Patient Education

Costus Medical & Pharmacy would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with us. We will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

We welcome you to our practice and look forward to caring for you.

Costus Medical & Pharmacy provides a full range of medical services including the following:

Childhood Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious, chronic metabolic disorder in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to the insulin being produced. Diabetes affects an estimated 26 million children and adults in the United States which is over eight percent of the population. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, more than breast cancer and AIDS combined. While diabetes can lead to serious complications, it can often be successfully managed through dedicated, lifelong treatment. ...

Diabetes

Diabetes is the inability of the body to create or use insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that enables sugar or glucose to enter cells. Diabetes is a serious, chronic metabolic disorder in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to the insulin being produced. ...

Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition characterized by severe thirst and extremely frequent urination. In most cases, the disorder results from the body's failure to produce, store, release, or respond properly to a hormone that controls fluid balance in the body. In spite of the similarity in their names diabetes insipidus is unrelated to diabetes mellitus, an autoimmune illness involving insulin deficiency. ...

Diabetic Eye Disease

Patients with diabetes are at a higher risk for developing eye conditions as a complication their disease. Over 40 percent of patients diagnosed with diabetes develop some form of eye disease as a result of their disease. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and the primary cause of blindness in the United States. ...

Diabetic Foot Care

Because of their distance from the heart and because of the force of gravity, the feet and legs are more at risk for difficulties with circulation and healing than other parts of the body. In patients with diabetes, these risks are exacerbated by the disease since diabetes can lead to: impaired circulation, nerve damage (neuropathy), and a damaged immune system. Not only is the diabetic patient less able to fight off infection, but is also frequently unaware of injuries because of neuropathy and impaired vision. ...

Diabetic Foot Problems

Patients with diabetes have an elevated risk of serious foot problems. There are several reasons for this since diabetes involves: poor circulation, a damaged immune system and the possible development of nerve damage (neuropathy). Blood circulation in the feet is weaker than elsewhere in the body to begin with because of distance from the heart and the force of gravity. Further impaired circulation in diabetic patients may slow healing to a dangerous level. ...

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. The length of time a person has diabetes determines his or her likelihood of developing diabetic retinopathy. It is the most common diabetic eye complication, and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. Diabetic retinopathy causes the blood vessels that supply nourishment to the retina, the light-sensitive lining in the back of the eye where vision is focused, to weaken, swell and leak, causing a loss of vision. ...

Dialysis FAQs

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a process that substitutes for kidney function when the normal operation of the kidneys is interrupted. In a healthy body, the kidneys serve to regulate fluid levels in the body, filter waste products and control urination. Dialysis performs these functions when the kidneys fail due to disease or injury and the resultant buildup of waste products in the body threatens to cause illness. ...

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes (gestational diabetes mellitus) is a form of diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy. While the condition is estimated to affect nearly 20 percent of all pregnant women, gestational diabetes occurs in women who were not diabetic before they became pregnant and, in many cases, do not remain diabetic after they give birth. Only about half of the patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes have risk factors for the disorder. ...

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is a condition that occurs when glucose levels become too low to provide sufficient fuel for the body. Normally, the body breaks down food, particularly carbohydrates, and absorbs the resulting glucose. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, plays an important role in monitoring the amount of glucose in the body. For this reason, patients with diabetes, in whom the pancreas malfunctions, are most susceptible to hypoglycemia. ...

Insulin Pump Therapy

Insulin pump therapy, also known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), is a relatively recent development in diabetic care. In use for several decades, insulin pump therapy is a computerized method of insulin delivery.

While insulin pump therapy has been used in patients with type 1 diabetes for quite some time, during the past decade it has begun to be used in patients with type 2 diabetes. In both cases, the insulin pump has been found to be efficient and effective and is the preferred method of treatment for many patients. ...

Open Wounds and Lacerations

An open wound involves a break in the skin or tissue that may be caused by, among other things, accident, injury or animal bite. A laceration is a type of open wound, one with jagged, irregular edges. Open wounds and lacerations typically involve bleeding, redness, swelling, pain, and tenderness. They can occur nearly anywhere on the body, with the upper extremities being a common location for open wounds/lacerations caused by accidents or falls. Deeper wounds or lacerations may require medical attention to prevent infection and loss of function, due to damage to underlying structures such as bone, muscle, tendon, arteries and nerves. Medical care for wounds and lacerations focuses on promoting healing, preventing complications and preserving function. While important, cosmetic results are not the primary consideration for wound repair. ...