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About Diabetes
What causes Diabetes
Do you have Diabetes?
Are you at risk for Diabetes?
Screening for Diabetes
Complications of Diabetes
Treating Diabetes
Diabetes
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a disease that affects the
manner in which a person's body uses glucose (blood sugar).
Glucose is a body's primary source of energy and as a result
is central to health. The prevalence of diabetes is alarming.
More and more people are affected by diabetes than ever
before. Today, diabetes affects over 16 million American
adults and children. It is estimated that over one third of
those affected by diabetes are unaware that they have the
disease. Diabetes often exhibits few or no symptoms and can
develop very gradually over a number of years. For this
reason, many people remain unaware that they have diabetes.
In a healthy individual, the action of insulin enables glucose
to enter the body's cells. Insulin is a hormone that is
secreted by the pancreas, and it acts on the cells to enable
them to allow glucose in. In those individuals suffering from
diabetes, this process works ineffectively or not at all.
Glucose accumulates in the bloodstream instead of entering the
body's cells, and is then excreted in urine. This is often the
result of one of two primary reasons; the body doesn't produce
a sufficient amount of insulin, or the body's cells are unable
to respond to insulin in the proper way.
There are two primary kinds of diabetes, known as type 1
diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes results when the pancreas makes very
little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes was in the past called
juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. With the
discovery that adults too get this type of diabetes, the name
was changed to type 1 diabetes. This is the less common form
of diabetes, affecting between 5 and 10% of all those with
diabetes. As well, those with other types of diabetes
frequently need insulin.
Type 2 diabetes results when the pancreas does produce
some insulin, but not enough, or when the cells develop a
resistance to insulin. Some sufferers of type 2 diabetes
require insulin. Type 2 diabetes used to be known as
adult-onset diabetes or non insulin dependent diabetes. With
the discovery that many young people are now developing this
form of the disease, the name was changed to type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting
90-95% of those suffering from diabetes.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are very serious diseases and both
can be fatal. The accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream
can have highly damaging results on most vital organs within
the body. Diabetes causes approximately 200,000 deaths in the
U.S. yearly. There is no cure for diabetes.
Essential to combating this disease is prevention. Maintaining
a healthy body weight, eating a healthful diet and exercising
regularly can prevent the onset of diabetes. For those who
have diabetes, proper diet and exercise used in conjunction
with medications and/or treatment that acts to control blood
sugar levels can result in a healthy, happy and active life.
Read more from the
National
Institute of Diabetes. For Americans living with
diabetes, the
American Diabetes Association offers useful information,
resources and support. |
