Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases that develop due to disorders of glucose absorption and are chronic. According to WHO estimates, about half a billion people around the world suffer from this disease. Proper and timely treatment of diabetes is very important for patients. It does not provide complete relief from the disease, but it allows people to avoid serious complications and alleviate symptoms, thereby ensuring a normal quality of life.
reason
Simply put, the cause of diabetes can be described as a decrease in the sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin or a disturbance in its secretion.
The pancreas synthesizes insulin, which helps maintain the desired blood sugar level and ensures glucose supply to the cells of most tissues in the body.
In diabetes, metabolism is disrupted. Cells in the pancreas no longer produce enough insulin (type 1) or the body cannot use insulin properly (type 2). As a result, glucose instead of entering the cells accumulates in the blood and urine. The patient experienced hyperglycemia and glycosuria, respectively.
Diabetes is one of the multifactorial diseases. Its appearance can be triggered by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- physical inactivity;
- overweight, especially at the stage of obesity;
- age-related changes;
- drinking alcohol, eating too much;
- uncontrolled drug use;
- increased blood pressure;
- other endocrine diseases;
- pancreatic injury;
- impact of stress.
The likelihood of developing the disease in the presence of one or more provoking factors depends on genetic predisposition.
Symptoms of diabetes
Specific symptoms of the disease include:
- frequent urination (polyuria). In diabetes, urine is excreted in large quantities but painlessly and mainly during the day;
- frequent thirst due to dehydration;
- increased appetite, which at the beginning of the disease can manifest itself in attacks. Patients are often attracted to sweet foods containing simple carbohydrates;
- weight change. Due to excessive appetite, patients often lose weight due to increased catabolism of proteins and fats.
Diabetes comes with other symptoms:
- decreased vision;
- numbness of hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, severe fatigue and increased sweating even with mild exertion;
- skin problems (itching, wounds that do not heal, dark lumps appearing in some areas of the body);
- dry mouth, gingivitis, tooth decay.
In the first type, insulin deficiency develops rapidly and the listed symptoms increase rapidly and are difficult to ignore. In patients with type 2 disease, the disease may be asymptomatic for long periods of time, and even the signs that appear to indicate the disease may not be as pronounced. Therefore, the second variant of the disease is often detected several years after the onset of the disease.
Patients may not show all the signs but may only have 2-3 signs. In addition, symptoms of hyperglycemia may only bother him at a certain stage of the disease, when the body seems to adapt to increased sugar levels and these feelings disappear. Therefore, at the first signs of diabetes, it is important to carry out a special diagnosis.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes is not a single disease but a group of diseases. The international classification includes several types, but most patients are diagnosed with type 1 or 2. Gestational diabetes is also common, occurring during pregnancy and can threaten the health of the fetus. women and children.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes begins when the pancreas stops producing insulin due to destruction of beta cells. Therefore, the body will have an absolute deficiency of this hormone, carbohydrate metabolism will be disrupted, and then other metabolic processes will be affected. The disease usually begins before age 30, often in childhood or adolescence.
This type of disease is genetically determined, and the development of pathology occurs under the influence of external factors acting on the immune system.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed much more often than type 1. The mechanism of its occurrence is different: the pancreas still produces insulin, but glucose does not enter the cells due to impaired sensitivity to the hormone. Its amount in the blood is constantly maintained at a high level. This condition is called insulin resistance.
The disease often develops in adults, usually after 40-45 years of age. The presence of excess weight is of great importance for the occurrence of the disease: according to statistics, it is typical for more than 80% of patients with this disease. In the presence of this factor, a genetic predisposition is more likely to be recognized, since due to excess fat mass a defect in the insulin receptor occurs.
In people who are not overweight, insulin resistance also has other causes, including endocrine and some other diseases.
Gestational diabetes
This pathology occurs in pregnant women due to reduced glucose tolerance. This is an intermediate state between normal and diabetic, usually disappearing after birth. It should be distinguished from the main manifestations of type 1 or 2 detected during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years old;
- have a history of severe poisoning and pregnancy, chronic miscarriage, stillbirth, chronic malformations in children in previous pregnancies;
- suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Diabetes in pregnant women can start without these factors.
This disease is dangerous for women and children, even leading to life-threatening conditions. Risks and possible complications can be prevented by controlling your sugar levels.
