diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects the way your body processes sugar. There are two main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes: an autoimmune disease in which the body does not produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin injections to survive. It is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.
Type 2 diabetes: the more common form and occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin that is produced. It usually occurs in adults, often due to obesity or a family history of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be managed through diet, exercise, and oral medications. Some people also need insulin injections.

Some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes include:

Increased thirst and frequent urination: Due to high blood sugar, the kidneys produce more urine which leads to thirst.
Increased hunger: The body is not able to utilize the sugar in the blood and muscles, so it leads to hunger.
Fatigue: The body is unable to utilize the sugar for energy production properly.
Blurred vision: High blood sugar causes fluid shifts in the eyes that blur vision.
Slow wound healing: High blood sugar impairs the healing process and makes wounds heal more slowly.
Nausea and vomiting: Can be due to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis which occurs due to lack of insulin.
Weight loss: Even with increased appetite, the body is unable to utilize the sugar and calories, leading to weight loss.

The main complications of diabetes include: heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and problems with blood circulation and nerves. Diabetes care involves maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a normal weight, and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor. Controlling blood sugar levels can help prevent or delay complications.

Does this help explain what diabetes is? Let me know if you have any other questions!

Topic Highlights:-

Blood glucose levels are regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.
Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a medical condition associated with abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood.
This visual presentation explains glucose metabolism, diabetes – the result of high levels of blood glucose, its symptoms, and complications of diabetes.

Transcript:-
Glucose is a simple sugar that comes from our food. It provides energy to every cell in our body. Our body maintains normal amounts of glucose with the help of two hormones, insulin produced by the pancreatic beta cells and glucagon produced by the pancreatic alpha cells. Glucose is absorbed by the intestines and carried through the bloodstream to every cell in our body. The presence of glucose stimulates insulin release and inhibits glucagon secretion. Insulin works like a key to open the cells for glucose. The cells break down glucose to produce energy. Insulin stimulates liver, muscle and fat cells to store excess glucose as glycogen.

Slight drops in blood-sugar levels stimulate glucagon secretion and inhibit insulin secretion. Glucagon stimulates the liver and muscles to breakdown stored glycogen and release glucose. This interplay helps to keep our blood-glucose concentration constant, at about 90 mg per deciliter of blood (5 millimoles per liter).

Diabetes is a chronic condition caused by disturbance of the normal action of insulin. In diabetes, the glucose in the blood does not reach the cells. Cells are starved of energy, while glucose builds up in the blood. Type 1 diabetes is the inability of the beta cells to produce enough insulin. Damage to the beta cells is caused by an autoimmune reaction. Beta cells can also be destroyed due to diseases, trauma, surgery, or the effects of drugs.

In type 2 diabetes, insulin is ineffective in opening the cell receptors for glucose. This is called insulin resistance. Blood glucose levels rise and the body responds by making more insulin. Eventually, the beta cells begin to fail. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is characterized by insulin resistance caused by the pregnancy hormones.

As the cells are starved of glucose, glucagon is released to stimulate the liver and muscles to break down stored glycogen into glucose. Glucagon also acts on the liver and kidneys to produce glucose by gluconeogenesis. This increases the amount of glucose filtered by the kidneys. Excess glucose that cannot be reabsorbed is released into the urine. Excess glucose that remains in the tubule retains water. This increases urine flow causing frequent urination.

High blood-glucose levels increase the osmotic pressure of the blood and stimulate the thirst receptors. Sodium lost through frequent urination also stimulates thirst receptors making the patient constantly thirsty. The lack of insulin or high glucagon levels may stimulate the hunger centers making the patient constantly hungry.

As the cells are deprived of glucose, the patient feels tired. Hands and feet may feel cold due to poor blood circulation. Increased osmotic pressure of blood dehydrates the tissues leading to numbness in the extremities, vision problems, slow-healing wounds and frequent infections. High blood glucose may also depress the immune system.

Diabetes can damage the arteries making them more prone to atherosclerosis, the build up of fatty deposits. This can lead to a heart attack. Diabetic neuropathy is the injury to small blood vessels supplying the nerves. When the nerves of the heart are affected, the symptoms of heart attack are vague. When the arteries supplying the brain are affected, the patients are at increased risk of stroke.

Women with diabetes have a higher risk for urinary tract infections. Diabetes may affect the mouth's germ-fighting ability leading to oral infections. Diabetic retinopathy is the damage to the blood vessels in the retina. If this affects the central portion of the retina, the resultant swelling may cause reduced or blurred vision. If the weak blood vessels become blocked, new, abnormal blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. Resultant hemorrhage or retinal detachment can cause severe vision loss or blindness.

Damage to the blood vessels and nerves that control erection in men can cause erectile dysfunction. Diabetic neuropathy can affect the peripheral nerves putting the foot at risk of being damaged and, in serious cases, necrosis and gangrene. Nerve damage to the digestive system may also lead to digestive problems. Diabetes can neutralize the effects of protective proteins on the surface of the lungs increasing the risk for infections.