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Preventive Care
Smoking increases the risk
of death from heart attack in
people who have diabetes by
52 percent, according to a study
in BMJ Open .
To increase your chances of
kicking the habit, get support by
calling the national tobacco quit
line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW
(1-800-784-8669). Or, join an
online stop-smoking program, or
participate in the American Lung
Association's Freedom from
Smoking in-person program.
For more information, visit
Freedomfromsmoking.org.
Managing rising insulin costs
Good health is priceless, of course. But injectable insulin can
be quite expensive. "For some patients, insulin costs them
over $1,000 for a month's supply," says Dr. Victor de Villa, an
endocrinologist at Bellin Health Systems in Green Bay, Wis.
Smoking and
diabetes don't mix
To make injectable insulin more affordable:
• Ask your doctor or diabetes educator for less expensive options.
The newest types of insulin are priced at a premium—about $300 per vial.
But human insulin, an older insulin form, can be effective for managing
Type 2 diabetes at a fraction of the cost. Walmart, for example, sells the
ReliOn brand of human insulin at just $26 per vial.
• Ask for help. Call the insulin manufacturer's customer service line and find
out if the company offers a pharmaceutical assistance program.
Whatever you do, don't cut back on insulin to make it last longer.
"The amount of insulin you use should match the amount your body
needs," says Dr. de Villa. Short-changing your body on insulin can lead to
diabetic ketoacidosis—the buildup of acid in the blood—as well as long-term
complications associated with poorly controlled blood sugar, including heart
disease, kidney failure, diabetic neuropathy, and blindness.