Diabetes
Diabetes:
An Overview:
If you have diabetes, your body can't use and
process the glucose in your food properly. The problem of having too much
glucose in your bloodstream is shared by all types of diabetes, each with its
own unique set of causes. Insulin and/or medications are used as treatments. A
healthy lifestyle can help prevent some types of diabetes.
When your
body is unable to absorb sugar (glucose) into its cells and use it for energy,
you develop diabetes. As a result, more sugar builds up in your bloodstream.
Diabetes management
mistakes can have serious consequences, causing damage to your heart, kidneys,
eyes, and nerves, among other organs and tissues.
Why do I
have a high blood glucose level? What causes this to occur?
Breaking
down food into its various nutrient sources is an important part of digestion.
Your body converts carbohydrates like bread, rice, and pasta into sugar
(glucose) when you eat them. When glucose enters your bloodstream, it needs
assistance—a "key"—to get inside your body's cells, where it will be
used. Cells are what make up your body's tissues and organs. Insulin is the
help or "key" here.
Your
pancreas, an organ behind your stomach, is responsible for the production of
insulin, a hormone. Insulin is pumped into your bloodstream by your pancreas.
Insulin is the "key" that opens the "door" in the cell
wall, allowing glucose to enter your body's cells. The "fuel," or
energy, that tissues and organs require to function properly is provided by
glucose.
Those
with diabetes:
Your
pancreas does not produce enough insulin or any insulin at all.
Or, your
pancreas produces insulin, but the cells in your body do not respond to it and
are unable to use it as they normally would.
Glucose
stays in your bloodstream and raises your blood glucose level if it cannot
enter your cells.
How many
different kinds of diabetes are there?
Types of
diabetes include:
Diabetes
mellitus:
An
autoimmune disease is one in which your body attacks itself. Your pancreas'
insulin-producing cells are destroyed in this scenario.
Type 1
diabetes affects up to 10% of diabetes patients. It is typically diagnosed in
young adults and children, but it can occur at any age. Previously, it was
referred to as "juvenile" diabetes. Insulin needs to be taken every
day by people who have Type 1 diabetes. It is also known as insulin-dependent
diabetes as a result.
Diabetes
mellitus:
Type 2
diabetes affects up to 95% of diabetes patients. It usually happens to people
who are middle-aged or older. Adult-onset diabetes and insulin-resistant
diabetes are two additional terms used to describe Type 2. It might have been
referred to by your grandparents or parents as "having a touch of
sugar."
Prediabetes:
The stage
that comes before Type 2 diabetes is this type. Although your blood glucose
levels are higher than usual, they are not high enough to indicate Type 2
diabetes.
Diabetes
at birth:
During
pregnancy, some women develop this type. After giving birth, gestational
diabetes typically disappears. However, you are more likely to develop Type 2
diabetes in later life if you have gestational diabetes.
Types of
diabetes that are less common include:
Diabetes
syndromes caused by genes:
Up to 4% of
all cases of diabetes are accounted for by these uncommon inherited forms.
Diabetes in infants and young people with maturity-onset diabetes are two
examples.
Diabetes
caused by cystic fibrosis:
This is a
type of diabetes that only those with this condition experience.
Diabetes
brought on by chemicals or drugs:
This happens
after an organ transplant, after HIV/AIDS treatment, or when glucocorticoid
steroid use is involved.
A distinct
and uncommon condition known as diabetes insipidus causes your kidneys to
produce a significant amount of urine.
How
widespread is diabetes?
In the
United States, approximately 1 in 10 people, or 34.2 million people of all
ages, have diabetes. About 7.3 million adults aged 18 and older, or 1 in 5, are
unaware that they have diabetes, or just under 3 percent of all adults in the
United States. As people get older, more people are diagnosed with diabetes.
Diabetes affects about one in four adults over the age of 65.
Who
acquires diabetes? What are the potential dangers?
The factors
that raise your risk vary depending on the kind of diabetes you end up getting.
The
following are risk factors for type 1 diabetes:
· having
a parent or sibling with a history of Type 1 diabetes
·
The
pancreas has been damaged by something like an infection, a tumor, surgery, or
an accident.
·
Autoantibodies
(antibodies that erroneously attack your own tissues or organs) are present.
·
Physical
strain (such as an illness or surgery).
·
exposure
to viruses that cause diseases.
The
following are risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes:
·
Prediabetes
or Type 2 diabetes in the family, whether it be a parent or a sibling.
·
being
of Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Native American, or another
race
·
being
overweight or obese.
·
having
an elevated blood pressure
·
having
high triglyceride levels and low HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels.
·
a
lack of physical activity.
·
being
over 45 years old.
·
having
diabetes during pregnancy or giving birth to a child who weighs more than 9
pounds.
·
being
affected by polycystic ovary syndrome.
·
having
a history of stroke or heart disease.
·
Having
smoked.
The
following are risk factors for gestational diabetes:
Prediabetes
or Type 2 diabetes in the family, whether it be a parent or a sibling.
being
Asian-American, Native American, Hispanic, or African-American.
being
overweight or obese prior to becoming pregnant.
being older
than 25 years old.
SYMPTOMS
AND CAUSES Diabetes: What causes it?
Having an
excess of glucose in your bloodstream is the root of all forms of diabetes.
