Department of Adult and Pediatric Diabetology - Heart and Diabetes Center NRW Bad Oeynhausen

About the Department of Adult and Pediatric Diabetology at Heart and Diabetes Center NRW Bad Oeynhausen

The Department of Adult and Pediatric Diabetology at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW Bad Oeynhausen offers the full range of services for the diagnostics and treatment of all types of diabetes mellitus, including rare forms of this pathology. The department annually provides top-class medical services to about 2,500 patients from various age groups. To date, there are no treatment methods that could lead to a complete cure for diabetes mellitus, so the primary goal of each department's doctor is to control the pathology and provide a patient with diabetes mellitus with a high quality of life. In addition, an important task of the department is the treatment of early and late complications of diabetes mellitus. Of particular interest is the provision of medical care to patients with cardiovascular complications caused by diabetes mellitus. The department has gained a reputation as one of the leading German medical facilities specializing in the treatment of patients with vascular and cardiac diseases caused by diabetes mellitus. The outstanding quality of medical services is evidenced by the certificate of the German Diabetes Society (DDG) and other prestigious certificates. The department's doctors are always open to dialogue with their patients and support them in every possible way during the course of treatment. The Head Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Dr.h.c. Diethelm Tschöpe.

An interdisciplinary competent team, including specialists in endocrinology, diabetology, gastroenterology, cardiology, nutrition, experts in diabetes counseling and training, psychologists, and specially trained nursing staff, is at the patients' service to provide comprehensive medical care of the highest level. All specialists work in a coordinated manner, cooperatively examining patients with diabetes mellitus and providing them with the necessary medical care. Diabetes mellitus is associated with a high risk of developing severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system (for example, coronary heart disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathies, or atrial fibrillation), so the department's specialists cooperate closely with cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Doctors in these fields are responsible for diagnosing the heart in patients with diabetes mellitus and, if necessary, carrying out treatment for the detected heart pathologies.

The department's medical team devotes a significant amount of time to thorough patient diagnostics. Doctors use the most modern methods to detect endocrinological, gastroenterological, and other diseases. An individually tailored treatment plan is developed based on the diagnostic results. Patients require a partial or total modification of their lifestyle to achieve positive dynamics. This may include dietary and physical activity modifications. The department holds special training and consultations where they learn to cope with the difficulties caused by the disease, eat healthy food, and independently control blood glucose levels. Thanks to working with psychologists, patients also receive information on how to accept their diagnosis and get the most positive emotions from life.

People with diabetes mellitus often have poor wound healing. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that patients often notice the wound only at an advanced stage due to reduced sensitivity. The department has highly qualified specialists in wound healing who take care of early diagnostics and targeted treatment of foot problems caused by diabetes mellitus. As a rule, several treatment methods are combined and prescribed based on a specific clinical case. The department's therapeutic options in this field include maggot therapy, vacuum therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, laser therapy, negative pressure therapy, infusion therapy, and surgical interventions. The department's doctors achieve outstanding results in preserving the affected limbs and stimulating the healing process of chronic wounds.

Many patients with diabetes mellitus also develop other endocrine pathologies, such as thyroid diseases and osteoporosis. Patients with diabetes mellitus are 12 times more likely to have a hip fracture than people without metabolic disorders. Hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone deficiency) can increase the action of insulin and increase the risk of hypoglycemia, while hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid hormones) leads to suppression of insulin action and an increase in blood glucose levels. In addition, high blood glucose levels also affect the production of sex hormones in men and women. Patients with diabetes mellitus need to regularly consult with endocrinologists and undergo check-ups that will help them detect problems with the endocrine glands in a timely manner and effectively eliminate them. The department's endocrinologists carry out such tests as osteodensitometry, skeletal scintigraphy, ultrasound scans, color Doppler ultrasonography, laboratory hormone tests, X-ray scans, and others. Drug therapy is commonly used to treat endocrine disorders.

The department specializes in the diagnostics and treatment of the following types of diabetes mellitus:

• Type 1 diabetes mellitus
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Gestational diabetes mellitus
• Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA)
• Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY)
• Rare forms of diabetes mellitus
• Complications of diabetes mellitus, such as heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney dysfunction, thyroid diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders
• Other forms of the pathology

The department's main clinical activities include:

• Diagnostics and treatment of all forms of diabetes mellitus
• Diagnostics and treatment of secondary and concomitant diseases in diabetes mellitus
• Assessment of the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and treatment of cardiovascular diseases within the integrated medical care
• Modern therapeutic approaches to accelerate wound healing in patients with diabetic foot syndrome
• Treatment of neuropathy and circulatory disorders caused by diabetes mellitus
• Diagnostics and treatment of endocrine and gastroenterological diseases caused by diabetes mellitus
• Individual counseling and training of patients with diabetes mellitus on a new lifestyle, self-monitoring of blood glucose levels, and proper nutrition
• Practical recommendations for lifestyle modifications
• Psychological support
• Other medical services