What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus (DM) or simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic conditions which lead to a loss of control of blood sugar. An excess of glucose in your bloodstream can damage your kidneys, eyes, nerves and other tissues in the body, including even your blood vessels themselves. Diabetics may end up getting heart disease and stroke in worst case scenarios, and in extreme circumstances, the limbs have to be amputated.
This loss of control over blood sugar results from an issue with the hormone insulin. Insulin is manufactured in the pancreas, is released into the bloodstream, and carries glucose from the blood into cells, where it is used to produce energy.
There are two kinds of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes – cells responsible for generating insulin are destroyed by the immune system of the body in the context of a defective immune attack. It develops acutely within weeks or days.
- Type 2 diabetes – the body either fails to produce sufficient insulin, or the body’s cells become resistant to it. People may not be diagnosed until years later, as there are generic symptoms. It is by far the most prevalent form of diabetes.
There are other types of diabetes, such as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), which can mimic type 2 diabetes but is actually a type of type 1 diabetes. It is usually managed as type 2 diabetes but it can quickly become insulin-dependent. Ketosis-prone diabetes, found most frequently among individuals of African descent, may occur with DKA but insulin needs decrease over several weeks to months and insulin may be readily withdrawn. Other forms are unusual genetic defects (Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY)) and pancreatic diseases like pancreatitis or after pancreatic surgery.
What are the symptoms?
Classic symptoms of diabetes are:
• Thirst
• Increased urine output
• Fatigue
• Itching in the genitals, or thrush.
• Weight loss/muscle loss
• Blurred vision
• Poor healing
• Vascular complications, such as diabetic foot.
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Diabetic nephropathy
• Diabetic retinopathy
What causes diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder – something triggers the immune system to destroy healthy pancreatic cells that secrete insulin. It seems to be hereditary, so is possibly genetic. Nobody is entirely sure why the immune system is triggered to attack the pancreas, but it is thought by some that a virus triggers this. Rarely, neonatal diabetes occurs at birth and typically is diagnosed within the first nine months of life.
Type 2 diabetes is contracted, and typically occurs in older individuals. It is usually linked with obesity and physical inactivity.
How can it be prevented?
Type 1 diabetes is genetically determined, therefore it is not possible to avoid it. If you are aiming to minimize your chances of acquiring type 2 diabetes, be sure to maintain a balanced diet, exercise hard, and become thinner if you are overweight or obese. Abstaining from smoking and enjoying alcohol in limited amounts are other helpful hints.
What is the treatment?
Type 1 diabetes sufferers need to have regular injections of insulin throughout their lives to compensate for the absence of insulin production by the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes sufferers will ultimately need to take tablets, since the disease is progressive (it will get worse over time).
Complications, including diabetic foot, may occasionally be managed with vascular and microsurgery. You must visit your doctor or specialist as soon as possible if you have symptoms. If diagnosed with diabetes, a patient is typically referred to a specialist care team for treatment and ongoing monitoring of the condition.
What’s the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes share numerous differences, as well as common things. The most significant difference is that type 1 diabetes is a genetic disease that tends to occur early in life, whereas type 2 is lifestyle-related.
Both types have distinct modes of management, symptoms and risk factors and prevention. The common things are mostly symptoms, which are:
• Being extremely thirsty
• Increased toilet use, particularly during the night
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
• Thrush and genital itching
• Wounds and cuts taking longer to heal
• Swollen vision
But type 1 symptoms develop very fast, and type 2 diabetes symptoms may take longer to develop, so it complicates things and makes it difficult to distinguish symptoms. In some cases, individuals may have diabetes for as much as 10 years without even realizing.
It’s also necessary that individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes control their conditions through a healthy life. Some type 2 diabetes patients need insulin treatment, but type 1 diabetics need to take insulin in order to balance their blood sugar level.
What are the complications of diabetes?
The harm that diabetes causes to your body are referred to as diabetes complications. The severe complications can be classified into two categories; chronic complications and acute ones. They describe them in more detail after our list of symptoms above.
Chronic complications
• Eye issues
Diabetic retinopathy is something that some individuals with diabetes may catch.
• Foot issues
Amputation of diabetic foot issues is a sad reality if left uncured. High blood sugar levels can impair circulation, so sores and cuts heal slowly. In addition, sensation in your feet can be impacted by nerve damage.
• Cardiology complications
High blood sugar for an extended period of time may harm your blood vessels, and occasionally this will lead to heart attacks and strokes.
- Kidney and nephropathy conditions
It might be challenging for the kidney to remove excess fluid and waste from your body since diabetes has the potential to harm it. Diabetic nephropathy, or kidney disease, is brought about by high blood sugar and blood pressure. - Neuropathy (nerve damage)
High blood sugar levels may cause some individuals with diabetes to develop nerve damage. Subsequently, it becomes more difficult for nerves to transmit messages from the brain to every other part of our body, hence may influence the way you see, hear, feel and move. - Problems with your mouth, such as gum disease
The combination of excess blood sugar and damage to the blood vessels may lead to gums becoming infected or damaged. - Cancer
Individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing certain cancers, and certain cancer treatments will make it more difficult to manage your blood sugar.
• Sexual issues
Vessel and nerve damage can limit how much blood is delivered to sex organs, so you may lose some feeling. And if you have elevated blood sugar, your genital and urine systems can become affected and you’re at increased risk for getting thrush or a UTI.
Acute complications
- Hypoglycaemia
- Hyperglycaemia
- Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS)
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
What is the incidence of diabetes in the UK?
Diabetes UK reports that: “type 1 affects 8% of everyone with diabetes. While type 2 diabetes affects about 90%”
In the context of individuals who are diagnosed with diabetes and have the condition, there were almost 4 million individuals in the UK in 2019, and it is estimated that 5.3 million will live with the condition by 2025
Is there a cure for diabetes?
Diabetes can’t be cured, but it can be controlled. A normal diet, regular exercise, and frequent blood tests are necessary to maintain blood glucose levels under control.
Which doctor treats diabetes?
Endocrinologists treat diabetes.