All about Diabetes

Diabetes is also known as Diabetes mellitus. It is metabolic disease that increase sugar level in blood.
The insulin in hormone move sugar into the cells from the blood which is used for energy. Patient with
diabetes pancreas may doesn’t make enough insulin body require or can’t effectively use the insulin it
does make.

There are various kind of diabetes. But it doesn’t mean what type you have in the end it lead to excess
of sugar in blood.

Generally, in chronic diabetes condition there are two types of diabetes type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But
in some conditions blood sugar level may get higher than normal level but not enough to be classified as
diabetes. These conditions are known as prediabetes and gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes
occurs during pregnancy.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of diabetes depend upon sugar level in blood. In some people with type 1 diabetes symptoms
may appear more rapidly and get severe, while in type 2 diabetes symptoms not appear at first but may
appear most likely after age of 45.

Few sign and symptoms of diabetes are:

 Extreme hunger
 Urination more frequently
 Thirst
 Vision problems
 Slow healing wounds
 Presence of ketones in high quantity in urine
 Mouth infection and vaginal infections

Insulin function

Insulin is a hormone secrets from gland present in pancreas. Insulin circulates in blood and allow sugar
to enter into cells from blood. Insulin lower the quantity of sugar from blood. So the sugar level drops.

Role of glucose

Glucose is a sugar which we get from food and liver. Glucose provide energy to our muscles and other
parts of body. Insulin allow sugar to absorbed into blood from where it enters into cells. Liver make
glucose and store in form of glycogen and when glucose level is low. Liver convert glycogen into glucose
to keep glucose level within a normal range.

Cause of type 1 diabetes

The main reason of diabetes type 1 is our immune system, which normally protect our body from germs
also attack insulin producing cells and destroy them, so instead of moving into cells,sugar remain in
blood.

Cause of type 2 diabetes.

In type 2 diabetes body cells become resistant from the action of insulin, and pancreas is unable to make
sufficient amount of insulin to overcome resistance, so sugar stay in blood instead of transported into
cells.

It is thought that environmental and genetic factor plays vital role in the development of type 2
diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is strongly related to being overweight.

Risk factors

Family history. You may be at risk of diabetes if your one of your parents have history of diabetes

Geography: Some countries like Sweden, China and Sweden have higher rate of diabetes type 1

Occurrence of damaging immune cells: Some people with diabetes type 1 may have diabetes
autoantibodies. There are chances of developing diabetes if person have autoantibodies.
Age: You are at risk of diabetes type 2 if you get older. It may be because you gain weight, lose muscle
or do less exercise

Race: Black people, Hispanics and American Indians are at high risk of diabetes

High blood pressure: Having blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg may cause type 2 diabetes

Obesity (overweight): Cells become resistant to insulin if body contain high quantity of fatty tissues.

Laziness: The lazier you are the greater your risk. Physical exercise helps to maintain your weight,
Exercise require energy, so uses up more glucose as energy make your cells sensitive to insulin.

Diagnosis

Doctor recommend blood test to diagnose diabetes

Two types of test use to diagnose diabetes

Fasting plasma glucose test is used to measure the level of blood sugar after 8 hours of fasting

The A1C test take a snapshot of blood sugar level over the last 3 months

Pregnant women are regularly test of sugar during second and third trimester of pregnancy

Treatment of type 1 diabetes

Four type of insulin are mostly given to control blood sugar level
Long lasting insulin start work after few hours and work up to 24 hours

Intermediate- acting insulin start its work within 1 to 3 hours and work for 13 to 18 hours

Rapid- acting insulin shows its action within 15 minutes and last for 2 to 4 hours

Short acting insulin shows it effect within 30 minutes and its effects last for 6 to 9 hours

Type 2 diabetes treatment

Exercise and proper diet may lower the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. If these lifestyle changes not help
to reduce sugar level, then you need proper medication to control diabetes.

These drugs help you to lower diabetes in different ways:

Acarbose and migligot (Alpha glucosidase inhibitor)

Sitagliptin and Linagliptin (DPP-4 inhibitors)

Glyburide and glipizide (Sulfonylureas)

Metformin (Biguanides)

Canagliflozin and dapagliflozin (SGLT2 inhibitors).

Prevention
There are certain changes in lifestyle to control type 2 diabetes. Type 1 can’t be prevented.
Regular exercise
If you are overweight. Do exercise daily to lower the weight. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of physical
exercises. Do various exercises Ride bike, walk and run. If you can’t do longer exercises take
break and exercise in sessions.
Proper diet
Eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid food with calories and fats such red meat, cheese and
other animal source.