What is Diabetes?

di·a·be·tes
ˌdīəˈbētēz,-tis/
noun

1.
a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood .


What are the different types of diabetes?

Type 1 (T1D, insulin-dependent or juvenile) Type 1 diabetes (T1D) can occur at any age, but most commonly is diagnosed from infancy to the late 30s. In this type of diabetes, a person’s pancreas produces little or no insulin. T1D occurs when the body’s own defense system (the immune system) attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. People with T1D must inject insulin several times every day or continually infuse insulin through a pump.

While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and-at present-nothing you can do to get rid of it.

Type 2 (T2D, non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) Type 2 diabetes typically develops after age 40, but can appear earlier, and has recently begun to appear with more frequency in children. In this form of diabetes, the pancreas still produces insulin, but the body does not produce enough or is not able to use it effectively. Treatment includes diet control, exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose and, in some cases, oral drugs or insulin.

Gestational Diabetes About 2 to 10 percent of pregnant women develop high blood sugar during pregnancy. Although this type of diabetes usually disappears after the birth of the baby, women who have had gestational diabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

LADA or Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) T1D diagnosed in adults over 30 may be Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), sometimes known as Type 1.5 Diabetes. LADA is often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes because of age, however people with LADA do not have insulin resistance like those with type 2. LADA is characterized by age, a gradual increase in insulin necessity, positive antibodies, low C-peptide, lack of family history of type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance medications being ineffective. Treatment for LADA is the same as for type 1 diabetes.

Monogenic Diabetes Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are polygenic diseases, meaning the risk of developing these forms of diabetes is related to multiple genes. But some rare forms of diabetes result from mutations in a single gene and are called monogenic; they are sometimes mistaken for type 1.


What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes (T1D)?

The symptoms may occur suddenly, and include one or more of the following:
Extreme thirst
Frequent urination
Drowsiness, lethargy
Sugar in urine
Sudden vision changes
Increased appetite
Sudden weight loss
Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath
Heavy, labored breathing
Stupor, unconsciousness

If you think you or your child has diabetes, call a doctor immediately, and drink fluids WITHOUT SUGAR, if able to swallow, to prevent dehydration.