Everything you need to know about diabetes. Diabetes is a manageable but serious problem with high blood sugar. People who have this condition cannot absorb glucose into their cells and so the glucose remains in the blood until levels get dangerously high. The only way for the body to get rid of the excess glucose is through urine, which is why the urine is sweet.
There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1:
Complications of diabetes
An unquenchable thirst (polydypsia). This is because the kidneys draw extra water type 1: If left untreated it can from the body and it quickly result in a diabetic coma becomes dehydrated. (diabetic ketoacidosis) which can be fatal. This is often the A loss of weight (particularly noticeable with type 1) since first symptom of this form of diabetes and can strike with- glucose is not being absorbed and utilised, the body out warning. uses its reserves of stored fat. Type 2: This is characterised by its late appearance in life Weakness and fatigue: The cells in the body become and is due to insulin restarved without glucose sistance or reduced insulin sensitivity combined with little (since they cannot absorb glucose) and energy levels or no insulin production. In are lowered. the early stages of type 2 there are elevated levels of insulin in the blood and an Long term complications insulin resistance and it is of diabetes easy to treat with medications to increase sensitivity. As This can lead to renal failure the condition progresses the due to nephropathy (kidney impairment of insulin worsens disease). It can also lead to and the replacement of insu- vascular diseases. and a lin is necessary. Abdominal stroke. fat is hormonally active and Finally, there can be vision secretes a group of horimpairment, a loss of skin senmones called adipokines that sation, liver damage, heart may impair glucose tolerfailure, ulcers and gangrene. ance. Obesity is found in 55% It can also cause impotence. of diabetes type 2 cases. Source: Camelot InternationOther factors include family al Pathophysiology manual history and age. (2013) Pg.49-52
Usually the patient is born with this type, as it is usually developed at a young age, although it can develop later in life too. This is an autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself) and in this case the body attacks the pancreas (more specifically it attacks the beta cells that produce insulin), and so these cells don’t produce enough insulin. Treatment is essential for this type of diabetes and insulin is injected into the body. There have also been Signs and symptoms of cases of pancreas transtype 1 and 2: plants. Frequent urination(polyuria) during which the kidneys try to dilute the glucose to flush it out.
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