Another drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may increase the risk of heart attacks and deaths. Avandia, a medication that has been used to treat diabetes for eight years now, and has been prescribed for six million people worldwide, has come under attack in light of recent reports. The implications for the healthcare and health insurance industries are huge, particularly in Texas, where the rate of diabetes is high.

More than one million Americans still take Avandia. Adding this to the international Vioxx scandal, an arthritis medication known to increase similar cardiovascular risks and also approved by the FDA, is not helping the organization's safety reputation. Texas is particularly vulnerable to these mistakes, where in 2004, over 500,000 statewide -- from Austin, to Dallas, to Houston -- already suffered from diabetes, with more expected to be diagnosed.

The state’s propensity to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer doesn’t help. The prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. increased a staggering 49% between 1990 and 2000, and Texas was hit hard, possibly linked with an obesity rate hovering just above 60% of the adult population. Thirty-five percent of children are now clinically obese statewide, and Houston boasts a population in which 86% of its residents are either overweight or obese. This is significant due to the problems that often accompany the condition, including heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and, of course, type 2 diabetes.

The complications experienced by diabetic patients are, in and of themselves, significant. The top secondary threats include vascular, kidney and nervous system diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and blindness. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease and blindness in adults ages 20 to 74, and is the sixth leading cause of death.

No outstanding research is necessary to conclude that a certain percentage of that majority population in Texas who are obese are also diabetic. It’s also no mystery, then, that a certain number of these diabetic, obese patients are also taking Avandia. Add together the complications experienced by the obese, the diabetic, and those dependent on the medication in question, and we have a dangerous health cocktail, indeed.

Now, to make it even more complicated, over 25% of the population in Texas is also completely uninsured, the highest percentage in the nation. Such chronic conditions as obesity and diabetes, or a double whammy, for an uninsured individual could prove catastrophic. Not only would suffering a serious complication be detrimental financially, but a report released earlier this month by the Commonwealth Fund directly stated that the uninsured may not receive quality care. There is a "strong link," the report stated, between access to health coverage, particularly health insurance, and high quality care.

For Texas, none of this is good news. With one-quarter of the state going without health insurance, 60% of the population obese, and over half a million diabetic, any problem affecting a large number with any of these conditions could completely overload the already stressed system. A flood of Avandia patients coming in with complications, uninsured, and possibly suffering from other conditions as well, just might send the healthcare system of Texas into meltdown.

Much of the problem, it would seem, stems from the FDA itself, which is slowly but surely nurturing a reputation of extreme negligence into maturity. Once a drug is approved, its actual effects on the population are not as closely monitored as they should be, according to many in the industry. Dr. Jerry Avorn, of Harvard Medical School, believes that such problems with the FDA will continue to exist “until we are able to get a better system of drug approval and surveillance.” That’s a powerful statement, considering that this is precisely what the FDA is supposed to do.

It’s a wakeup call, really. While it shouldn’t be as a result of government agency negligence, in all reality, we should be more responsible for our health on an individual basis -- going for annual physicals, asking our doctors as many questions as we need in order to feel comfortable with a diagnosis or prescription, and doing what we can to take care of ourselves. Simple, common sense principles of nutritional eating and exercise may cut off many conditions requiring drugs before they even have a chance to exist. Until the nation's health catches up with better habits, however, make sure to keep up with the latest recalls.

How you take care of yourself will certainly affect you as you age, and eventually your wallet, as well. If you’re a young individual who tries to keep informed and maintain a healthy condition and lifestyle, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive and highly-affordable individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you. Visit our website, www.precedent.com, for more information. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly-competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance experience.

Read this article to know about Type 1 Diabetes Causes and Type 1 diabetes Treatment

We can call Type 1 diabetes an autoimmune disease in which the body destroys or damages insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Once those cells are destroyed, they won't ever create insulin again. This type of diabetes usually occurs under the age of 30 and often in childhood.

Type 1diabetes may also be known by a variety of other names, like insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), juvenile diabetes, brittle diabetes, sugar diabetes. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all identified cases of diabetes in the US.

Type 1 diabetes normally develops in children or young adults, but can found at any age. Type 1 diabetes can cause many problems. It is a life-long disorder that can happen in children or adults. It is a totally different disease than Type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs normally in children, adolescents or young adults, and most often at puberty. This type of diabetes is also called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes symptoms:

Type 1 diabetes often appears abruptly. However, each individual may experience symptoms in a different way. Type 1 diabetes symptoms may include:

• high levels of sugar in the blood and urine when tested

• unusual thirst

• frequent urination

• extreme hunger but loss of weight

• unclear vision

• nausea and vomiting

• extreme weakness and tiredness

• bad temper and mood changes

In children, type 1 diabetes symptoms may be alike to those of having the flu.

Type 1 Diabetes Complications:

Type 1 diabetes can cause different problems, but there are three key complications:

1. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar; also called an insulin reaction) occurs when blood sugar drops too low level.

2. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) occurs when blood sugar is too high, and can be an indication that diabetes is not well forbidden.

3. Ketoacidosis (diabetic coma) is loss of consciousness due to untreated diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Causes:

Type 1 diabetes is the result of the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to enter the cells of the body to provide fuel. Insulin is a protein that is speedily broken down in the digestive area. In type 1 diabetes, the body can no longer create insulin, so the glucose can't acquire into the body's cells.

