Diabetes is a chronic disease: it lasts a lifetime but is controllable.
Wdiabetesthere is a complicated mechanism - the body faces "hunger in the midst of abundance" -glucose , which should nourish all body cells (especially brain), because it is in all its excess, completely useless, excreted in the urine. The excess of glucose circulating inbloodbecomes a problem in itself.
Diabetes - sugar is worth testing
Increased urine production, increased thirst and hunger, and fatigue are the most common symptoms of diabetes. To confirm the diagnosis, a blood sugar test is performed. If you have the usual symptoms of the disease and your blood sugar (glycemia) is above 200 mg / dl regardless of the time of your last meal, this indicates diabetes. The same is true when blood collected on an empty stomach (i.e. at least 8 hours after the last meal) exceeds 126 mg / dl.
About 250 million people suffer from this disease, i.e. about 5 percent. population. Of all patients with diabetes, about 10 percent. patients have type 1 diabetes, and 90 percent. - type 2 diabetes. At least half of people with type 2 diabetes are not diagnosed and are unaware of the disease.
Glucose - an important sugar
Glucose is a simple sugar belonging to carbohydrates - nutrients that provide energy for the proper functioning of the body's cells. When carbohydrates are broken down in the small intestine, glucose is absorbed in the gut into the bloodstream. It gets to all cells in the body this way. However, it cannot enter the cells alone - it needs the help of insulin. Without it, despite its abundance in the blood, cells are deprived of glucose energy, a situation of "hunger in the midst of abundance" arises. Unused glucose is wastefully excreted in the urine.
Diabetes - who gets sick?
Type 1 diabetes is most common in young, thin people, usually under the age of 30.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 occurs primarily in people over 30 years of age, and its incidence increases with age. Among people aged 65-74, about 20 percent are ill. However, the number of teenage patients is growing alarmingly. For the first time in human history, type 2 diabetes is now almost as common as type 1 diabetes in children (especially in developed countries, such as the USA). Most of the cases are due to poor eating habits,being overweight and inactive. There is a direct relationship between the severity of obesity and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in children and adults. It is estimated that the chance of developing diabetes doubles for every 20%. increase in the desired body weight.
Diabetes - what is the disease?
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycaemia resulting from a defect in insulin secretion and / or action. Normally, blood glucose is tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. When blood glucose levels rise, for example after eating, insulin is released to normalize it. Insufficient or lack of insulin production causes an increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels, or hyperglycemia. Elevated sugar levels can develop when pancreatic tissue is destroyed, such as by chronic pancreatitis caused by toxins, trauma, or by surgical removal of the pancreas (secondary diabetes). Diabetes mellitus can also result from hormonal disorders other than those of the pancreas, such as overproduction of growth hormone (acromegaly) and Cushing's syndrome.
Insulin - what is it?
Insulin is a hormone produced by specialized cells (ß cells) in the pancreas. In addition to helping glucose enter cells, it is also important in regulating blood glucose levels. Glucose rises after a meal. In response to its growth, the pancreas typically releases more insulin into the bloodstream to help glucose enter cells and lower blood levels after a meal. When glucose levels drop, insulin secretion from the pancreas is almost turned off. Almost, because the low steady rate of insulin release helps keep blood sugar levels steady, even on an empty stomach.
In he althy people, this regulatory system helps keep glucose levels within a tightly controlled range. In patients with diabetes, there is no insulin at all, or its level is insufficient, or it is not properly "utilized" by the body (insulin resistance). All these factors cause elevated blood glucose levels - hyperglycemia.