Facts About Diabetes And Insulin
Diabetes is a very common disease, which, if not treated, can be very dangerous. There are two types of diabetes. They were once called juvenile-onset diabetes and adult diabetes. However, today we know that all ages can get both types so they are simply called type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1, which occurs in approximately 10 percent of all cases, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system, by mistake, attacks its own insulin-producing cells so that insufficient amounts of insulin are produced - or no insulin at all. Type 1 affects predominantly young people and usually makes its debut before the age of 30, and most frequently between the ages of 10 and 14. Type 2, which makes up the remaining 90 percent of diabetes cases, commonly affects patients during the second half of their lives. The cells of the body no longer react to insulin as they should. This is called insulin resistance. In the early 1920s, Frederick Banting, John Macleod, George Best and Bertram Collip isolated the hormone insulin and purified it so that it could be administered to humans. This was a major breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes type 1. Insulin Insulin is a hormone. Hormones are chemical substances that regulate the cells of the body and are produced by special glands. The hormone insulin is a main regulator of the glucose (sugar) levels in the blood. Insulin is produced in the pancreas. To be more specific, it's produced by the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. When we eat, glucose levels rise, and insulin is released into the bloodstream. The insulin acts like a key, opening up cells so they can take in the sugar and use it as an energy source. Sugar is one of the top energy sources for the body. The body gets it in many forms, but mainly as carbohydr Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Alicia Thomas Diaz, M.D. What is type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes, sometimes called insulin-dependent diabetes and juvenile diabetes, can develop at any age but most often occurs in children, teens, and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, a person’s pancreas produces little or no insulin, so insulin treatment is needed for a lifetime. The causes of type 1 diabetes are not fully known. In most cases, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the part of the pancreas that produces insulin. This occurs over a period of time. so early on in type 1 diabetes, people may not have any symptoms. It is only when enough of the insulin producing cells are affected and insulin producing cells are affected and insulin levels are low that blood sugar rises and symptoms of diabetes start to occur. Because type 1 is an autoimmune disease, people with other autoimmune, conditions, such as Hashimoto disease or primary adrenal insufficiency (also known as Addison's Disease), are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Overall, cases of type 1 diabetes seem to be increasing. What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes? The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can look like other conditions or medical problems. If you (or your child) have these symptoms, talk with your doctor as soon as possible. Increased thirst Increased urination Constant hunger Weight loss Blurred vision Constantly feeling tired How is type 1 diabetes diagnosed and treated? Your doctor will use blood tests to diagnose diabetes. A blood glucose level above 125 mg/dL after fasting overnight or above 200 mg/dL after eating may indicate diabetes. Your doctor may also take a medical history and order further blood tests to rule out type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes must have daily injections of insulin to keep a normal l Continue reading >>
Patient Education: Diabetes Mellitus Type 1: Insulin Treatment (beyond The Basics)
INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong condition that can be controlled with lifestyle adjustments and medical treatments. Keeping blood sugar levels under control can prevent or minimize complications. Insulin treatment is one component of a diabetes treatment plan for people with type 1 diabetes. Insulin treatment replaces or supplements the body's own insulin with the goal of preventing ketosis and diabetic ketoacidosis and achieving normal or near-normal blood sugar levels. Many different types of insulin treatment can successfully control blood sugar levels; the best option depends upon a variety of individual factors. With a little extra planning, people with diabetes who take insulin can lead a full life and keep their blood sugar under control. Other topics that discuss type 1 diabetes are also available. (See "Patient education: Diabetes mellitus type 1: Overview (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Self-monitoring of blood glucose in diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Type 1 diabetes mellitus and diet (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Care during pregnancy for women with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)".) STARTING INSULIN The pancreas produces very little or no insulin at all in people with type 1 diabetes. All patients with type 1 diabetes will eventually require insulin. Insulin is given under the skin, either as a shot or continuously with an insulin pump. Dosing — When you are first starting insulin, it will take some time to find the right dose. A doctor or nurse will help to adjust your dose over time. You will be instructed to check your blood sugar level several times per day. Insulin Continue reading >>
