Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects as many as 16 million Americans and most everyone knows at least one person with the disease.

For reasons that are not yet clear, diabetes is increasing in our population to the point where public health authorities are calling diabetes an epidemic that requires urgent attention.

Of the 16 million people with diabetes, about one-third of them don't even know they have it. People with diabetes are unable to use the glucose or sugar in their food for energy. The sugar accumulates in the bloodstream, where it can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves, but diabetes can be controlled.

Dr. Weslei Rice with St. Joseph Hospital says, there are numbers medications that can help diabetes patients and recommends they discuss their options with their physician.

With proper care, people with diabetes can lead normal, satisfying lives and doctors suggest, if you have it the most important thing to managing the disease is to know as much about it as you can.