DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My grandmother is the most important person in my life. Last year she was diagnosed with diabetes. I understand some things about diabetes, but not all. And a few months ago she was admitted to the hospital with congestive heart failure. Will you explain these conditions to me, and how I can help her? Will they affect me later in life? My grandmother is 85, and I am 23. — D.

ANSWER: Show this to your grandmother. I want her to know to know what a grand granddaughter she has. That means more to her health than any medicine she takes.

Your grandmother most likely has type 2 diabetes, the most common kind and the kind that usually can be controlled through diet, exercise and oral medicines. Her body cells have become insensitive to insulin. Insulin, coming from the pancreas, opens the cells’ doors so that blood sugar can enter them and provide them with nourishment. Her cells ignore insulin. Blood sugar rises. Her diet is one that limits carbohydrates (not just sugar) and saturated fats. Those words have little meaning to most people. Perhaps a nearby hospital gives classes in diabetes and the diabetic diet. If you can’t find one, look for a branch of the American Diabetes Association, which can provide you with all the information you need to help your grandmother. Or go online at www.diabetes.org for information from the association. You could help her exercise by taking a daily walk with her, and let your grandmother set the pace. Her doctor prescribed the medicine she is taking. Quite often, that medicine is metformin.

Her second serious condition is congestive heart failure. Her heart is pumping so weakly that it doesn’t circulate blood like it should. Medicines often can strengthen the heart and get rid of symptoms like shortness of breath. She does have to watch how much salt she consumes. She should take in no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. You can find the sodium content of foods on the nutrition label that comes with them. Most of the salt we eat doesn’t come from saltshaker use, but from salt added to commercial foods.

The chance of a parent passing type 2 diabetes to children is 1 in 7 if the parent came down with diabetes before age 50; it’s 1 in 13 if the parent was older than 50 at the time of diagnosis. I can’t find information on the risk involved from having a grandparent affected. It must be very small. The same goes for heart failure, an all-but-nonexistent risk for you.

The booklet on diabetes summarizes the pathology of this illness and its treatment. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 402, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Some time back, you wrote about the different blood sugar readings a person got by taking blood from different fingers. I checked myself. I took blood from five different fingers and got five different readings. Why? -—- J.M.

ANSWER: The Food and Drug Administration approves all medical devices, including glucometers (the gadget that reads blood sugar), if they show no more than a 20 percent deviation from a standard, known sample. Most of the time, the readings are much closer to each other than 20 percent. And when the deviation is limited to 20 percent, it doesn’t require any changes to be made to a person’s diet, exercise or medicine.

You can check the accuracy of your meter by using solutions whose sugar (glucose) content is known. The manufacturer of the meter will direct you to sources where those test solutions are available to you.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have asked several professionals and have not gotten a definite answer. In figuring one’s BMI (body mass index), in which height is relevant, do you use the height you were for most of your life, or your present height, which might be less than it used to be? — P.P.

ANSWER: Your current weight is carried in a smaller package. You should, therefore, use your present height.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www .rbmamall.com.

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