"One of the most troubling statistics in health care is this: Twenty-three million Americans have diabetes, and one-quarter of them don't realize it." Thus begins Melinda Beck's May 19th column in the Wall Street Journal entitled "Hidden Risk: Millions of People Don't Know They Are Diabetic."

Beck discusses how diabetes, an imbalance between sugar and insulin, is silent for years before symptoms first appear. As she writes, "The first symptoms - including fatigue, excessive thirst and frequent urination - often don't appear until the excess sugar has been damaging blood vessels for 10 years or more."

There is good news. A simple blood test can check sugar levels long before symptoms begin, and the Ankle-Brachial Index is a painless test completed in minutes. This means that the dangers of diabetes can be detected easily at a time when the individual is still healthy and can take steps to control blood sugar and its damage. In addition, weight loss and exercise as well as a carefully controlled diet can do a lot to reduce problems.

Learn more about diabetes.  SCHEDULE A DIABETES SCREENING.

Learn more about PAD.  SCHEDULE A PAD SCREENING.