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Diabetes

Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Endocrine glands
Endocrine glands
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy
Islets of Langerhans
Islets of Langerhans
Blood test
Blood test
Pancreas
Pancreas
Insulin pump
Insulin pump
Glucose test
Glucose test
Insulin pump
Insulin pump
Type I diabetes
Type I diabetes
Diabetic blood circulation in foot
Diabetic blood circulation in foot
Food and insulin release
Food and insulin release
Insulin production and diabetes
Insulin production and diabetes
Monitor blood glucose - series
Monitor blood glucose - series

Definition    Return to top

Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.

See also:

Causes    Return to top

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar. Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin, or both.

To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal process by which food is broken down and used by the body for energy. Several things happen when food is digested:

People with diabetes have high blood sugar. This is because:

There are three major types of diabetes:

Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans. Over 40 million Americans have prediabetes.

There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including:

Symptoms    Return to top

High blood levels of glucose can cause several problems, including:

However, because type 2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with high blood sugar experience no symptoms at all.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

Patients with type 1 diabetes usually develop symptoms over a short period of time. The condition is often diagnosed in an emergency setting.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes:

Exams and Tests    Return to top

A urine analysis may be used to look for glucose and ketones from the breakdown of fat. However, a urine test alone does not diagnose diabetes.

The following blood glucose tests are used to diagnose diabetes:

You need your hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level checked every 3 - 6 months. The HbA1c is a measure of average blood glucose during the previous 2 - 3 months. It is a very helpful way to determine how well treatment is working.

Treatment    Return to top

The immediate goals are to treat diabetic ketoacidosis and high blood glucose levels. Because type 1 diabetes can start suddenly and have severe symptoms, people who are newly diagnosed may need to go to the hospital.

The long-term goals of treatment are to:

These goals are accomplished through:

There is no cure for diabetes. Treatment involves medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms.

LEARN THESE SKILLS

Basic diabetes management skills will help prevent the need for emergency care. These skills include:

After you learn the basics of diabetes care, learn how the disease can cause long-term health problems and the best ways to prevent these problems. Review and update your knowledge, because new research and improved ways to treat diabetes are constantly being developed.

SELF-TESTING

If you have diabetes, your doctor may tell you to regularly check your blood sugar levels at home. There are a number of devices available, and they use only a drop of blood. Self-monitoring tells you how well diet, medication, and exercise are working together to control your diabetes. It can help your doctor prevent complications.

The American Diabetes Association recommends keeping blood sugar levels in the range of:

Your doctor may adjust this depending on your circumstances.

WHAT TO EAT

You should work closely with your health care provider to learn how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you need in your diet. A registered dietician can help you plan your dietary needs.

People with type 1 diabetes should eat at about the same times each day and try to be consistent with the types of food they choose. This helps to prevent blood sugar from becoming extremely high or low.

People with type 2 diabetes should follow a well-balanced and low-fat diet.

See: Diabetes diet

HOW TO TAKE MEDICATION

Medications to treat diabetes include insulin and glucose-lowering pills called oral hypoglycemic drugs.

People with type 1 diabetes cannot make their own insulin. They need daily insulin injections. Insulin does not come in pill form. Injections are generally needed one to four times per day. Some people use an insulin pump. It is worn at all times and delivers a steady flow of insulin throughout the day. Other people may use a new type of inhaled insulin.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes may respond to treatment with exercise, diet, and medicines taken by mouth. There are several types of medicines used to lower blood glucose in type 2 diabetes.

Medications may be switched to insulin during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Gestational diabetes is treated with changes in diet.

EXERCISE

Regular exercise is especially important for people with diabetes. It helps with blood sugar control, weight loss, and high blood pressure. People with diabetes who exercise are less likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than those who do not exercise regularly.

Here are some exercise considerations:

You may need to change your diet or medication dose if you change your exercise intensity or duration to keep blood sugar levels from going too high or low.

FOOT CARE

People with diabetes are more likely to have foot problems. Diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves and decrease the body's ability to fight infection. You may not notice a foot injury until an infection develops. Death of skin and other tissue can occur.

If left untreated, the affected foot may need to be amputated. Diabetes is the most common condition leading to amputations.

To prevent injury to the feet, check and care for your feet every day.

See: Diabetes foot care

Support Groups    Return to top

For additional information, see diabetes resources.

Outlook (Prognosis)    Return to top

With good blood glucose and blood pressure control, many of the complications of diabetes can be prevented.

Studies have shown that strict control of blood sugar and blood pressure levels in persons with diabetes helps reduce the risk of kidney disease, eye disease, nervous system disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Possible Complications    Return to top

Emergency complications include:

Long-term complications include:

When to Contact a Medical Professional    Return to top

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of ketoacidosis:

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of extremely low blood sugar (hypoglycemic coma or severe insulin reaction):

Prevention    Return to top

Maintaining an ideal body weight and an active lifestyle may prevent type 2 diabetes.

Currently there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes.

There is no effective screening test for type 1 diabetes in people who don't have symptoms.

Screening for type 2 diabetes and people with no symptoms is recommended for:

To prevent complications of diabetes, visit your health care provider or diabetes educator at least four times a year. Talk about any problems you are having.

Regularly have the following tests:

Stay up-to-date with all of your vaccinations and get a flu shot every year in the fall.

References    Return to top

Alemzadeh R, Wyatt DT. Diabetes Mellitus. In: Kliegman RM, ed. Kliegman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders;2007:chap 590.

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes -- 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S12-S54.

Eisenbarth GS, Polonsky KS, Buse JB. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 31.

Standards of medical care in diabetes--2007. Diabetes Care. Jan 2007;30 Suppl 1:S4-S41.

Update Date: 6/17/2008

Updated by: Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2009, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.