The WHSI is a non-profit wound care organization centered on helping address diabetes around the globe. Because diabetes is a chronic condition that impacts the lives of more than 400 million individuals, (a number that’s expected to grow to half a billion by 2040), innovations in treatment, care, and management of the condition are needed now more than ever. Not to mention that those with diabetes experience medical expenditures of approximately 2.3 times higher than individuals without the condition. That can result in up to $13,000 or more in additional costs each year. Access to quality education and care for the condition is of increasing importance to the global community.

It is our mission to help spur innovations in both the care and prevention of diabetes and its complications by hosting the annual WHSI Conference where industry leaders, medical tech innovators, as well as clinical and academic professionals may convene to learn and share. The primary mission of the WHSI Conference is to provide a platform for an open exchange of information with a focus on amputation prevention and vascular and wound care education.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease in which someone’s pancreas produces very little or no insulin at all. Insulin is a peptide hormone that regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, as well as protein. After eating, carbohydrates break down into glucose, (a sugar that acts as the body’s primary source of energy), and then glucose enters the body’s cells where it can be used and stored for energy. Insulin is the hormone that helps glucose enter cells and produce energy.

Therefore, when an individual has diabetes, fatigue and weakness are common symptoms. And, while Type 1 Diabetes typically appears during childhood or a person’s adolescence, the condition can develop later on in adults.

Currently, Type 1 diabetes has no cure and must be managed with insulin therapy to help manage blood sugar levels, by practicing a healthy, active lifestyle, and eating a nutritious diet.

Complications

Over time, and when type 1 diabetes is left unaddressed, several complications may arise.

• Cardiovascular problems: Diabetes greatly increases the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, heart attack, atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure.
• Nerve damage: Excess sugar can harm tiny blood vessels that nourish nerves, especially in the lower extremities like the feet and legs. This can lead to a loss of feeling in affected limbs and result in amputation.
• Eye damage: Diabetes can damage the retina’s blood vessels and possibly lead to blindness or blurred vision. Diabetes also increases the risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma.
• Slow wound healing: Individuals with diabetes have problems with immune system activation. This means there’s an absence of available immune cells to fight infection and heal wounds at a normal pace.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes differs from type 1 in that the condition develops more slowly over the course of an individual’s life. While type 1 diabetes develops quickly over the course of several weeks, someone with type 2 diabetes may not exhibit symptoms for years.

The other main difference between type 1 and type 2 is that type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin at all. Type 2 diabetics don’t respond to insulin as well as they should, and later on, as the condition progresses, don’t produce enough insulin.

How Wound Care Organizations Like WHSI Help

The annual WSHI Conference is a place for medical technology companies and clinical and academic experts to come together and discuss innovations in the treatment of diabetes. By helping provide a forum for education, the WSHI Conference helps professionals network and work together to find solutions for communities around the world that are affected by diabetes.

You can contact us to learn more.