“Diabetes is a chronic disease, and it can require a lot of time, effort and perseverance on the part of our patients,” explains diabetes treatment specialist Sudipa Sarkar, M.D. This is precisely what the Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center offers people who have been diagnosed with diabetes—
help with what can be an overwhelming change in daily life.
Below, Dr. Sarkar talks more about diabetes and what makes treatment at the Diabetes Center uniquely comprehensive.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that results from either a complete lack of insulin or a decreased ability to make insulin.
What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
People with type 1 diabetes do not make insulin. People with type 2 diabetes usually do not make enough insulin.
What are the most common struggles people have with managing diabetes?
From a broad perspective, socioeconomic factors can affect a person’s ability to gain access to care and treatment of diabetes. Another struggle patients have shared with me during treatment is feeling embarrassed to check their blood sugar or inject insulin in front of friends or at a social event. These are real struggles and can have a huge effect on the management of the disease, so it’s important to acknowledge them.
Why was the Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center created and what makes it a unique place for the treatment of diabetes?
The Diabetes Center was created to address a need in the community for dedicated diabetes care, in particular for those who may not completely
understand their condition and why continued treatment is so important. We’re focused on the care of diabetes and the prevention of diabetes-related complications, such as heart and kidney disease, as well as providing quality diabetes education to our patients and their loved ones.
When we see a patient in our clinic, we’re able to download blood glucose readings from their personal glucometer, extract information from
their insulin pump, obtain a hemoglobin sample, and relay all of the results back to the patient in minutes. This helps us continuously follow the
patient’s condition and informs our discussion of diabetes treatment.
We also maintain partnerships with our colleagues in ophthalmology, neurology, nephrology and podiatry, as many of our patients see specialists in these fields.
The Diabetes Center offers locations at Johns Hopkins Bayview, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins at Green Spring Station.
To schedule an appointment, please call 410-955-9270.
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