Risk factors
Many studies directly link the likelihood of developing the disease to genetic predisposition. If one parent has type 1 diabetes, the chance of inheriting the disease is 5%; If both parents have the disease, this rate increases to 20%. For a person whose parents have type 2, the chance of getting the disease is about 80%, and when obese the chance of getting the disease is 100%.
But even if you have a direct relative with diabetes, you can prevent the realization of your genetic predisposition if you take into account your risk factors and take preventative measures.
Visceral obesity is one of the main factors promoting the development of diabetes. Excess weight is caused by poor diet with high consumption of simple carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, taking certain medications and hormonal disorders (for example, excess androgens). According to international standards, visceral obesity is diagnosed when waist circumference is above 80 cm in women and above 94 cm in men.
Other lifestyle factors include smoking, alcohol abuse, and exposure to prolonged stress.
Other diseases
At risk are women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as people of both sexes with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Year old
All else being equal, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in people over 45 years of age.
Diagnostic method
The most reliable way to diagnose diabetes is through testing. The first thing that makes you suspect you have the disease is that your blood sugar level is higher than normal (on an empty stomach it is more than 6, 1-7, 0 mmol/l, and 2 hours after a meal it is more than 11, 1 mmol). /l). If results are questionable, additional glucose tolerance testing will be performed; it helps identify prediabetes.
During the examination, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance index, presence of glucose in urine are also examined and tests for insulin and C-peptide are performed, allowing assessment of cell activity. β-cells and insulin production.
To diagnose type 1 diabetes, especially in atypical cases, a blood test for antibodies to β-cells is indicated.
Patients may also be sent to specialists (cardiologists, ophthalmologists) for advice to prevent complications.
It is better to undergo a comprehensive examination at a medical facility, where you can quickly be tested and receive medical advice. The modern medical center has created conditions for patients to have quick, high-quality medical examinations. The technical equipment of the medical center allows you to conduct the necessary research, and the clinic employs experienced doctors who will prescribe treatment and clarify any questions that may arise.
Diabetes treatment
No method has yet been found to completely eliminate this disease. Treatment is aimed at stabilizing the patient's condition, reducing symptoms, and preventing complications. If all recommendations are followed, diabetics can minimize the impact of the disease on daily life.
Drug treatment may include insulin therapy or oral medications that lower blood sugar levels. Insulin is essential for patients with type 1 diabetes because it addresses the problem of compensatory carbohydrate metabolism and prevents the development of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. In the second category, it is prescribed in cases where other measures are ineffective, as well as according to indications (for example, during pregnancy, a significant decrease in body weight, certain complications).
Hypoglycemic drugs are prescribed to patients of the second category. This group includes products with different principles of operation:
- enhances insulin secretion;
- increased insulin sensitivity;
- reduced absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work differently but ultimately help restore normal blood sugar levels.
Determining the treatment program, choosing the drug or their combination is the responsibility of the attending physician. You can make an appointment with an endocrinologist at the clinic with a referral from a local therapist or without a referral for a fee. You can schedule a consultation appointment online or over the phone.
Other treatments are also used in combination with medication:
- diet (diabetes diet necessarily includes carbohydrate restriction),
- feasible physical activity,
- compensate for the deficiency of vitamins and trace elements,
- Regularly monitor sugar levels.
If complications or co-morbidities occur, appropriate treatment will be added. Surgical (bariatric) methods are also used in the treatment of diabetes when other measures are not effective enough.
Complications may occur
Impaired carbohydrate metabolism in diabetics affects the functioning of the entire body, but the disease has the most devastating effects on blood vessels.
Common diabetes complications are:
- retinal detachment;
- kidney failure;
- neurological diseases;
- atherosclerosis, which leads to many serious problems, including angina, heart attack and stroke.
The disease negatively affects the immune system, causing skin and joint diseases.
The most serious complication is diabetic coma. This condition can be caused by sugar levels that are too high or too low. In such cases, the patient requires urgent medical care in the intensive care unit.
Disease prevention
Measures to prevent diabetes partly coincide with general recommendations for maintaining health and preventing disease. People with a genetic predisposition should observe them especially carefully:
- have an active lifestyle and control weight;
- eat sensibly, reduce consumption of fast carbohydrates (baked goods, sweets, etc. );
- give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol regularly);
- avoid unnecessary stress;
- After age 40, check your blood sugar every year.
In order not to miss the development of diabetes, identify it at an early stage and help the body, it is important to monitor the warning signs and not hesitate to consult a doctor.