• Type 1. An auto-immune disease in which the body does not produce any insulin, most often occurring in children and young adults. Type 1 diabetes was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body's immune system destroys pancreatic beta cells, the only cells in the body that make the hormone insulin that regulates blood glucose. This form of diabetes usually strikes children and young adults, who need several insulin injections a day or an insulin pump to survive. Type 1 diabetes may account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors for type 1 diabetes include autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors.

    Who is at greater risk for type 1 diabetes?
    • Siblings of people with type 1 diabetes
    • Children of parents with type 1 diabetes

  • Type 2. A metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough, or properly use, insulin. It is the most common form of the disease. Type 2 diabetes is nearing epidemic proportions, due to an increased number of older Americans, and a greater prevalence of obesity and sedentary lifestyles. Type 2 diabetes was previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. It usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells do not use insulin properly. As the need for insulin rises, the pancreas gradually loses its ability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents.

    Who is at greater risk for type 2 diabetes?
    • People over age 45
    • People with a family history of diabetes
    • People who are overweight
    • People who do not exercise regularly
    • People with low HDL cholesterol or high triglycerides
    • Certain racial and ethnic groups (e.g., African Americans, Latinos, Asian & Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans)
    • Women who had gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes occurring in 2-5% of all pregnancies, or who have had a baby weighing 9 pounds or more at birth

    Type 2 diabetes is more common among these ethnic groups:
    • African Americans. African Americans are 1.7 times as likely to have type 2 diabetes as the general population. An estimated 2.3 million African Americans, or 10.8%, have diabetes.
    • Latinos. Latinos are almost twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes. For example, diabetes affects 1.2 million or 10.6% of the Mexican American population.
    • Native Americans. Overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Native Americans is 12.2% vs. 5.2% of the general population. In some tribes, 50% of the population has diabetes.
  • Gestational diabetes develops in 2 -5% of all pregnancies but disappears when a pregnancy is over. Gestational diabetes is a form of glucose intolerance that is diagnosed in some women during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs more frequently among African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, and Native Americans. It is also more common among obese women and women with a family history of diabetes. During pregnancy, gestational diabetes requires treatment to normalize maternal blood glucose levels to avoid complications in the infant. After pregnancy, 5% to 10% of women with gestational diabetes are found to have type 2 diabetes. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20% to 50% chance of developing diabetes in the next 5-10 years.
  • Other specific types of diabetes result from specific genetic conditions (such as maturity onset diabetes of youth), surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses. Such types of diabetes may account for 1% to 5% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Warning Signs of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes:

  • Frequent urination
  • Unusual thirst
  • Extreme hunger
  • Unusual weight loss
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Irritability

Type 2 Diabetes:

  • Any of the type 1 symptoms
  • Frequent infections
  • Blurred vision
  • Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
  • Tingling/numbness in the hands or feet
  • Recurring skin, gum or bladder infections
  • Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms.

Treatment of diabetes

  • In order to survive, people with type 1 diabetes must have insulin delivered by a pump or injections.
  • Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose by following a careful diet and exercise program, losing excess weight, and taking oral medication.
  • Many people with diabetes also need to take medications to control their cholesterol and blood pressure.
  • Among adults with diagnosed diabetes, about 11% take both insulin and oral medications, 22% take insulin only, 49% take oral medications only, and 17% do not take either insulin or oral medications.

Impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose

  • Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) are considered to be prediabetic conditions, and studies suggest that they may be reversible.
  • IGT is a condition in which the blood sugar level is elevated (between 140 and 199 milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL in a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test), but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
  • IFG is a condition in which the fasting blood sugar level is elevated (between 110 and 125 mg/dL after an overnight fast) but is not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
  • Among U.S. adults 40-74 years of age, 16.0 million (15.6%) have IGT and 10.0 million (9.7%) have IFG.

 

Information above is gathered from Florida's health website. This is for informational purpose only, please consult your doctor or diabetes educator to be diagnosed or if you have any questions at all.

 

 

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is the most common diabetes found in children and young adults. In fact, one in five hundred children have type 1 diabetes. However, for unknown reasons the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing for both children and adults. Type 1 diabetes is caused by inherited (genetic factors), self allergy (autoimmune) and environmental factors (from a virus, chemical or stress). People with type 1 diabetes inherit the gene that causes type 1 diabetes then something (autoimmune, stress or environment) affects the body and causes the insulin producing cells of the pancreas to be destroyed and not produce insulin anymore. Without insulin the body cells cannot take glucose from the blood for energy and the blood glucose levels increase. In order to maintain a normal healthy life a person with type 1 diabetes must inject insulin daily for the rest of their lives.

What is diabetes
Glucose travels through the blood to provide fuel for all of our body cells. Our cells are like a furnace, which burns fuel (glucose) to make energy. Our body constantly needs energy for all of our body functions. The body needs energy for the heart to beat, the brain to think, the lung to breathe, the leg muscles to walk, etc. Our bodies get glucose from two sources. The first is an internal source of glucose where the liver can produce or release stored glucose. The second source is external where our bodies change the foods that we eat to glucose. Insulin is a hormone that is made by the pancreas and allows glucose to pass into the cells so the glucose can be used as fuel for energy. Insulin also turns off the production or release of glucose from the liver. When insulin metabolism is altered the blood glucose level increases. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Defining Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is a disorder of glucose (blood sugar) and insulin (hormone that regulates glucose) metabolism. It occurs when the levels of glucose in the body are too high. Diabetes is a serious condition that can affect every part of the body. The term diabetes mellitus is of Greek origin, with diabetes meaning Siphon, which is fluids coming out (urine) as fast as they went in (the mouth), while Mellitus means sweet urine.

Symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose):
The symptoms of high blood glucose include:

* Frequent passing of urine
* Frequent drinking of liquids
* Frequent eating of foods
* Weight loss for some individuals
* Weight gain
* Change in behavior
* Blurred vision
* Fatigue
* Increase in poor wound healing
* Increase in infections.

 

Complications of diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects every part of the body. It does not matter if you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes the blood glucose needs to be maintained near normal as possible. The consequence of long term hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) leads damage of the large blood vessels, nerves, and small blood vessels. Health problems associated with diabetes include stroke, heart attack, circulation problems, kidney disease, blindness, periodontal disease, nerve damage and loss of foot or leg caused by circulation problems and nerve disease.

Management of Diabetes
Diabetes is a manageable disease and good management decreases the complications of diabetes by 76%. The management of diabetes involves medication including insulin for type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes and oral medication for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes management will also include medication for reduction or treatment of the complications of diabetes. All diabetes management includes lifestyle changes including diet and exercise, self blood glucose monitoring, quarterly monitoring of laboratory data, education of the disease process and care to reduce the complications of diabetes.

All information stated above is for informational purposes only.