Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, a sugar that is used as a source of fuel for the body . Normally, the hormone insulin helps glucose enter the cells where it is used for energy. Persons with diabetes either do not produce insulin, do not produce enough insulin or the insulin does not work like it should. As a result, glucose does not get into the body's cells and stays in the bloodstream. Too much sugar in the blood makes people ill and could result in medical complications.
The human body is composed of millions of cells. The cells need energy to function. One way the cells receive energy is from the food we eat. Whenever you eat or drink, part of the food is broken down into glucose. Glucose is a sugar that is released into your blood. It is a major source of energy for your body cells and is transported from your bloodstream into your cells with the help of insulin.
Insulin is an hormone that's made in the pancreas. It is produced by the beta, or islet cells inside your pancreas and works continuously to regulate the amount of glucose in your blood. Pancreas is a gland located near your stomach, that produces chemicals for food digestion. When food is eaten, the amount of glucose in the bloodstream rises. In response to the elevated blood glucose level, your islet cells produce insulin. The insulin moves the glucose out of the bloodstream. To prevent your blood glucose level from getting too low, your body singnals you to eat. This starts the process again so that your body cells continually receive the energy that they need.
Diabetes could be:
Gestational diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
GESTATIONAL DIABETES: This is a common pregnancy complication. The placenta which supports the baby produces hormones to help the baby develop. However, Gestational diabetes results when the hormones produced by the placenta causes insulin resistance in the mother. Insulin resistance makes it difficult for her body to use the insulin that she produces. As a result glucose is unable to get into the cells for energy. The glucose accumulates in the blood and causes high blood glucose levels.
Gestational diabetes develop most frequently during the last three months of pregnancy, when the baby's body has been formed. Because Gestational Diabetes generally occurs later in pregnancy, it does not cause the type of birth defects associated with mothers that had diabetes before pregnancy. However, untreated or poorly controlled, Gestational Diabetes can harm both the mother and the baby. Gestational Diabetes usually does not continue after pregnancy.
TYPE 1 DIABETES: This is an auto immune disorder. During the disease process, the body mistakely recognises the cells that produce insulin as foreign and kills them off. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not clear. A person's diet or lifestyle does not contribute to the development of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is triggered when Islet cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system and insulin is no longer produced. Researchers do not know why this happens. They suspect it may be an inherited genetic condition or triggered by a toxin or virus. Type 1 diabetes usually appears before the age of 20, although people older than this may be diagnosed with the disease. It was formerly called 'Juvenile diabetes' or 'insulin dependent diabetes'.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes are usually prominent before a person is diagnosed. While each of the symptoms alone might not signal diabetes, it is important to be aware of changes in routines, behaviours or habits and to address them if they occur.
Some of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes are:
Frequent Urination
Extreme thirst and dry mouth
Extreme hunger
Unexplained weight loss
Fruity smelling mouth
Abdominal pain
Nausea or vomiting
Urinary tract / vaginal infections
Blurred vision
Headaches
Drowsiness, lethargy
Stupor, unconsciousess
TYPE 2 DIABETES: Also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but they either do not produce enough, or the cells of the body are resistant to the absorption of insulin, and glucose remains in the blood stream.
Type 2 diabetes occurs because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body's cells are not allowing the insulin to be absorbed. This is known as Insulin resistance- a condition in which the body does not recognise or respond to the insulin that is produced. This results in elevated blood glucose levels because the glucose cannot get into the body cells for energy and remains in the blood stream.
Type 2 diabetes most frequently develop in people who are 40yrs old and above and overweight. But it could occur in people who are not overweight. Overweight children can also develop type 2 diabetes.
People with type 2 diabetes must manage their condition with weight control, diet, excercises, and medication. They may use insulin or an oral medication that helps their body make the most of their own insulin.
Before most people develop type 2 diabetes, they will experience 'Pre diabeties'- also known as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose, is a condition in which blood glucose levels are elevated, but are not enough to meet the criteria for type 2 diabetes. A diagnosis of pre-diabetes means that you are likely to develop diabeties and may already experience adverse health effects. Research shows that long term damage to the heart and circulatory system may begin to occur during pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabeties can delay or prevent type 2 diabeties if blood glucose levels are managed with nutrition and exercises during pre-diabetes, and should use this time to take control of their health and lose weight.
Some research has shown that type 2 diabetes is most likely to occur when poor health habits (lack of exercise, high calorie diet, and obesity) combine with an underlying genetic risk for the disease. Major risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
Age greater than 45yrs (but it could happen in children also).
Weight greater than 120% of desirable body weight.
Family history of type 2 diabetes in a first-degree relative.
History of a previous abnormal glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose test.