For The Last Time, I Have Type 1 Diabetes, Not Type 2 Diabetes! There’s A Big Difference
Here I go. But first, to all my brothers and sisters struggling with and managing Type 2 diabetes, my hat is off to all of you. As you endure the daily grind of judgment, fluctuating blood glucose levels, pain, diet, exercise, and scrutiny from society and loved ones, we, as Type 1s, empathize with you, but as you know, we are not you. Since you are strong in numbers, and we are not, (about 5 percent of the diabetes population), we ask that you stand with us and help us spread the word about the difference between your plight and ours. Remember that we are not trying to differentiate from you because we don’t understand what you go through on a daily basis, we just need a different set of diabetes social awareness and education. That being said... It was 1994 — I was a newly-hired diabetes sales representative, and I had an interesting conversation with a clinic doctor who was a month away from retirement at that time. Our conversation went something like this: Well-Meaning Doctor: “You know, Peg. If you loose 10 pounds, you could go off insulin.” Peg: “No. I have Type 1 diabetes.” Well-Meaning-But-Now-Defensive Doctor: “That doesn’t matter. All you need to do is lose some weight and then you wouldn’t be on insulin.” Peg: “No, Doc. I have Type 1 diabetes, not Type 2. It doesn’t matter how much I weigh, or what I eat, my kind of diabetes is always insulin-dependent, and I need it to stay alive.” Appallingly-Uninformed-Doctor-Who-In-My-Personal-Opinion-Needed-To-Go-Back-To-Medical-School interrupts here: “You’re wrong! Just lose some weight and you can go off insulin! You’re fat!” At this point, he is literally leaning across his desk with both hands gripping the wooden top, glaring at me. I could hear water dripping in a sink in another Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (previously called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes) is usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults, but it can develop at any age. If you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas isn’t making insulin or is making very little. Insulin is a hormone that enables blood sugar to enter the cells in your body where it can be used for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get into cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2—about 5% of people with diabetes have type 1. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes, but it can be managed by following your doctor’s recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, controlling your blood sugar, getting regular health checkups, and getting diabetes self-management education. Shakiness Nervousness or anxiety Sweating, chills, or clamminess Irritability or impatience Dizziness and difficulty concentrating Hunger or nausea Blurred vision Weakness or fatigue Anger, stubbornness, or sadness If your child has type 1 diabetes, you’ll be involved in diabetes care on a day-to-day basis, from serving healthy foods to giving insulin injections to watching for and treating hypoglycemia (low blood sugar; see below). You’ll also need to stay in close contact with your child’s health care team; they will help you understand the treatment plan and how to help your child stay healthy. Much of the information that follows applies to children as well as adults, and you can also click here for comprehensive information about managing your child’s type 1 diabetes. Causes Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistak Continue reading >>
Diabetes Pills
There are several different kinds of diabetes medicines in addition to insulin. These medicines can lower blood sugar levels but they're not the same as insulin. Most of these medicines are available in pill form. Insulin can't be taken as a pill because acids in the stomach destroy it before it can enter the bloodstream. In type 2 diabetes, the body still makes some of its own insulin, but isn't able to make enough to keep up with the body's needs or use its own insulin effectively. Diabetes pills don't replace the body's insulin, but they can help the body make more insulin or help it more effectively use the insulin it does make. Most people who have type 2 diabetes take diabetes pills to help them keep their blood sugar levels closer to normal. People with type 1 diabetes don't use diabetes pills. They need to take insulin shots because their bodies can't make any of their own insulin. Here are some different types of diabetes medicines, grouped by how they help the body keep blood sugar levels closer to normal. Medicine That Helps the Body Make More Insulin Sulfonylureas and meglitinides like repaglinide (Prandin) and nateglinide (Starlix) are secretagagogues and all do similar things. These pills cause a person's pancreas to make more of its own insulin. Sulfonylureas have been used since the 1950s to help people lower their blood sugar levels. Over the years, newer and better versions of this drug have become available. One of the best drugs currently available in this class is glimepiride (Amaryl). Here's how these pills work: Sulfonylureas help the pancreas make more insulin. When the insulin gets into the bloodstream, blood sugar levels go down. Like people who take insulin, people who take sulfonylureas need to be careful that their blood sugar levels don't d Continue reading >>
