Diabetes Mellitus (sugar diabetes)

• Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease characterised by high glucose levels in the blood
• Under normal circumstances, the glucose concentration in the blood is kept constant by the hormones insulin and glucagon
• Insulin stimulates the absorption of glucose from the blood into the body cells
• However, when insulin is absent, or functioning effectively, most of the glucose remains in the blood
• This causes an increased blood glucose level called hyperglycaemia
• The body cells thus receive too little glucose to relase enough energy through cell respiration for the body to function
• Symptoms

  • frequent urination
  • increasing thirst
  • increasing hunger
  • unexplained weight loss
  • recurrent infections
  • wounds that heal slowly
  • blurred vision
  • fatigue and dizziness
• High blood glucose levels draw water out of the body cells due to osmosis, resulting in dehydration
• The person may fall into a coma and organs may be damaged beyond repair
• Long term complications from diabetes include blindness, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease
• Type 1 Diabetes is characterised by a loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This may occur when the body's immune system attacks and destroys its own beta cells. The result is little or no insulin is produced
• Treatment of Type 1 diabetes; daily insulin injections, a specially adapted diet, regular testing of blood sugar levels
• Type 2 diabetes is characterised by insulin resistance: the pancreas produces insulin, but the body cells cannot use it effectively. Type 2 diabetes is considered a lifestyle disease and the cause include; overweight and obesity, inactivity, age
• Treatment of Type 2 diabetes; maintaining a normal body weight through a balanced diet, regular exercise, oral medication or insulin