Diabetes

Diabetes

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes develops when the body cannot produce or use insulin, an essential hormone made in the pancreases. Insulin helps move glucose (sugar) from the blood into the cells of the body, so it can be used as a source of energy.
Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Type 1 Diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce any insulin, type 2 Diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough or does not work properly.
The onset of diabetes relies upon a combination of genetic and environmental triggers, such as nutrition or poor eating habits.
In developed world, obesity, in particular central body fat is strongly linked to insulin resistance.
Diabetes is a global serious condition which mostly affects people in the age of 40s and 60s and its rapidly increasing prevalence is a significant cause for concern.
Therefore, the writer will be writing about the types of diabetes, signs and symptoms, management of each type, complications, diabetic and insulin coma, care in pregnancy and surgery, diabetic diet and education.

TYPES OF DIABETES
There are three main types of diabetes- type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. There are also two conditions classified by Doctors as “pre-diabetes”- impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). (Princeton, 2007, p12)

1. Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM OR T1DM)
Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system in the body attacks insulin- producing beta cells in the pancreases and destroys them. The pancreases no longer make insulin (Encarta 2009). Type 1 diabetes is less common in the pacific and is most often diagnosed in children and young adult less than 30 years. People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes usually need insulin for life time as their pancreas cannot produce insulin anymore. Type 1 diabetes was characterized by weight...

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