Giving Insulin To Your Child With Type 1 Diabetes
Injections and finger sticks are part of life for a child with type 1 diabetes. We've got suggestions to make the process easier. Uncomfortable little jabs are now part of your routine, if yours is one of the 15,000 American children diagnosed each year with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Our experts suggest simple ways to reduce the discomfort, and help your child adapt quickly to needles. How insulin works When a child has T1D, the immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas called beta cells. Pancreatic beta cells produce insulin, the hormone we need to turn food into energy. Without enough insulin, the amount of sugar (or glucose) in the blood rises to dangerous levels. This can cause long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, lower-limb amputations, and blindness in adulthood. That's why kids with T1D have blood glucose levels checked throughout the day and night to help keep the sugar levels within target range. Using a lancet, you'll likely prick your child's fingertip for a drop of blood six or more times a day, and place it on a special test strip in a blood glucose meter. Based on that reading, you'll know how much insulin your child needs to keep blood sugar levels in range. Shots and pumps: the basics You can give your child insulin in a few ways, depending on what works best for both of you. The oldest method is through multiple daily injections with a syringe or insulin pen, which is a disposable needle tip placed at the end of a marker-shaped device that contains a pre-filled insulin cartridge. An alternative to injections is an insulin pump, a beeper-sized computerized device often worn on a belt or in a pocket. It delivers an ongoing low dose of insulin through a small tube inserted into your child's body through a needle. The t Continue reading >>
Diabetes, Type 1
What is type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that accounts for five to 10 percent of all cases of diabetes. It initially develops most often in children and young adults. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the hormone needed to transport glucose into cells where it can be converted into energy. For this reason, if you have type 1 diabetes you will need to take insulin daily throughout your life. This form of diabetes has also been called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes. What are the symptoms? Some of the symptoms of diabetes, such as persistent thirst or irritability, can seem relatively benign, which is one of the reasons why diagnosis may be delayed. With type 1 diabetes, however, symptoms may come on suddenly. Early detection and treatment can decrease the odds of developing the acute complications that can stem from type 1 diabetes. Common symptoms of diabetes include: Frequent urination Excessive thirst Extreme hunger Unusual weight loss Increased fatigue Irritability Blurry vision If high blood sugar levels are not brought quickly under control via treatment, acute complications of type 1 diabetes include severe dehydration and development of diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a metabolic state characterized by high concentrations of ketone bodies, which are byproducts of fatty acid breakdown, and can render the body’s tissues dangerously acidic. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, which in turn can lead to shock, coma, and even death. Longer term complications of type 1 diabetes – which are also common to those with type 2 diabetes – include: Eye damage: People with diabetes have a 40 percent higher than normal risk of developing glaucoma, increased pressure w Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Definition Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Alternative Names Insulin-dependent diabetes; Juvenile onset diabetes; Diabetes - type 1; High blood sugar - type 1 diabetes Causes Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. It is most often diagnosed in children, adolescents, or young adults. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas by special cells, called beta cells. The pancreas is below and behind the stomach. Insulin is needed to move blood sugar (glucose) into cells. Inside the cells, glucose is stored and later used for energy. With type 1 diabetes, beta cells produce little or no insulin. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. This buildup of glucose in the blood is called hyperglycemia. The body is unable to use the glucose for energy. This leads to the symptoms of type 1 diabetes. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. Most likely, it is an autoimmune disorder. This is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. With type 1 diabetes, an infection or another trigger causes the body to mistakenly attack the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. The tendency to develop autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, can be passed down through families. Symptoms HIGH BLOOD SUGAR The following symptoms may be the first signs of type 1 diabetes. Or, they may occur when blood sugar is high. Being very thirsty Feeling hungry Feeling tired all the time Having blurry eyesight Feeling numbness or tingling in your feet Losing weight without trying Urinating more often (including urinating at night or bedwetting in children who were dry overnight before) For other people, these se Continue reading >>
Treatment
