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My First Fifty Years by John R Bennett Diabetes Definition
Excerpts from : MEDLINEplus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dictionaries.html a web version of "U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894". Diabetes is a life-long disease of high blood sugar caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin, or both. To understand diabetes, first consider the normal process of food metabolism. Several things happen when food is digested: A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream. Glucose is a source of fuel for the body. An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel. People with diabetes have high blood glucose. This is because their pancreas does not make enough insulin, or their muscle, fat and liver do not respond to insulin normally, or both. There are three major types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in childhood. The body makes little or no insulin, and daily injections of insulin are required to live. Without proper daily management, medical emergencies can arise. Type 2 diabetes, which is far more common (about 90% of all diabetes cases) and usually occurs in adulthood. The pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal, often because the body does not respond well to the insulin. Many people with Type 2 diabetes do not even know they have it, although it is a serious condition. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to the growing number of older Americans, increasing obesity, and a lack of exercise. Without proper management, long-term health risks such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure can occur. Gestational diabetes, which is high blood glucose at any time during pregnancy. Diabetes affects 16 million Americans. There are many risk factors for diabetes, including: Family history of diabetes (parent or sibling) Obesity Age greater than 45 years Certain ethnic groups (African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans) Diabetes during pregnancy or baby weighing more than 9 pounds High blood pressure High blood levels of triglycerides (a type of fat molecule) High blood cholesterol level The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults be screened for diabetes at least every three years. A person at high risk should be screened more often. Maintaining an ideal body weight and an active lifestyle may prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Currently there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. High blood levels of glucose can cause several problems, including frequent urination, excessive thirst, hunger, fatigue, weight loss and blurry vision. However, some people with high blood sugar experience no symptoms at all. About 40% of Type 2 diabetics have no symptoms of their condition. Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes: Increased thirst Increased urination Weight loss in spite of increased appetite Fatigue Nausea Vomiting Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes: Increased thirst Increased urination Increased appetite Fatigue Blurred vision Slow-healing infections Impotence in men Patients with Type 1 diabetes usually develop symptoms over a short period of time, and the condition is often diagnosed in an emergency setting. In addition to having high glucose levels, acutely ill Type 1 diabetics have high levels of ketones. Ketones are produced by the breakdown of fat and muscle, and they are toxic at high levels. Ketones in the blood cause a condition called "acidosis" (low blood pH). Urine testing detects both glucose and ketones in the urine. Blood glucose levels are also high. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when: The blood glucose is 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or higher on two occasions after fasting (abstaining from food) for 8 or more hours; or The blood glucose level is 200 milligrams per deciliter or higher at any time between meals with symptoms of diabetes, such as increased thirst, urination, and fatigue; or A blood glucose level drawn two hours after drinking a 75-gram glucose solution is 200 milligrams per deciliter or higher. The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level is a measure of average blood glucose during the previous two to three months. It is used to monitor a patient’s response to diabetes treatment. Blood sugar testing, also called "self-monitoring," is done using a special meter called a glucometer to check the amount of glucose in a drop of blood. Testing is usually done before meals and at bedtime, though more frequent testing may be needed during times of illness or stress. If it is done on a regular basis, testing informs the diabetic patient and their healthcare provider how well diet, exercise, and medication are working together to control their diabetes. Blood sugar testing results can be used to adjust meals, activity, or medications to keep blood sugar levels within an appropriate range. They allow healthcare providers to recommend changes in diabetes treatment. Testing will identify high blood sugar and low blood sugar levels before serious problems develop. Ketone testing is a second test that is used in Type 1 diabetes. Ketones build up in the blood when there is not enough insulin in Type 1diabetes and eventually "spill over" into the urine. The ketone test is done on a urine sample. High levels of blood ketones may result in a serious condition called ketoacidosis. |