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Diabetes Disaster Plan aims to help patients prepare for emergencies
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American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 20th Annual Meeting
SAN DIEGO — When weather emergencies and natural disasters strike, people with diabetes who are unprepared and forced outside of their normal care routine are more susceptible to illness.
From severe winter weather in the Northeast to earthquakes in the Western states to tornadoes in the Midwest, “no area of the country is immune to this issue,” Todd W. Frieze, MD, said during a press conference at the 20th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
“It is very critical when we look at preparing for these events that diabetics are ready,” Frieze said.
The American College of Endocrinology and Lilly Diabetes created the Power of Prevention Diabetes Disaster Plan, a comprehensive checklist of items for people with diabetes to use in order to prepare for a potential disaster. Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, ACE and Lilly Diabetes joined forces to assemble an emergency kit for people with diabetes. Since 2005, more than 10 million checklists have been distributed in the United States, according to Frieze.
New in 2011, the checklist is now available in both English and Spanish.
People with diabetes are encouraged to prepare a portable diabetes disaster kit that is insulated and waterproof. The checklist suggests that people also have:
- Information about their diabetes, including past and current medications, complications and adverse reactions.
- A list of all medications, as well as pharmacy and active prescription information and eligible refills.
- A 30-day supply of diabetes medications, including insulin, oral antidiabetic agents and a severe hypoglycemia emergency kit.
- A cooler and at least four refreezable gel packs for storing insulin, empty plastic bottles and/or sharps containers for syringes, needles and lancets.
- A source of carbohydrates to treat hypoglycemic reactions and a 1- or 2-day food supply that does not require refrigeration.
“These are all critical things a diabetic needs to have together to take with them in case of an emergency,” Frieze said.
A full list of the recommendations and copies of the plan are available for free download at www.powerofprevention.com.
“Since we can’t know for sure when or where the next disaster will strike, the best course of action is to simply be prepared,” Mark Hartman, MD, senior director, US Medical Affairs, Lilly Diabetes, said in a press release.
Medical care and supplies are often in short supply in the aftermath of a natural disaster or weather emergency, according to Frieze.
“Advanced planning is key,” he said. “They may only have a short bit of time [during a disaster] so we hope this program will give them that key to plan ahead of time.” – by Katie Kalvaitis
Disclosure: Dr. Frieze reports no relevant financial disclosures.
The recommendations for the Diabetes Disaster Kit remind me of a patient a couple years ago who was snowed in at his isolated mountain cabin and ran out of insulin. He had to call a neighbor with a snowmobile to bring him insulin. He told me that had he been unable to contact his neighbor, he was ready to snowshoe the several miles out to the nearest paved road. Fortunately, it did not come to that.
– Thomas B. Repas, DO, CDE
EndocrineToday.com blogger
Regional Medical Clinic Endocrinology and Diabetes Education Center, Rapid City, S.D.
Disclosure: Dr. Repas reports no relevant disclosures.
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