Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a metabolic disease that results in elevated levels of blood glucose or sugar. Insulin hormone is secreted by a body organ near your liver called the pancreas. Insulin moves sugar from your cells to be stored or used for energy. If you have diabetes, your body either isn’t secreting enough insulin, or it is not able to effectively use insulin. Untreated diabetes may damage your body organs over a period of time, including eyes, kidneys and nerves.
Different types of diabetes include:
Type 1 diabetes: This is an autoimmune disease. The immune system of the person attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas where insulin is made. Type 1 diabetes is uncommon, affecting only about 10 percent people. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include extreme hunger, unintentional weight loss, frequent urination and tiredness. Type 1 diabetes occurs due to the immune system mistakenly destroying insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. It usually occurs in teenagers. The doctor may advise you to limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat. The right balance of protein, fat and carbs can help.
Insulin is the main treatment for type 1 diabetes. Insulin is administered to replace the insulin that the body isn’t making. Four types of insulin injections are available for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. These are:
• Rapid-acting insulin that starts working within 15 minutes, and its effects last up to 4 hours.
• Short-acting insulin starts to work within 30 minutes and its results last from 6 to 8 hours.
• Intermediate-acting insulin starts working within 1 to 2 hours and its results last from 12 to 18 hours.
• Long-acting insulin starts to work a few hours after injection, and lasts up to 24 hours or longer.
Type 2 diabetes: This occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin, resulting in sugar buildup in the blood. Symptoms include increased hunger and thirst, blurry vision, and increased urination. Type 2 diabetes occurs due to genetics and lifestyle factors. The condition runs in families as the family members share genes. Being overweight or obese also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. Diet and lifestyle changes can help in managing type 2 diabetes. Some prescription drugs, such as Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, biguanides or glucon-like peptides may be prescribed by your dialectologist. The doctor may advise eating small meals throughout the day that includes vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and nuts.
Gestational diabetes: It occurs during pregnancy when the blood sugar level is elevated. The condition is caused due to insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta. Most women with gestational diabetes won’t have any symptoms. The condition is often detected during a routine sugar examination by the doctor. Women who are overweight during pregnancy are more likely to get gestational diabetes. Uncontrolled gestational diabetes may result in premature birth, low blood sugar level, jaundice, higher than normal weight at birth, and stillbirth. About 10 to 20 percent women with gestational diabetes need insulin to lower blood sugar level. It is safe for the growing baby.
Prediabetes: This condition is characterized when the blood sugar level is high but not high enough to that of a type 2 diabetes level.
Each type of diabetes has its own symptoms and treatments:
Some common symptoms of diabetes include increased hunger and thirst, weight loss, frequent urination, blurry vision, extreme fatigue and sores that do not easily heal. Symptoms in men include erectile dysfunction (ED) and poor muscle strength. Diabetic women have symptoms such as urinary tract infections and yeast infection. Other complications of diabetes include heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, hearing loss, retinopathy or vision loss, and skin infections.
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart and kidney problems, and hypertension may require significant costs in treatment. Health insurance plans may help you in lowering the costs of your medications. You can find all the useful information about health insurance plans at PrudentRx programs, PrudentRx FAQs, and PrudentRx drug list with details of their formulations and effects.