However, the reason for high blood glucose levels varies from diabetes type to
diabetes type.
Diabetes
type 1 is caused by:
This is a
disease of the immune system. The cells in your pancreas that make insulin are
attacked and destroyed by your body. If you don't have insulin, glucose builds
up in your bloodstream and can't get into your cells. Some patients may also be
affected by genes. Additionally, a virus may initiate an immune response.
Pre-diabetes
and type 2 diabetes are brought on by:
The cells of
your body prevent insulin from functioning as it should to allow glucose into
its cells. Insulin has become ineffective against the cells in your body. To
overcome this resistance, your pancreas cannot keep up and produce sufficient
insulin. The amount of glucose in your blood increases.
Diabetes
at birth:
Your body's
cells become more resistant to insulin as a result of hormones that are
produced by the placenta during your pregnancy. To overcome this resistance,
your pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin. Your bloodstream
contains an excess amount of glucose.
What are
diabetes's symptoms?
Diabetic
symptoms include:
·
thirst
increased.
·
sluggishness
and fatigue
·
vision
that is hazy.
·
tingling
or numbness in the hands or feet.
·
wounds
that take a long time to heal
·
Weight
loss that wasn't planned.
·
a
lot of urination.
·
frequent
infections with no explanation.
·
Itchy
mouth
Other
symptoms in women include:
Skin that is
dry and scaly, as well as frequent infections with yeast or the urinary tract.
In men:
diminished muscle strength, diminished sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction.
Signs of
type 1 diabetes:
Over the
course of a few weeks or months, symptoms can manifest quickly. When you are a
child, a teen, or a young adult, symptoms begin. Nausea, vomiting, stomach
pains, and yeast infections or urinary tract infections are additional
symptoms.
Symptoms
of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes:
Because they
develop slowly over several years, you may not experience any symptoms at all
or fail to notice them. Although prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are on the
rise across all age groups, symptoms typically begin to manifest when you are
an adult.
Diabetes
at birth:
Typically,
you won't notice any symptoms. Between the 24th and 28th weeks of your
pregnancy, you will be tested for gestational diabetes by your obstetrician.
What are
diabetes's side effects?
Your body's
tissues and organs can suffer serious damage if your blood glucose level stays
high for an extended period of time. Over time, some complications can be
fatal.
Problems
include:
·
Heart
disease, chest pain, a heart attack, a stroke, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and atherosclerosis are all examples of cardiovascular problems.
·
Damage
to the nerves (neuropathy), which results in numbness and tingling that starts
in the toes or fingers and spreads.
·
Nephropathy
is damage to the kidney that can result in kidney failure, necessitate
dialysis, or necessitate a transplant.
·
a
condition known as retinopathy that can cause blindness in the eyes; glaucoma
and cataracts
·
damage
to the feet, including damage to the nerves, insufficient blood flow, and poor
wound and cut healing.
·
Acne
on the skin.
·
Erection
problems.
·
loss
of hearing
·
Depression.
·
Dementia.
·
issues
with the teeth
Diabetes gestational-related
complications:
The
mother says:
Preeclampsia
(high blood pressure, excessive protein in the urine, swelling of the legs and
feet), the possibility of gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies, and
the possibility of developing diabetes in later life.
In the
infant:
Low blood
sugar (hypoglycemia), a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes over time,
and a death shortly after birth that is greater than normal.
Diagnosis
and tests for diabetes What tests are used to diagnose diabetes?
A blood test
to measure your glucose level is used to diagnose and treat diabetes. Your
blood glucose level can be measured using one of three tests: A1c test, random
glucose test, and fasting glucose test.
Plasma
glucose test during a fast:
After an
eight-hour fast during which nothing but water was consumed, this test should
be performed in the morning.
Plasma glucose
test at random:
This test
does not require a rush and can be completed at any time.
Test of
A1C:
Your average blood glucose level over the past
two to three months is provided by this test, which is also known as the HbA1C
or glycated hemoglobin test. The amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin, the
oxygen-carrying protein in your red blood cells, is measured by this test.
Prior to this test, you do not need to sprint.
Test for
oral glucose tolerance:
After a
night of fasting, the blood glucose level is first measured in this test. You
then consume a sweet beverage. The glucose level in your blood is then checked
at the first, second, and third hours.
Type of test
Normal (mg/dL), prediabetes (mg/dL), and diabetes (mg/dL) Fasting glucose test
Less than 100 100-125 126 or higher Random glucose test Less than 140 140-199
200 or higher A1c test Less than 5.7% 5.7 - 6.4% 6.5% or higher Oral glucose
tolerance test Less than 140 140-199 200 or higher Gestational diabetes tests:
If you are pregnant, you will need to have two blood glucose tests. In a
glucose challenge test, you drink a sugary beverage and have your glucose level
checked after an hour. Prior to this test, you do not need to sprint. An oral
glucose tolerance test will be performed (as previously mentioned) in the event
that this test reveals a glucose level that is higher than normal (over 140
ml/dL).
Diabetes
mellitus:
Blood and
urine samples will be taken and tested if your doctor suspects Type 1 diabetes.
Autoantibodies, which are a sign that your body is attacking itself, are
examined in the blood. Ketones, which are a sign that your body is burning fat
for energy, are checked for in the urine. Diabetes type 1 is indicated by these
signs.
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