Invited Speaker at the 7th International World Congress of Diabetes and Endocrinology Lisbon, Portugal. July 17, 2023

Diabetes Specialist

Burlington Medical Center/Carolina Nuclear Medicine

Internal Medicine Specialist & Endocrinologist located in Burlington, NC

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects nearly 1.1 million people in North Carolina. At Burlington Medical Center/Carolina Nuclear Medicine in Burlington, North Carolina, board-certified physician Sam Morayati, MD, offers a comprehensive diabetes clinic where he helps patients manage their Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, including nutritional counseling and insulin pump management. To get the comprehensive care you need to manage your diabetes, call the office or request an appointment online today.

Diabetes Q&A

What is diabetes?

People with diabetes have a blood sugar level that’s higher than normal. The sugar in the blood, also called glucose, comes from the food you eat. 

A hormone made in your pancreas called insulin helps move the sugar from your blood and into your cells to provide energy. If you have diabetes, either your pancreas isn’t able to make enough insulin to move the sugar into your cells, or the insulin isn’t working the way it should. 

What are the types of diabetes?

There are many types of diabetes. However, some types are more common than others, including:

Type 1 diabetes

With Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make any insulin and you must take insulin injections to stay alive. This type of diabetes develops when the immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.

Type 1 diabetes most often develops during childhood or adolescence. 

Type 2 diabetes

If you have Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas makes insulin but it may not make enough, or the insulin may not work the way it should. Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1 diabetes and can develop at any age. However, it most often occurs in people over age 40.

You may be at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if you’re overweight or obese, you don’t get enough exercise, or it runs in your family. 

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops in women during pregnancy. Though this type of diabetes goes away after you give birth to the baby, you’re at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy. 

How is diabetes managed?

Dr. Morayati provides individualized diabetes management plans based on the type of diabetes you have, your blood sugar control, and your overall health. 

Diabetes management may include:

Diabetic nutritional counseling

Dr. Morayati offers diabetic nutritional counseling to help you understand the role diet plays in helping you manage your blood sugar. 

Insulin pump management 

Insulin is required for people with Type 1 diabetes, but may also be needed for those with Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Morayati offers continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), also called the insulin pump.

Continuous glucose monitoring testing (CGMS)

Tracking your glucose numbers at home is one of the best ways for you to understand how food, exercise, stress, and illness influence your blood sugar numbers. Dr. Morayati includes CGMS training as part of your diabetes management program. 

Burlington Medical Center/Carolina Nuclear Medicine is dedicated to helping you gain control over your diabetes. Call the office or book an appointment online today.