1.
- Type 2 diabetes – When the body does not produce enough insulin or cells ignore the insulin. Type 2 accounts for 90-95% of diabetic cases.
How is Diabetes Diagnosed?
Blood tests help diagnose diabetes. Talk to your provider if you think you have diabetes or diabetes risk factors. The American Diabetes Association recommends routine blood tests (called blood glucose screenings) for everyone, starting at age 45. Those with a high risk should start screenings sooner, including children who are overweight starting at age 10.
Diabetes Risk Factors
You may be at risk for diabetes if you:
- Are over age 45
- Are overweight (adults and children)
- Are Hispanic American, African American, Asian American or Native American
- Do not exercise
- Have high blood pressure and abnormal blood cholesterol levels
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Had gestational diabetes during pregnancy or had a baby weighing over 9 pounds at birth
- Smoke, have a poor diet and exercise fewer than three times a week
Your experience with diabetes is unique to you, and so is the top-rated diabetes care at North Kansas City Hospital & Meritas Health. Explore our diabetes resources designed to help you manage your health and feel your best.
Contact Us
Call 816.691.1666 for more information about diabetes care at NKCH.