There's no cure for diabetes, so treatment aims to keep your blood glucose levels as normal as possible and to control your symptoms to prevent health problems developing later in life. If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you'll be referred for specialist treatment from a diabetes care team. They'll be able to help you understand your treatment and closely monitor your condition to identify any health problems that may occur. Type 1 diabetes occurs because your body doesn't produce any insulin. This means you'll need regular insulin treatment to keep your glucose levels normal. Insulin comes in several different preparations, each of which works slightly differently. For example, some last up to a whole day (long-acting), some last up to eight hours (short-acting) and some work quickly but don't last very long (rapid-acting). Your treatment is likely to include a combination of different insulin preparations. Insulin Insulin injections If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll probably need insulin injections. Insulin must be injected, because if it were taken as a tablet, it would be broken down in your stomach (like food) and would be unable to enter your bloodstream. When you're first diagnosed, your diabetes care team will help you with your insulin injections, before showing you how and when to do it yourself. They'll also show you how to store your insulin and dispose of your needles properly. Insulin injections are usually given by an injection pen, which is also known as an insulin pen or auto-injector. Sometimes, injections are given using a syringe. Most people need two to four injections a day. Your GP or diabetes nurse may also teach one of your close friends or relatives how to inject the insulin properly. Insulin pump therapy Insulin pump therapy is an alter Continue reading >>
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Type 1 Diabetes
Whether you have type 1 diabetes, are a caregiver or loved one of a person with type 1 diabetes, or just want to learn more, the following page provides an overview of type 1 diabetes. New to type 1 diabetes? Check out "Starting Point: Type 1 Diabetes Basics," which answers some of the basic questions about type 1 diabetes: what is type 1 diabetes, what are its symptoms, how is it treated, and many more! Want to learn a bit more? See our “Helpful Links” page below, which provides links to diaTribe articles focused on type 1 diabetes. These pages provide helpful tips for living with type 1 diabetes, our patient-perspective column by Adam Brown, drug and device overviews, information about diabetes complications, and some extra pages we hope you’ll find useful! Starting Point: Type 1 Diabetes Basics What is the risk of developing type 1 diabetes if it runs in my family? What is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is disease in which the body can no longer produce insulin. Insulin is normally needed to convert sugar (also called glucose) and other food sources into energy for the body’s cells. It is believed that in people with type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune system attacks and kills the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without insulin, the body cannot control blood sugar, and people can suffer from dangerously high blood sugar levels (called hyperglycemia). To control their blood glucose levels, people with type 1 diabetes take insulin injections. Before the discovery of insulin, type 1 diabetes was a death sentence (and it still is for patients with poor access to insulin). Can Type 1 Diabetes Be Prevented? Unfortunately, the genetic and environmental triggers for the immune attack that causes type 1 diabetes are not well understood, althoug Continue reading >>
Should I Use Diabetes Pills Or Insulin?
Diabetes affects the way your body breaks down food. Treatment depends on which type of diabetes you have. In type 1 diabetes, your pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate glucose, or sugar, in your blood. Type 2 diabetes starts with insulin resistance. Your pancreas no longer produces enough insulin or doesn’t use it efficiently. Every cell in your body uses glucose for energy. If insulin isn’t doing its job, glucose builds up in your blood. This causes a condition called hyperglycemia. Low blood glucose is called hypoglycemia. Both can lead to serious complications. A variety of pills are available to treat diabetes, but they can’t help everyone. They only work if your pancreas still produces some insulin. They can’t treat type 1 diabetes. They aren’t effective in people with type 2 diabetes when the pancreas has stopped making insulin. Some people with type 2 diabetes can benefit from using both pills and insulin. Some pills to treat diabetes include: Biguanides Metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza) is a biguanide. It lowers the amount of glucose in your liver and boosts insulin sensitivity. It may also improve cholesterol levels and might help you lose a little weight. People normally take it twice per day with meals. You can take the extended-release version once per day. Potential side effects include: upset stomach nausea bloating gas diarrhea a temporary loss of appetite It may also cause lactic acidosis in people with kidney failure, but this is rare. Sulfonylureas Sulfonylureas are fast-acting medications that help the pancreas release insulin after meals. They include: People usually take these medications once per day with a meal. Potential side effects include: irritability low blood glucose upset st Continue reading >>
