Diabetes: Roles on Your Care TeamTopic OverviewYour primary care doctor is responsible for the day-to-day medical management of your diabetes . (This doctor is usually an internist or a family medicine doctor .) He or she also may coordinate your diabetes care. Or a nurse practitioner , nurse educator, or physician assistant may coordinate your care. Your health professional will help you find the right oral medicine and possibly insulin to regulate your blood sugar (glucose) level. He or she also will help you adjust medicines as your diabetes changes. For this reason, be sure to tell your health professional if your symptoms change. Most primary care doctors are excellent at managing diabetes. But if your symptoms get worse or if you have complications, you may need to see a specialist. This is a doctor who has extra training in a particular field. You should see some specialists, such as an ophthalmologist and podiatrist, regularly. These specialists provide care to prevent eye and foot problems from diabetes. Other specialists are seen only when a problem occurs. For example, if you have a complication that affects your heart, you may need to see a cardiologist. For kidney problems, you may need to see a nephrologist. An orthopedic surgeon can help with bone, muscle, or joint problems. For some people who have diabetes, it is important to see these specialists at least once a year so they can monitor the complication.
Other health professionals on a diabetes care teamOther health professionals who may be involved in your diabetes care include:
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ByHealthwise Staff Current as ofDecember 7, 2017
Current as of: December 7, 2017 |
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