High blood pressure (>140/99mm Hg) or high cholesterol (HDL cholesterol level <40 mg/dl or triglyceride level >150 mg/dl).
History of gestational diabetics or delivering a baby with a birth weight of over 9 pounds.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (which results in insulin resistance).
Most people with pre-diabetes do not have any symptoms. Type 2 diabetes may or may not produce symptoms.
Many people with type 2 diabetes do not know that they have it. In most cases, the symptoms develop gradually when blood sugar levels become high. Symptoms and complications of type 2 diabetes are nearly identical to those of type 1 diabetes and they are:
Frequent urination.
Thirst and dry mouth.
Excessive hunger.
Weight loss.
Fatigue.
Slow healing of cuts, or sores, or new sores that develop on the body.
Itchy, red skin in the groin or vaginal area.
Frequent yeast infection.
Dark, velvety skin on the neck, in the armpits or groin.
Erectile dysfunction in men.
Sudden weight gain(for some people).
Numbness or tingling of the hands and/or feet.
Loss of vision/blurry vision.
If diabetes goes undetected or untreated, the symtoms may get worse, more dangerous and the person may experience abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and could go into ketoacidosis which is a serious condition that could lead to diabetic coma and even death.
However even with treatment, some problems associated with diabetes may occur.These conditions include:
Hyperglycemia (High blood sugar).
Hypoglycemia (Low blood sugar).
Ketoacidosis.
HYPERGLYCEMIA: This is the term for high blood glucose. A number of factors can affect the blood sugar, and even those whose disease is properly managed may experience bouts of high blood glucose level. The warning signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
High blood glucose levels.
High level of sugar in the urine.
Frequent urination.
Increased thirst.
HYPOGLYCEMIA: This is a term for low blood glucose. This occurs when the body has too little food/glucose and too much insulin. It's a very common condition for many people with type 1 diabetes. Very low blood sugar may lead to insulin shock, which can be life threatening if not promptly treated.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
Shakiness
Dizziness
Sweating
Hunger
Headache
Pale coloured skin
Sudden moodiness
Clumsiness
Seizure
Poor attention span
Confusion
Tingling sensations around your mouth.
Check your body if you suspect that your blood glucose level is low. You should treat hypoglycemia immediately. The quickest way to treat hypoglycemia is to raise your blood sugar level with some form of sugar-glucose tablets, fruit juice, or hard candy. Ask your doctor for a list of appropriate foods. Be sure to give the body enough time to recover and for the blood sugar to rise to normal levels before testing again. It is important not to over-treat the symptoms as this can cause a rebound effect, and turn into a high blood sugar. It is important to treat hypoglycemia immediately to avoid unconsciousness.
KETOACIDOSIS: This is extremely dangerous. Ketones are acids that accumulate in the blood when your body breaks down fats. Your body releases ketones through urine. Ketones appear in urine when the body does not have enough insulin. Ketoacidosis occurs when all the ketones cannot be released through urine and the amount of ketones remaining in the blood becomes high enough to poison the body.
Ketoacidosis usually develops slowly, but when vomiting occurs, the condition could develop just in a few hours. The first symptoms of Ketoacidosis include:
Thirst
Dry mouth
Frequent urination
High blood glucose levels
High levels of ketones in the urine.
This symptoms are followed by dry or flushed skin, continual tiredness, nausea, abdominal pains or vomiting, difficulty breathing, impaired attention span or confusion and fruity smelling breath.
You could help prevent ketoacidosis by monitoring yourself for warning signs, and checking your urine and blood regularly.
If you have high level of ketones or ketones in your urine, do not exercise. Exercising will only make the situation worse.
HYPEROSMOLAR HYPERGLYCEMIC NONKETOTIC SYNDROME (HHNS):
Is a serious condition that most frequently occur in older persons and those with type 2 diabetes. However, it can also occur in individuals with type 1 diabetes. An illness or infection usually brings on HHNS. For people with HHNS, dehydration occurs as the body tries to remove excess blood sugar by passing it out of the body in urine. Urination may be frequent at first but then decrease. You may become very thirsty and urine will become very dark. It is important to drink plenty of liquids to remain hydrated. HHNS can cause severe dehydration and lead to seizures, coma and death.
Warning signs and symptoms of HHNS include:
A sugar level of over 600mg/dl.
A very dry skin that does not sweat.
Fever over 101ยบ Fahrenheit.
Sleeplessness or confusion.
Vision loss.
Auditory or visual hallucinations.
Weakness on one side of the body.
You can avoid HHNS by checking your blood glucose levels regularly. You need to check your blood glucose levels more often when you are sick or have an infection.
Reference- www.norlandmedicalcentre.com
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