The Encyclopedia of Diabetes (Facts on File Library of Health and Living) - Hardcover

William A. Petit Jr., M.D., F.A.C.P, F.A.C.E., is a nationally recognized expert in diabetes and a clinical researcher and speaker. He was the medical director of the prestigious Joslin Diabetes Center affiliate at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, Connecticut for a decade. Petit is also an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center and Medical School. He is a member of the American Diabetes Association, CT Chapter's Hall of Merit. Since the murder of his wife and two daughters, he has spent much of his time working for the Petit Family Foundation.

Christine Adamec is a medical writer who has coauthored many books with physicians for Facts On File, including The Encyclopedia of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse; The Encyclopedia of Elder Care; The Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases and Disorders; The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders, Second Edition; and The Encyclopedia of Drug Abuse. She has also coauthored The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse, Third Edition and The Encyclopedia of Adoption, Third Edition, as well as medical books for other publishers including Fibromyalgia for Dummies, Prostate Cancer for Dummies, and How to Stop Heartburn.

This work is a comprehensive reference source on diabetes, the complex metabolic disorder that afflicts nearly 20 million Americans. Beginning with a helpful 20-page historical overview, the book continues in an A-Z format and examines key aspects of the disease, including medical and physiological terms, treatment and self-care, related social issues, personal adjustment to having the disease, up-to-date research and statistics, and so on. All forms of diabetes are included: Type 1 (juvenile onset) and Type 2 (formerly "non-insulin dependent") as well as forms of the disease resulting from surgery, medication, malnutrition, pregnancy, and other causes.

The more than 300 entries cover such diabetes-related topics as diet, smoking, foot care, amputation, blood glucose monitoring, insulin use, legal issues, men's and women's issues, diabetes in various ethnic groups and nationalities, and more. Many helpful charts and sources of information are included in entries. Eleven appendixes cover organizations, periodicals, research centers, Web sites, medications, and so on. The bibliography is extensive.

The book strikes a good balance between the audiences of health-care professionals working with this population and patients themselves. Because diabetes is a growing problem, with more than 800,000 new cases diagnosed annually, this promises to be a valuable source for academic, professional, and public libraries. RBB
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