Although no one knows for certain why this occurs, scientists think it has something to do with genes. But just getting the genes for diabetes isn't usually sufficient. A person most likely would then have to be exposed to something else - like a virus - to get Type 1 diabetes

It's important to also be alert of the different myths that over the years have arise about the Type 1 diabetes causes. Eating sweets or the wrong kind of food does not cause diabetes but it can cause obesity which is the cause of Type 2 Diabetes.

Stress does not cause diabetes, although it may be a cause for the body turning on itself as in the case of Type 1 diabetes. It does, however, make the signs worse for those who already have diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Treatment:

Type 1 Diabetes Patient need to monitor and control their glucose levels. They need to:

• test blood sugar levels a few times a day by testing a small blood sample

• give themselves insulin injections or use an insulin pump

• eat a balanced, healthy diet and pay special attention to the quantities of sugars and starches in the food they eat and the timing of their meals

• get habitual exercise to help manage blood sugar levels and help avoid some of the long-term health problems that can cause diabetes like heart disease

Insulin therapy is the origin of type 1 diabetes treatment. When insulin was first discovered and made accessible for people with diabetes, there was only one type of fast-acting insulin and this required several injections in a day. Today, there are a variety of insulins that can be selected and/or combined to help you best control your diabetes.

Having a blood glucose meter allows you to test your blood sugar levels at the comforts of your home. Aside from a sensible diet and exercise, your blood glucose meter is essential for you to be able to practice proper diabetes care. If you don't have the means to test your blood sugar levels, you may not realize that you should do something about your condition. Regular testing with your blood glucose monitor will be able to help you determine whether you need to do something to normalize your blood sugar levels or not.

Depending on the experience of physical symptoms to be able to tell whether there is a fluctuation in your blood sugar levels is highly inaccurate. For one thing, most people with diabetes rarely ever experience symptoms that come with having either low or high blood sugar levels. Most people who have been living with diabetes for a while can get accustomed to the symptoms and lose the ability to tell whether they are experiencing indications of blood sugar fluctuations or not. Therefore it is better to depend on a blood glucose meter to correctly monitor the levels of sugar in your blood.

Remember though that the result from your blood glucose meter is not absolute. There can be many factors that can affect your test results and therefore making the readings from blood glucose tester incorrect. For instance, if your fingertip from which you have drawn a blood sample from is dirty or covered in some small amounts of food and other substances, the reading of your blood glucose monitor will be incorrect. You may also accidentally use the wrong test strip on your blood glucose meter and in which case, again, your results will be inaccurate.

You will have to do your part in ensuring that your blood glucose meter is able to give you the proper results every time you do a test. If you do not take the time to be meticulous in this process then the fact that you have a good reliable blood glucose tester is pretty much irrelevant. You will need to learn how to properly use your blood glucose meter and you will need to learn all the dos and don'ts in using it as well. Getting accurate test result from your blood glucose monitor is important. The right results can mean the difference between losing your sight and keeping it as well as many other serious complications that can arise from irregular blood sugar levels.

In this sense, your blood glucose meter can be your best friend or your best enemy. Be sure to learn all about how to use this device properly as well what to do and not to do when doing tests at home with your blood glucose tester. Things like proper calibration, proper conversions and the like are essential to learning how to use your blood glucose monitor correctly.

Remember that your continued health depends on your ability to manage the risk of fluctuations in your blood sugar level. The blood glucose meter and the proper use of it is the right tool to help you monitor blood sugar levels correctly and manage risks. However, you still should have regular lab testing scheduled to ensure the accuracy of your device.

Having diabetes can be worrisome especially since this disease can be the source of countless complications including gangrene which leads to amputations and loss of limbs. To avoid this and other untoward complications from happening, it is important to include regular home testing with your own blood glucose meter.

There are many different blood glucose meters and most brands and types are pretty much standard. If you are having difficulty deciding on what type of blood glucose meter to use, ask around and be sure to seek the advice and guidance of your health care provider. Together you can decide on what type of blood glucose monitor is best for you to use.

You may also call the consumer hotlines of each popular brand of blood glucose meter. The qualified consumer assistant that will answer you call can help give you the answers that you need. Naturally, if you will be asking them for opinions they will endorse their own product over the rest of the blood glucose tester brands out there. Instead of asking subjective questions, learn what objective queries you need to ask to be able to find out the pertinent answers that you have about a blood glucose meter.

Remember that if you have had more than one blood glucose meter then you may have more than one type of test strip with you. Take note that different blood glucose testers use different test strips and some will use the same. Be sure to check and recheck whether you are using the right type of test strip for the particular blood glucose meter with you. The fact that the strip fits into the blood glucose monitor is hardly the best way to tell if you are using the correct one.

To ensure that you are using your blood glucose meter correctly, be sure to get a tutorial. You may ask assistance from the company that manufactures your glucose meter or you may ask your health care provider to help you. It is also a good idea to bring your blood glucose tester with you when you visit your doctor or go for a lab test. This way you can check the accuracy of your blood glucose monitor with actual lab test.

Be ready to note a difference from the lab test reading and the reading from your blood glucose meter. It is normal to have a plus or minus 20% in the absolute number you get from your glucose tester as compared to the lab test result. Anything higher or lower than that in variance should alert you to the fact that your blood glucose monitor may be defective or not properly calibrated.

It is also possible that the big variance in test results from the actual lab test and the one from your blood glucose meter stems from the fact that they are using two different ways to measure your blood sugar. The lab test may be using a test that reads your whole blood while your blood glucose meter may be reading from a plasma sample. In this case, the variance is normal.

Learn what type of reading does your blood glucose monitor give off and how to convert one type of reading to another to be able to understand the result of your test.