Diabetes is a condition in which your body either cannot produce or cannot properly use insulin. lnsulin is a hormone that your body needs to convert blood sugar (glucosa) into the energy that fuels your body’s cells.
There are several major types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes-the body is unable to produce all the insulin it needs. This affects 5-10% of people with diabetes. This type used to be called juvenile diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes-the body is unable to properly use insulin. Most people have Type 2 diabetes. This type used to be
called adult-onset diabetes. However, more and more children are now being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. A major reason is the increase in overweight and obese children due to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise.
Pre-diabetes-the person’s blood glucosa levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. Researchers know that even with pre-diabetes, long-term damage is being done to the heart and blood vessels. The good news is that lifestyle changas can prevent or delay pre diabetes from progressing into Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is on the rise in the United States. In the last 30 years, the number of people with diabetes has tripled. Right now in the United States over 18 million people have diabetes. Another 41 million have pre-diabetes.
The exact cause of diabetes is not known. However, it appears that in addition to heredity, lifestyle choices are involved-such as being overweight and getting too little exercise.
The risk factors for diabetes are very similar to the risk factors for heart and blood vessel conditions. In fact, more than 65% of people with diabetes die of heart or blood vessel disease. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances
of developing diabetes and/or heart or blood vessel disease. So experts say that if you have diabetes, taking action to change your risk factors is as important as it would be if you had had a heart attack.
Risk factors you can change
Risk factors you cannot change
Other health conditions that can increase your risk
To learn more, go to the Risk Factors section and the Health Conditions section (to learn about high cholesterol and high blood pressure).
Typical symptoms of diabetes include:
To find out if you have diabetes, your doctor may suggest one or more of the tests listed below. The test results can also help your doctor choose the best treatment(s) for you.
In sorne cases, if your doctor also suspects heart disease, you may be sent to heart specialists for diagnosis and testing- and sometimes for treatment. To learn more, go to the Your Treatment Team section.
Glucose Tests
Both diabetes and pre-diabetes are diagnosed with one or more glucose tests. There are several tests that examine the amount of glucosa in your blood. The tests differ from one another in:
One glucosa test is the A 1C test (pronounced A-one-C). lt measures your average glucosa level over the past several months. Glucosa sticks to red blood cells. Because red blood cells live 75-90 days, the test gives you a retrospectiva view. lt reveals your glucosa levels over the past 75-90 days. The test is helpful in showing your doctor how well your treatment is working over time.
Glucosa tests are simple blood tests. A technician takes a sample of your blood, usually at the bend on the inside of your elbow. The blood is collected in a small test tube and is sent to a lab to be studied.
Because lifestyle factors can affect diabetes, part of your treatment may include living a healthier lifestyle. For example, if you struggle to control your weight, your doctor or nurse might suggest sorne strategies that can work for you. To learn more, go to the Risk Factors section.
Other types of treatment depend on your test results. Your doctor may recommend one or more of these medications or procedures.
Medications
lnsulin
lnsulin is a hormona that your body needs to convert blood sugar (glucosa) into energy that your body can use. All people with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin, since their bodies don’t produce enough insulin. lf you have Type 2 diabetes, you may be able to control your diabetes with healthy eating, more exercise, and weight loss. lf not, you too may need to take insulin. lnsulin cannot be taken in pill form because your stomach breaks it down, making it ineffective. lnstead you must get insulin by injection (shot).
Pills
Pills (oral medications) use different actions to help lower glucosa levels in the blood. Pills to treat diabetes work in one of three ways. Sorne pills, for instance, increase your body’s ability to use the insulin already in your blood. Sorne pills stimulate your pancreas to make more insulin. And other pills slow down the digestion of foods (especially starches) that raise your glucosa levels.
Procedures
Diabetes can cause any of the following conditions:
Dialysis
lf diabetes damages your kidneys, you may need dialysis. Dialysis removes wastes from you blood, as your kidneys would normally do. The most common form of dialysis removes wastes by filtering the blood through a machina called a dialyzer. Blood is pumped out of your body, filtered, and returned. Usually less than one cup of blood is removed from your body at a time. A person may need to undergo dialysis several times per week in order to keep the body and the blood free of waste products.
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