Diabetes
About Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition associated with an elevated blood sugar.
It is typically described as Type 1 or Type 2:
Type 1: This often strikes in childhood or adolescence.
It is associated with the destruction of the insulin producing B cells.
Treatment is with insulin.
The destruction is irreversible and probably caused by the body's immune system erroneously recognising the islet cells as foreign.
The symptoms are of weight loss, intense thirst and passing copious amounts of urine.
Type 2: This form of diabetes generally strikes later in life, is often associated with obesity and may ultimately require insulin.
Many people are unaware of their diabetic status, until it is diagnosed with a blood or urine test.
If patients become aware of their diagnosis, it is often because of the complications of diabetes:
- Recurrent infections
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Gangrene
- Blindness
- Kidney failure
These complications are devastating to the person and impose a great workload for the health service to care for these complications.