High Blood Sugar? What’s the Big Deal?”
A UCF Physician Provides Answers
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
On June 9, LIFE at UCF hosted a talk with a title that sounds casual on purpose: “High Blood Sugar? What’s the Big Deal?” The speaker, Dr. Ye Wint Kyaw, a board-certified endocrinologist with UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice, gave an answer that was more stark than the title might suggest.
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“Imagine that if you have a backpack and then in that backpack you have a snake. So how would you feel? Diabetes is something that you should feel that way.”
Dr. Ye Wint Kyaw, UCF Health Endocrinology
The physician said he hears many patients describe diabetes in ways that minimize the severity of the disease with comments such as “I have a sugar problem” or “I can’t eat sweets.”
But Dr. Kyaw most wants people to understand that diabetes is a disease of the blood vessels. “In our body, there are blood vessels everywhere,” he said. “They are our lifeline.” Blood vessels run through every tissue, every organ, every corner of the body. When diabetes affects those vessels, the consequences can show up in ways that go far beyond a blood sugar reading or a dietary restriction.
He explained the complications that can arise from uncontrolled diabetes. Smaller blood vessel damage may contribute to eye problems including retinopathy, kidney complications such as nephropathy (which can progress to dialysis), and neuropathy (the numbness and tingling that many people with diabetes experience in their hands and feet). When larger vessels are involved, the risks extend further: heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Ye Wint Kyaw, UCF Health Endocrinology
“That is the indicator that diabetes is not just only the sugar issue. The diabetes is actually the blood vessel disease — it is the disease of our lifeline”
They key to minimizing those risks, he said, is working with a provider to get the medicines and lifestyle changes that will allow patients to live with diabetes and reduce the risk of complications.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re managing a diabetes diagnosis, supporting a loved one, or simply want to understand your risk, UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice Endocrinology is here to help. Our specialists provide expert, compassionate care at two locations in Central Florida and all physicians are UCF College of Medicine faculty who are training the next generation of healthcare leaders. LINK.
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What Is LIFE at UCF?
LIFE at UCF is a lifelong learning program built for older adults and community members who want to stay curious, connected, and engaged. Through lectures, discussions, and educational events, it brings together learners from all backgrounds to explore topics that shape their lives, including health.
Bringing a UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice physician to that stage reflects something both UCF Health and UCF College of Medicine believe: that expert medical knowledge should reach people where they are, not just inside clinic walls. This kind of collaboration is a natural extension of a shared mission: community education, disease prevention, and access to expert care for everyone in Central Florida.
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- diabetes diabetes care endocrinologist endocrinologist Orlando endocrinology health health tip healthy choices