The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, …
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use
insulin Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and
other food into energy needed for daily life The cause of diabetes
continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors
such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles
There are 182 million people in the United States, or 63 of the
population, who have diabetes While an estimated 13 million have been
diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 52 million people or nearly one-
third are unaware that they have the disease
In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or
diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test FPG
or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test OGTT Either test can be used to
diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes The American Diabetes Association
recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to
perform
With the FPG test, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl
signals pre-diabetes A person with a fasting blood glucose level of 126
mg/dl or higher has diabetes
In the OGTT test, a persons
blood glucose level is measured after a fast
and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage If the two-hour blood
glucose level is between 140 and 199 mg/dl, the person tested has pre-
diabetes If the two-hour blood glucose level is at 200 mg/dl or higher,
the person tested has diabetes
Major Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was
previously known as juvenile diabetes In type 1 diabetes, the body does
not produce insulin Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use
sugar Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes
the sugar from the blood into the cells
Finding out you have diabetes is scary But dont panic Type 1 diabetes is
serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives
Conditions Treatment
Arm yourself with information about conditions associated with type 1
diabetes, and how to prevent them Conditions associated with type 1
diabetes include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis and celiac
disease You will also find helpful information about insulin, choosing
blood glucose meters, various diagnostic tests including the A1c test,
managing
and checking your blood glucose, kidney and islet
transplantations, and tips on what to expect from your health care
provider
Complications
Having type 1 diabetes increases your risk for many serious complications
Some complications of type 1 diabetes include: heart disease
cardiovascular disease, blindness retinopathy, nerve damage
neuropathy, and kidney damage nephropathy Learn more about these
complications and how to cope with them
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes In type 2 diabetes,
either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the
insulin Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar Sugar
is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar
from the blood into the cells When glucose builds up in the blood instead
of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
Right away, your cells may be starved for energy
Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys,
nerves or heart
Finding out you have diabetes is scary But dont panic Type 2 diabetes is
serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives
While diabetes occurs in people
of all ages and races, some groups have a
higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others Type 2 diabetes is
more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian
Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population
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Gestational Diabetes
You are 28 weeks pregnant Your health care provider has just told you that
you have gestational diabetes Should you be concerned about gestational
diabetes?
The short answer: yes Good care means a lot for your health and your
babys health
What is gestational diabetes?
Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood
sugar glucose levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational
diabetes Gestational diabetes affects about 4 of all pregnant women -
about 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes in the United States each year
We dont know what causes gestational diabetes, but we have some clues The
placenta supports the baby as it grows Hormones from the placenta help the
baby develop But these hormones also block the action of the mothers
insulin in her body This problem is called insulin resistance Insulin
resistance makes it hard for the mothers body
to use insulin She may need
up to three times as much insulin
Gestational diabetes starts when your body is not able to make and use all
the insulin it needs for pregnancy Without enough insulin, glucose cannot
leave the blood and be changed to energy Glucose builds up in the blood to
high levels This is called hyperglycemia
How gestational diabetes can affect your baby
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Gestational diabetes affects the mother in late pregnancy, after the babys
body has been formed, but while the baby is busy growing Because of this,
gestational diabetes does not cause the kinds of birth defects sometimes
seen in babies whose mothers had diabetes before pregnancy
However, untreated or poorly controlled gestational diabetes can hurt your
baby When you have gestational diabetes, your pancreas works overtime to
produce insulin, but the insulin does not lower your blood glucose levels
Although insulin does not cross the placenta, glucose and other nutrients
do So extra blood glucose goes through the placenta, giving the baby high
blood glucose levels This causes the babys pancreas to make extra insulin
to get rid of the blood glucose Since the baby is getting more energy
than
it needs to grow and develop, the extra energy is stored as fat
This can lead to macrosomia, or a fat baby Babies with macrosomia face
health problems of their own, including damage to their shoulders during
birth Because of the extra insulin made by the babys pancreas, newborns
may have very low blood glucose levels at birth and are also at higher risk
for breathing problems Babies with excess insulin become children who are
at risk for obesity and adults who are at risk for type 2 diabetes
Treating gestational diabetes
Because gestational diabetes can hurt you and your baby, you need to start
treatment quickly Treatment for gestational diabetes aims to keep blood
glucose levels equal to those of pregnant women who dont have gestational
diabetes Treatment for gestational diabetes always includes special meal
plans and scheduled physical activity It may also include daily blood
glucose testing and insulin injections You will need help from your
doctor, nurse educator, and other members of your health care team so that
your treatment for gestational diabetes can be changed as needed
For you as the mother-to-be, treatment for gestational diabetes helps lower
the risk of a
cesarean section birth that very large babies may require
Sticking with your treatment for gestational diabetes will give you a
healthy pregnancy and birth, and may help your baby avoid future poor
health
TSubramaniam Siva
Dept of Surgery
Source:nhchc.org
