Diabetes and 100 Years of Insulin

2021 marks the 100^th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, a life-saving hormone used to treat and control diabetes.

Discovered in May, 1921 by medical scientists Frederick Banting and Charles Best, the first successful insulin injection was administered soon after on January 23^rd 1922, to Leonard Thomson, a 14-year-old boy dying from type 1 diabetes. Thomson’s condition improved dramatically following the treatment, changing the outlook and quality of life for people living with diabetes forever.  By 1923, insulin became readily available and has since helped save millions of lives in Canada and around the world.

Yet, despite the life-saving discovery, 100 years later, diabetes remains one of the most common diseases in Canada, impacting more Canadians than ever before. 

• diabetes or prediabetes affects 1 in 3 Canadians
• 1 in 2 adults will develop diabetes in their lifetime
• diabetes can reduce a person’s lifespan by five to 15 years
• people with diabetes are over three times more likely to be hospitalized with cardiovascular disease, 12 times more likely to be hospitalized with end-stage renal disease, and almost 20 times more likely to be hospitalized for a non-traumatic lower limb amputation compared to the general population
• approximately 549 new cases are diagnosed in Canada each day
• in 2019, diabetes was the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 1.5 million deaths directly caused by diabetes
• complications from the disease, including heart disease and kidney disease, contribute to the deaths of approximately 41,500 Canadians each year

However, advances and innovations in the way we treat and manage diabetes treatment are constantly being made and many life-threatening complications are now largely preventable. To provide the best patient care, it’s imperative that healthcare providers remain current on the latest best practices and treatments relating to diabetes. MDBriefCase makes it easy. We offer an extensive range of diabetes-focused courses covering the latest peer-reviewed evidence and medical advances. 

Joining is free and provides healthcare professionals with access to countless world-class continuing education programs with local accreditation that enhance their practice and keep them at the forefront of the latest evidence and protocols.

Some recent diabetes-focused courses include:

• Diabetes at Diagnosis: Primary Care Patient Case
• Advancement of Antihyperglycemic Therapy – The Management of Type 2 Diabetes is Evolving with New Data
• Simplifying Insulin Regimens – When, Why and How to Initiate and Intensify Insulin in Type 2 Diabetes
• Advances in Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Delivery
• Primary CV Prevention in Type 2 Diabetes

Stay ahead of what’s ahead in healthcare — join MDBriefCase for free today.

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