There is a dramatic rise in the numbers of people who are suffering from diabetes. Every day, there are newly-diagnosed cases and a particularly worrying fact is that many of these are children.
In diabetes, which is not presently curable, there is a excess of sugar [glucose] in the blood. A lack of insulin means that the body is unable to effectively use this sugar. There are 3 types of diabetes, known as Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational.
- Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which no insulin is produced. Such people must carefully monitor the levels of sugar in their blood and inject the required insulin to correct the imbalance.
- Type 2 Diabetes is brought about by a metabolic condition where some insulin is being produced, but not in sufficient amounts.
- Gestational Diabetes is a form that becomes apparent in pregnancy,when increased insulin is required by the body to cope with the increase in weight and the hormonal changes at this time.
CAUSES
- Type 1 Diabetes, where no insulin is being produced, is caused by the destruction of cells producing insulin in the pancreas. It is not yet clearly understood why this occurs.
- Type 2 Diabetes, the most commonly encountered form, affects mainly mature adults, though increasing numbers of children are being diagnosed with the condition. Often dubbed "the lifestyle" form of diabetes, it is associated with obesity and diet. Lack of exercise may also be contributary. Frequently, Type 2 Diabetes is not noticeable, and the condition may come and go with few signs of its presence. However, gradually, the eyes, the kidneys and the heart may show the effect of elevated levels of blood glucose.
- Gestational Diabetes is brought about by increased demand for insulin in pregnancy. The risk is higher in certain groups of women: those who are overweight, who have a close family member who has diabetes, who have had the condition diagnosed in a previous pregnancy. A predisposition exists also in certain racial groups.
SYMPTOMS
- Perhaps the first clue to the presence of diabetes is the frequent need to urinate, as the kidneys produce more urine.
- There will consequently be an increase in fluid intake as the thirst mechanism protects against dehydration.
- A third noticeable difference is a greatly increased appetite and a desire to eat more frequently than before.
- There may be problems with the eyes, as vision may become blurred; this symptom may be overlooked or explained away.
- There could be symptoms of ketoacidosis, where the body begins to burn up its own fat and ketones remain as an acid in the blood. The signs that this is happening are nausea and vomiting, a feeling of being short of breath and breath that has a smell of ripe fruit.
If you display any of these symptoms, you should arrange with your doctor to have a screening test which will determine whether or not you have diabetes. Treatment will vary according to individual needs but will in all cases aim to normalize the blood glucose.