What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. The pancreas is the organ in the body that makes insulin as well as other hormones and digestive enzymes.
To better understand what happens to a person with diabetes, it is helpful to know the meaning of insulin, glucose, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates that you eat become glucose. Glucose is another word for sugar. Insulin is the hormone made in the beta cells of the pancreas (in the Islets of Langerhans) that allows the body to use food for energy.
Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. A large percentage of the food eaten is converted to glucose within the digestive system. Carbohydrates convert most readily to glucose, followed by protein and then fats, which have the least immediate effect on blood glucose levels.
When you eat and your food is digested, the glucose from the carbohydrates travels through the bloodstream to the parts of the body that need it. Insulin is released from the pancreas when the amount of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream starts to rise. The insulin helps the sugar get into the body cells where it is used for energy.
In people with diabetes, there is either no insulin, not enough insulin or the insulin that is available does not work very well. So, when you have diabetes, sugar isn't carried properly to your cells, so too much sugar stays in your bloodstream. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, is when the sugar stays in your bloodstream rather than being used for energy inside your body cells. Left untreated, high blood sugar can cause harm to your body, so it is important to learn how to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.
What are the different types of diabetes?
There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and Gestational diabetes.
* Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes) is considered an autoimmune disease. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. Someone with type 1 diabetes needs daily injections of insulin to live. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5-10 percent of diagnosed diabetes in the United States.
* Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes (also known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM). In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. The risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes are obesity, family history, lack of activity, and race or ethnicity. Often, symptoms can be absent or can be mild and appear over years before a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made. About 90-95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. About 80 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.
* Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. This type usually disappears when the pregnancy is over, but women who have had Gestational diabetes have a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in their lives.
How many people have diabetes?
There are 23.6 million people or 7.8% of the U.S. population who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed, 5.7 million people are not aware that they have the disease.
What are the complications of diabetes?
Diabetes is associated with a number of serious complications. However, good diabetes control can help reduce risk of complications from diabetes. Sometimes, people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications. Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in people 20-74 years of age. The leading cause of kidney failure is diabetes. People with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to have heart disease than people without diabetes. About 60%-70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which, in severe forms, can lead to lower limb amputations.
A big part of diabetes management is controlling blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels drop too low, the condition is known as hypoglycemia. Both hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can occur in people with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Work with your healthcare professional team to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
How is diabetes managed?
The goal of diabetes management is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible, without developing low blood sugar. The first treatment for type 2 diabetes is often meal planning for blood sugar control, weight loss, and exercising. Sometimes these lifestyle measures are not enough to bring blood sugar down near the normal range. Some people with type 2 diabetes take oral drugs and/or insulin to lower their blood sugar levels. There are many different types of medication for diabetes that work in different ways. Your healthcare professional will work with you to figure out which type of diabetes medicine will work best for you.
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer works to make insulin, so people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin daily, either via an insulin pump or injection(s). The insulin dose must be balanced with meals and daily activities, and sugar levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood sugar testing. Diet, exercise, and blood testing for sugar are part of the management of type 1 diabetes. People with diabetes should take responsibility for their day-to-day care. Much of the daily care involves trying to keep blood sugar levels from going too low or too high. The goal of diabetes management for many people is to keep blood sugar levels as close as possible to the normal (nondiabetic) range.