Diabetes is a disease that causes the blood glucose levels go above normal, i.e. above 80-120 mg/dl. The hormone insulin secreted by the pancreas keeps blood glucose level low. Diabetes occurs when your body either doesn’t make sufficient insulin or you lack the mechanism of using the produced insulin.
What are the different types of diabetes?
There are mainly two types of diabetes – type I and type II. Type I diabetes, also called insulin-dependent diabetes, occurs mostly in children as a result of autoimmune disorders. That is, the body’s immune system destroys the insulin producing beta cells of pancreas. Type II diabetes, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes, occurs in adults as a result of lower insulin level or poor utilization of insulin. Gestational diabetes is another type that occurs in pregnant women. Type II is the most common form – it makes 90×9695% of all diabetic cases.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, feeling very tired, dry mouth, very dry skin, and sores that are slow to heal. Some other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and stomach pains may also be present.
What problems are created by diabetes?
Diabetes can lead to many health problems such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, delayed healing of wounds, and lower-extremity amputations. In the United States, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death.
Who are more prone to type II diabetes?
Elderly people, obese people and people with a family history of diabetes and gestational diabetes and people with impaired glucose tolerance are more prone to diabetes.
What are the treatments for diabetes?
For type I diabetes, the classical treatment is insulin injections. In case of type II diabetes, healthy eating, physical activity, blood glucose testing and administration of oral medicines are recommended.
What are the common precautions against diabetes?
The precautions include practicing a healthy diet with reduced carbohydrates and fats, reducing body weight and engaging in moderately vigorous physical activities.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Type 1 Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile onset diabetes are some of the other terms that refer to type 1 diabetes, a lifelong disease that marks insufficient insulin production for proper regulation of the body’s blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 3 percent of all...
-
Diabetes Mellitus
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The word diabetes is taken from the Greek word diabainein which literally means ‘passing through.’ This is in direct reference to excessive urination, a major symptom of diabetes. Mellitus, on the other hand, is from the Greek word mel meaning ‘honey’ and was added to...
-
Diabetes Medications
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Diabetes medications are attempted when normal diabetic diet, weight loss and exercise fail to bring blood sugar to a normal range. They include oral drugs and hypodermal injections. Medication usually starts when the average blood glucose levels are greater than 150 mg/dl (8 mol). Diabetes...
-
Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Diabetes has acquired its name from the Greek word “siphon”. Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism and the endocrine system, and is a blood-related disease. It has two forms: Diabetes mellitus (from the Greek word for sugar) and Diabetes insipidus. The main causes of...
-
Juvenile Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Juvenile diabetes is a chronic disorder caused by the body’s inability to manage sugar or glucose and store it properly to be used as fuel. When the body can’t efficiently break down glucose to be absorbed by the cells, it stays in the blood and...
-
Diabetes Medication
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Blood glucose control is managed by proper meal planning, weight loss and exercising. At times however, these actions are not adequate to bring blood glucose levels down to their normal range. Medication is in the form of oral pills and insulin shots. Blood glucose levels...
-
Symptoms of Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Diabetes is a disorder of the body’s sugar-regulation abilities. Most of the time it goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are not very clear. There are many symptoms, but they don’t appear in all cases. The symptoms include frequent urination (polyuria), which occurs because of the...
-
Managing Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
With proper medication, diet and physical activity any diabetic person can live a normal risk free healthy life. Many sites on the Internet provide useful tips for managing diabetes. The most important step in managing diabetes is to know the disease. A clear understanding of...
-
Feline Diabetes
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Even cats are not spared from the dangers of diabetes. Feline diabetes is a complex yet common disorder in cats caused by insufficient insulin production or the cat’s inability to respond to insulin. Feline diabetes is very similar to diabetes and how it affects humans,...
-
Diabetes Supplies
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Diabetes is a lifelong disease and can affect any one at any age or time. For many years this was considered to be a life-threatening disease, as there was no remedy. With improvements in research many therapies have been developed. The first step in controlling...