Diabetes

• Diabetes


  A lifelong condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin (or the insulin produced does not work), resulting in very high and dangerous blood glucose concentrations unless treated
• Diabetes is a condition in which the blood glucose control mechanism fails
• Type 1 diabetes


  • Insulin is not produced by the pancreas
  • Requires insulin injections for life (plus controlled diet and exercise)
  • Not caused by lifestyle
• Type 2 diabetes


  • Insulin is produced but stops working properly or the pancreas does not produce enough insulin
  • Usually controlled by diet initially but later requires medication and/or insulin injections
  • Linked to lifestyle (take exercise, reduce sugar intake, avoid obesity)
  • Usually occurs as an adult
• People who have had diabetes for a long time and whose blood glucose concentration is not tightly controlled


  Are at risk of developing long-term complications including eye damage (and blindness), heart disease and strokes (circulatory diseases), and kidney damage
• The number of people who suffer diabetes is increasing rapidly, and the cost of treatment is becoming very high
• The large increase in the number of people with type 2 diabetes is linked to poor diet and a lack of exercise
• The pancreas is an organ that produces insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and digestive enzymes.
• Glucose enters the bloodstream from food or liver glycogen breakdown.
• When blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas releases glucagon into the bloodstream.
• Glucagon stimulates the liver to convert stored glycogen back into glucose, which increases blood glucose levels.
• Diabetes


  A common medical condition in which the blood glucose control mechanism fails. The pancreas does not make enough insulin to maintain the blood glucose concentration at the normal level.
• Types of Diabetes


  • Type 1
  • Type 2
• Type 1 Diabetes


  Usually occurs early in life when the pancreas stops producing insulin, which then has to be taken as medicine throughout life. This is usually in the form of insulin injections and by a carefully controlled diet where the intake of carbohydrates is carefully monitored.
• Type 2 Diabetes


  A progressive disease linked to lifestyle factors and obesity, where the pancreas gradually produces less insulin, which in the early may be controlled by diet but later may also require insulin injections.
• Symptoms of Diabetes


  • Glucose in the Urine
  • Thirst
  • Lethargy - weak and no energy
• This happens because their blood glucose concentration is so high that some is filtered out by the kidneys and passed into the urine.
• They may therefore need to go to the toilet a lot due to drinking so much.
• Differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes


  • Type 1: Insulin is not produced
  • Type 2: Insulin is produced but stops working property or the body cannot control it
• Long-term complications of uncontrolled or unmanaged diabetes


  • Eye damage
  • Heart disease
  • Strokes
  • Kidney failure
• The numbers of people with diabetes is rising, in particular those suffering from Type 2 diabetes. This could be due to a decline in the number of people following a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet and exercise) and so this can cause their insulin to not function correctly.