Diabetes

• Diagnosis

  • People who suffer from diabetes are unable to control their blood glucose level.

  • There are two types of diabetes “type 1” and “type 2”.

  • Both types of diabetes, if untreated, result in a rapid increase in blood glucose following a meal.

  • The filtrate formed in the kidneys of an untreated diabetic is so rich in

  glucose that a lot of it is not reabsorbed into the bloodstream but instead is passed out in the urine.

  • Therefore testing peoples urine for glucose is often used as a way of

  diagnosing sufferers.
• Diagnosis

  • Glucose tolerance tests can also be used to diagnose diabetes.

  • Glucose tolerance is the capacity of the body to deal with undigested glucose.

  • This depends on the body being able to produce enough insulin.

  • By measuring the glucose tolerance a doctor can tell if someone has diabetes.
• Glucose tolerance test

  1. Blood glucose concentrations of an individual are measured after fasting.

  2. The individual then drinks a glucose solution and changes in

  their blood glucose concentration are measured for at least the

  next 2 hours.

  
  

  3. The blood glucose concentration of a diabetic usually starts at a

  higher level than that of a non-diabetic.

  
  

  4. During the test a diabetic’s blood glucose concentration

  increases to a much higher level than that of a non-diabetic and

  takes longer to return to its starting concentration.
• Type 1 Treatments

  • Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in childhood.

  • Diabetes used to be a fatal disorder but now it can be treated.

  • If the sufferer has type 1 diabetes this means their pancreas is not producing insulin.

  • Regular injections of insulin for life and a careful diet low on glucose can be used to treat this condition.
• Type 2 diabetes


  Typically develops later in life
• Type 2 diabetes


  • Likelihood of developing is increased by being overweight
• Type 2 diabetes

  Individuals produce insulin but their cells are less sensitive to it
• Insulin resistance

  Linked to a decrease in the number of insulin receptors in the liver, leading to a failure to convert glucose to glycogen
• Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes

  1. Exercise

  2. Weight loss

  3. Diet control
• Insulin is not used as the cells of the person with type 2 diabetes are resistant to insulin
• As type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, you may eventually need medication to keep your blood glucose at normal levels