Diabetes: The Silent Killer

DIABETES:

THE SILENT KILLER

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is a condition in which the body either cannot produce insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. There are three types of diabetes and each has its own sets of effects, symptoms and treatment options.

TYPES OF DIABETES

The first type of diabetes is Type one diabetes which occurs when the pancreas no longer produces insulin, and therefore, the body needs to use sugar for energy. Approximately ten percent of people with diabetes have Type one diabetes. Type one diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood and is sometimes called juvenile diabetes. This type of diabetes can also occur in older people who, for some reason, lose their pancreatic beta cells. Common causes for this loss include alcohol, pathology, and surgery. Type one diabetics require daily insulin to survive; hence, they are sometimes called insulin-dependent diabetics. Also, type one diabetes may be genetically inherited. More than twenty different regions on the human genome are thought to be linked to diabetes.

Type two diabetes is a more advanced stage of Type One diabetes. It also occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body does not effectively use the insulin that is produced. Ninety percent of people with diabetes have this type of diabetes, which is the most commonly occurring form of the disease. Unlike Type one diabetics, Type two diabetics still produce the hormone insulin, but their pancreas produces too little of it and their bodies are unable to utilize the insulin in a normal fashion which is known as insulin resistance. This problem lies in the fact that, for whatever reason, the insulin is not being used efficiently. Oral medications may be able to help the body along to utilize this insulin. Type two diabetes used to be called adult onset diabetes since it typically affected individuals over forty years old. In recent years, it has been diagnosed in younger individuals at an epidemic level. Type two diabetes is less understood than type one diabetes. It is thought that a combination of many factors lead to the disease. These factors may consist of an improper diet and stress, or a lack of exercise; the lifestyle of and individual has been implicated in the cause of diabetes.

The third and final type of diabetes is Gestational diabetes which is a temporary condition that occurs during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. It affects approximately three and a half percent of all pregnancies and involves an increased risk of developing diabetes for both, mother and child. Gestational diabetes typically goes away after delivery. Women with gestational diabetes are likely to develop it again during subsequent pregnancies. These women are also susceptible to Type two diabetes later in life. Babies born of diabetic mothers are often larger than normal, and may be (macrosomic, a medical term meaning severely obese). This poses a risk of trauma to both mother and baby during the delivery. Macrosomic babies have a higher risk of hypoglycemia after birth and a dangerously low blood glucose level, as well as severe breathing problems. They are also at a higher risk for potential long-term obesity and glucose intolerance.

SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS OF DIABETES

Diabetes can affect the human body in many different ways, and if left unchecked, it can pose a deadly risk to a person's health. Here are a number of symptoms to look for if an individual thinks that he or she may have diabetes. Such common symptoms of diabetes include blurred vision, headaches, loss of consciousness (which is very infrequent), numbness an or tingling of the limbs, and impotency (a problem with erection).

Other symptoms consist of Hyperglycemia, which is the scientific term for having high blood glucose levels. Hyperglycemia is caused by either a lack of insulin or an inability to use insulin effectively. In either case, the lack of insulin prevents the body from using the glucose in one's blood and thus, the glucose level in a person's blood rise to dangerous levels. This symptom manifests itself by, Excessive thirst, or (Polydipsia). This occurs when the body tries to compensate for the excess sugar in the blood stream via a homeostatic mechanism in which the body tries to dilute the excess sugar in the blood by adding water. A signal is sent to the brain to encourage consumption of water. This signal is the sensation of excessive thirst. Another clue is excessive eating or hunger, (Polyphagia). The body tries to secrete more and more insulin to combat excessive sugar levels. Insulin can stimulate hunger. The most common of symptoms associated with hyperglycemia is excessive urination (Polyuria). This is when the body tries to get rid of the excess sugar in the body through urination. Excessive urination often leads to severe dehydration.

The symptoms of diabetes do not stop at Hyperglycemia. There are many more to be accounted for, such as unexpected weight loss, which is often due to inadequate processing of meals. This occurs even though one is feeling no hunger and eating normally. This loss of sugar, water and electrolytes in