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Originally Posted On: https://southernvip.com/why-diabetes-is-a-growing-crisis-what-it-means-for-vascular-health-in-mississippi-and-tennessee/
World Diabetes Day (November 14) is a moment to step back and look honestly at how diabetes has reshaped public health in the U.S. and in our community. Diabetes is no longer a rare condition; it affects tens of millions of Americans and is spreading fast.
That growth matters for everyone, and especially for people with or at risk for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), where poor circulation can lead to wounds, infection, and even amputation. This post walks through the scope of the epidemic, highlights the communities hardest hit (including many parts of the Mississippi Delta and African American communities), explains the diabetes–PAD connection, and offers clear, practical guidance, including a vascular screening recommendation for people over 50 with diabetes.
Diabetes at a Glance: The Numbers and the Trend
Diabetes is common and growing. Recent national estimates put the number of people with diabetes in the United States at roughly 38 million, about one in ten Americans, and the adult prevalence is higher still. A substantial portion of people with diabetes remain undiagnosed, which means the true burden is even greater than official counts. Recent analyses also show that overall diabetes prevalence has climbed significantly since 2000, a trend that public health experts describe as an expanding epidemic.
Regional snapshots show this burden is uneven. Mississippi consistently ranks among the states with the highest diabetes prevalence; state public health data indicate rates well above the national average, reflecting a mix of socioeconomic, access, and lifestyle factors that increase risk in the region. The Mississippi Delta, with its rural communities, limited health infrastructure, and high rates of food insecurity, sees a particularly high impact from diabetes.
Racial and ethnic disparities are stark. Non-Hispanic Black or African American adults are diagnosed with diabetes at notably higher rates than the general population, and they experience higher rates of diabetes complications, including kidney failure and diabetes-related deaths. These differences reflect long-standing inequities in access to preventive care, economic opportunity, healthy food, and safe places to exercise.
Why Diabetes Raises Vascular Risk: The Link To PAD
Diabetes damages both small and large blood vessels over time and also affects nerve function. High blood sugar accelerates plaque buildup in arteries, worsens inflammation, and impairs the body’s ability to heal wounds.
When diabetes and PAD occur together, the risk of complications, chronic nonhealing foot ulcers, infections, and lower-limb amputation climbs steeply. Studies consistently show that people with diabetes plus PAD face a much greater likelihood of major complications than those with diabetes alone. That is why vascular screening and early treatment are vital parts of diabetes care.
The Human Cost: Complications That Matter
People with diabetes are at risk for many complications, but several intersect directly with vascular health:
- Nonhealing foot ulcers: Poor circulation and neuropathy make small wounds dangerous.
- Infection and osteomyelitis: Reduced blood flow makes infections harder to fight.
- Limb loss: In advanced cases, amputation may be the outcome of untreated infection or ischemia.
- Heart attack and stroke: Diabetes raises the risk of arterial disease everywhere, not just in the legs.
Preventing these outcomes requires both metabolic control (blood sugar, blood pressure, lipids) and specific attention to vascular health and wound care.
Who Is Hit Hardest: Geographic and Racial Patterns
The diabetes epidemic is not evenly distributed. Rural and low-income regions, including large parts of the Mississippi Delta, have higher prevalence rates, higher rates of diabetes-related mortality, and more limited access to specialty care. African American communities also bear a disproportionate share of diabetes and its complications.
These patterns are driven by many factors: food deserts and limited healthy food access, fewer local health resources, higher rates of obesity and hypertension, lower rates of preventive screening, and structural inequities that shape everyday life. Public health efforts need to focus on these communities with targeted education, easier access to care, and programs that address the social drivers of health.
What Management Looks Like: A Multidisciplinary Roadmap
Managing diabetes well is not a single action; it’s a coordinated program that includes:
- Tight blood-sugar control with individualized targets.
- Management of blood pressure and cholesterol to slow vascular damage.
- Smoking cessation and weight management support.
- Regular foot checks and patient education about daily foot care.
- Prompt wound evaluation and vascular testing for any nonhealing sore.
- Collaboration across primary care, endocrinology, podiatry, vascular medicine, and wound care teams.
At Southern VIP, vascular specialists work with patients and referring clinicians to evaluate circulation, create customized behavior modification programs, treat blockages when needed, and coordinate limb-salvage strategies when wounds or ischemia threaten tissue.
A Practical Screening Recommendation: Don’t Wait Until It Hurts
Because circulation problems can be silent until they become severe, Southern VIP recommends that people living with diabetes who are 50 years or older see a vascular specialist for a screening exam at least once every three years, sooner if they experience symptoms such as leg pain when walking, rest pain, or any foot wound that fails to heal within a few days.
Screening can include pulse exams, ankle-brachial index (ABI) testing, toe pressure testing (TBI)-the gold standard for PAD diagnosis, and focused vascular ultrasound. Early detection gives patients more options and a better chance to avoid serious complications.
Emerging Therapies And Practical Hope
Treatment for diabetes and its vascular complications continues to improve. Newer GLP-1 medications that also aid weight loss and show cardiovascular benefits are changing management for many patients with promising results.
Minimally invasive vascular techniques, including Southern VIP
‘s Foot Rescue, can reopen blocked arteries and restore healing blood flow to the foot, dramatically improving outcomes for people with threatened limbs and toes in the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas. Still, access remains uneven, and proactive screening and local capacity for limb-salvage care remain essential. We cannot treat it until we diagnose it.
Action Steps for Patients and Families
- If you have diabetes, schedule regular follow-ups with your primary care provider and ask about vascular screening if you are over 50 or have foot symptoms.
- Check your feet daily for cuts, blisters, or changes in color; seek prompt care for anything suspicious.
- Work with your care team on blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals.
- If you smoke, seek help to quit. Smoking dramatically worsens vascular disease.
- If you live in a high-risk area or face access barriers, ask about telehealth options, community programs, and local resources that can connect you to screening and care.
FAQs
Diabetes is a Wake-up Call
World Diabetes Day is a call to action. Diabetes is not just a matter of glucose numbers; it is a disease that threatens circulation, mobility, and lives, especially in communities already facing health inequities. Screening, prevention, and timely vascular care change outcomes.
If you live with diabetes, especially if you are over 50, make a plan today: talk to your provider about vascular screening, check your feet daily, and get help early for any sores or symptoms. Southern VIP is here to evaluate circulation, offer limb-saving treatments, and partner with you to protect your mobility and health.
Take the first step toward better vascular health. Schedule your consultation at Southern VIP today or call 662-775-0114.
