2004 Press Releases
“Understanding Adult Onset Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes” Focus of Rome Hospital’s Health Night Lecture ROME – “Understanding Adult Onset Diabetes & Pre-diabetes” will be the lecture presented by Hospitalist A. Brooks Parker III, M.D., at Rome Memorial Hospital’s Health Night lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 4. Dr. Parker will discuss the symptoms of pre-diabetes and steps that can be taken to delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Lecture participants interested in testing for pre-diabetes or diabetes will receive a coupon for a free glucose screening at the hospital’s laboratory at 117 W. Liberty Street, Rome. The screenings will be available on Monday, November 8; Tuesday, November 9; or Wednesday, November 10. Eight hour fasting is required for the screening. “Diabetes is a spectrum of disease and pre-diabetes is actually a condition that many people are unaware of. Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost progress through pre-diabetes,” said Dr. Parker. “Pre-diabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed,” he said. It’s during this stage that people can be tested and take the necessary measures for better health, he added. “In some cases,” said Dr. Parker, “the blood sugar may be normal, but the body is working very hard to keep those high normal sugars. However, even at this point, there is treatment available.” According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 41 million people in the United States, ages 40 to 74, who have pre-diabetes and 18 million Americans that have been diagnosed with diabetes. Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes. Studies show that just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produces a 58% reduction in diabetes. People with pre-diabetes can expect to benefit from good nutrition and physical activity, said Dr. Parker. “Regularly exercising at any level is much better than none at all,” he added. Board certified in family practice, Dr. Parker graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Fla. Previously, Dr. Parker was a family practice physician at the Naval Hospital in Pensacola. He also previously served as the senior medical officer at the Naval Branch Medical Clinic in Ballston Spa, while working as an emergency room physician at Mary McClellan Hospital in Cambridge. He has an additional year of residency in which he focused on adult/inpatient care. As a hospitalist, Dr. Parker specializes in taking care of patients only in a hospital setting. He does not treat patients outside the hospital. He keeps patient’s primary doctors informed about their progress and returns patients to the care of their primary doctor when they leave the hospital. Dr. Parker is part of a new and growing medical specialty that experts say leads to better, more efficient and cost-effective patient care. Health Night is a free monthly lecture series and will be held in the hospital’s classroom, located on the first floor. Advance registration is not required. Refreshments will be served. | 