Blog: About Diabetes 2025: Basics & Most Recent Developments

Diabetes is a serious medical condition that affects an increasing number of people in America. It is present in approximately 11% of the population. It is the 8th leading cause of death in the United States.

There are several types of Diabetes. The most common types are:

Type 1 Diabetes:
In this form, people have an autoimmune condition that destroys the Islet Cells of the Pancreas, leading to an absence of Insulin. This is more commonly seen in young people and is commonly known as “Juvenile Diabetes”

Type 2 Diabetes:
In this form, the body has a resistance to Insulin. It is most commonly due to excess weight and genetic predisposition. This is more common in adults and more common in patients who are overweight. The Pancreas initially tries to make extra Insulin, but over time, it can’t keep up, and the blood sugar levels rise. Since it is more common in adults, it is often referred to as “Adult-Onset Diabetes”.

Gestational Diabetes:
This is a form of Diabetes seen in pregnancy.

Many patients have no symptoms from Diabetes, and we find out that they have this disease when we do routine testing on things like a yearly physical. If the blood sugars become very high, symptoms can develop. They can include excessive thirst and excessive urination. Fatigue is also common. Many patients will have blurred vision and/or a non-healing wound.

It is important to diagnose and treat Diabetes. Diabetes needs treatment because, in and of itself, it can cause a series of problems such as vision, kidney, and circulatory problems. Additionally, Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including Heart Attack and Stroke.

The cornerstone of Diabetes treatment remains diet and exercise. Our understanding of nutrition has helped in Diabetic management. Like many other fields in medicine, the advances in Diabetes Care have exploded. There have been many newer diagnostics for Diabetes in recent years. An obvious example is the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) device. These devices are simple to apply and allow Diabetic patients to instantly check their blood sugar with a smartphone for up to 2 weeks with a single CGM. Previously, many patients had to manually check their own blood sugars 1-4 or more times daily. This is a more powerful tool that is far more convenient.

At the same time, there has been a major advancement in therapeutics. There is the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor class. These are the drugs like Jardiance and Farxiga. Initially designed for Diabetes, they are also being used for cardiovascular disease.

You would have to be living on an island to not have heard about the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These are the blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. These drugs help to control blood sugar, but came into commercial success because they help induce profound weight loss.

Our recent improved understanding of the management and treatment of Diabetes has radically changed how physicians help patients live with and care for Diabetes. This is an area with a lot of attention now, and the future for diabetes management is more promising than ever.

Steven Lasin, MD
November 3, 2025