Diabetes, a lifelong disease for which there is not yet a cure, is caused by reduced production of insulin, or by decreased ability to use insulin. Insulin, the hormone produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, allows blood sugar (glucose) cells to be able to use blood sugar.

This hormone is necessary for glucose to go from the blood to the inside of the body cells. With inadequate insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. The body is unable to use glucose for energy despite the high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. This causes the excessive thirst, urination, and hunger, which are the most common symptoms of diabetes. The excess sugar remains in the blood and is then removed by the kidneys. This disease occurs in several forms, but the most common are Type I Diabetes or Juvenile Onset Diabetes or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), Type II or Non Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM), and Gestational.

In Type I Diabetes, the body is unable to store and use glucose as an energy source effectively. The pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin, as mentioned above, that helps lower blood sugar and aids in the passage of glucose out of the blood

Diabetes Mellitus affects up to 5%-10% of the population almost 14 million people. One half of these people do not even know that they have it. One in every five people born today will develop it. Even though technological research is constantly presenting new hope, the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise still in the future.

An example of a severe reaction, is a hypoglycemic reaction, which occurs when an excess of insulin causes the blood glucose to fall below 50mgs/100ml of blood. If alcohol is consumed on an empty stomach, it can cause a severe low blood sugar reaction. Since no sugar can be released to the body, it is very important to eat before drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol is also a bad idea because it dulls the sense of judgment and may make the person forget about eating a meal or taking an insulin injection.

Although all cases of diabetes involve negative hormone action, it varies from person to person, and, therefore, no two people’s diseases are quite the same. This is because of the endless varieties of responses and treatments; the care of this disease depends mainly on individualized plans. Meal and exercise plans are very important in the treatment of all kinds of diabetes. These plans help control weight, blood sugars levels, and help reduce the chances of needing additional medications. A healthy diet should include avoiding sugar, eating low fat and high fiber foods. Meals should be eaten regularly and at least three times a day to control blood sugar levels. The exercise for diabetics, help maintain muscle tone and physical fitness, it also helps to increase sensitivity to medications by making the blood circulate to all areas of the body and to lower blood sugar levels. There may be other paths followed in treatment. Oral medications can be taken to reduce sugar levels by improving insulin release, reducing available sugar, and decreasing insulin resistance. This method does not work for all the types of diabetes mellitus. One treatment for diabetes, that is experimental right now, is a pancreas transplant. Some positive aspects of this involve the diabetic terminating the insulin shots and people with nerve damage show significant improvement. On the other hand, some negative aspects of the transplant include that the body may reject the new organ and the patient will also have to take immuno-suppressant drugs, which lower resistance to other diseases such as cancer and viral infections. This transplant treatment is not recommended for Type I patients, unless they are also receiving a new kidney. Statistics show that 15% of all patients who get a new pancreas die within five years of the transplant, due to complications caused by the diabetes disorder.

Gestational is unknown, however, genetics is known to play a strong role. Viruses that have injured the pancreas could make one who is already prone to the disease of diabetes, more susceptible to getting it. The virus does this by destroying insulin-making cells in the body’s immune system and this may play causative role. Some risk factors for Type I include autoimmune disease, viral infections, and a family history of diabetes since the disease is hereditary. The symptoms are usually more severe with this type of diabetes, and they develop rapidly. These indications include: increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss in spite of increased appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and absent menstruation. At diagnosis, immediate goals are to stabilize the metabolism and eliminate the symptoms of high blood-glucose, because of the sudden onset of symptoms treatment for the newly diagnosed will include hospitalization to stabilize the high blood-glucose level.



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