Insulin Pumps
Insulin pumps are an increasingly common treatment for type 1 diabetes. They can improve glucose control in people with type 1 diabetes but do not suit everyone. An insulin pump delivers insulin every few minutes in tiny amounts, 24 hours a day. It is usually about the size of a deck of cards, but can be much smaller. The insulin flows through a cannula which sits in the subcutaneous tissue (where you inject) and is changed by the pump user every few days. Basal (background) insulin is programmed to meet the pump user’s needs. The bolus insulin is delivered at the touch of a button to cover food or bring down a high blood glucose level. Only rapid-acting insulin is needed and provides all your insulin requirements. Insulin pumps reduce the need for multiple injections and give the user the ability to make smaller, more accurate adjustments to insulin delivery. Note: insulin pumps do not measure blood glucose levels, but some pumps can read the signal from a separate glucose sensor. What sort of insulin pumps are there? There are a number of different types of insulin pump and accessories. They vary in aspects such as weight; units of adjustment; whether they have tubing or not and battery life. A ‘tethered’ pump uses a fine tube to connect the pump to the cannula; the pump is worn in a pocket or clipped to a belt. A patch pump or micro pump has no tubing or a very short tube, and the pump is usually stuck on to the skin. The following suppliers currently offer pumps in the UK: Animas Advanced Therapeutics Cellnovo Medtronic Roche OmniPod A good document for comparison can be downloaded here. Type 1 Technology guide We have produced a family-friendly guide to type 1 diabetes technology, which highlights recommendations from NICE on treatments and technology for chi Continue reading >>
Effect Of Metformin In Patients With Type-1 Diabetes With Inadequate Glycaemic Control By Insulin And Diet
Ninety percent of patients with type-1-diabetes will develop late-diabetic complications in the eyes, kidneys, nervous- or cardiovascular-system. Poor glycaemic control is an important risk-factor for development of these late-diabetic complications. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT)-study showed, that improved glycaemic control can prevent the development and progression of these late-diabetic complications. Until now treatment with insulin- and diet-therapy has been the only treatment-modalities available to improve the glycaemic control in patients with type-1-diabetes. A substantial number of these patients still have long-standing poor glycaemic control despite intensive treatment with insulin- and diet-therapy. The antidiabetic drug metformin has shown to be able to improve the glycaemic control in combination with insulin and furthermore reduce both mortality and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in patients with type-2-diabetes. Only few small studies have investigated the effect of treatment with metformin in patients with type-1-diabetes. These studies have suggested a positive effect of metformin in these patients too. Method: 100 patients with type-1-diabetes with persistent poor glycaemic control i.e. HbA1c > 8.5% during the last 12 months are eligible. Patients are treated for one month with placebo. Hereafter half of the patients will be treated with metformin and the other half continues with placebo for 12 months both as add-on therapy. All patients are continuing ongoing treatment with insulin throughout the study. Before and after the start of treatment with metformin the effect on glycaemic control and other known risk-factors for development of cardiovascular disease i. e. blood-pressure, fasting lipids, urine-albumine- Continue reading >>
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Diabetes: The Differences Between Types 1 And 2
Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus (DM), is a metabolic disorder in which the body cannot properly store and use sugar. It affects the body's ability to use glucose, a type of sugar found in the blood, as fuel. This happens because the body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells do not correctly respond to insulin to use glucose as energy. Insulin is a type of hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate how blood sugar becomes energy. An imbalance of insulin or resistance to insulin causes diabetes. Diabetes is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss, neurological conditions, and damage to blood vessels and organs. There is type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. They have different causes and risk factors, and different lines of treatment. This article will compare the similarities and differences of types 1 and 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy and typically resolves after childbirth. However, having gestational diabetes also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy, so patients are often screened for type 2 diabetes at a later date. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 29.1 million people in the United States (U.S.) have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1. For every person with type 1 diabetes, 20 will have type 2. Type 2 can be hereditary, but excess weight, a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet increase At least a third of people in the U.S. will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. Both types can lead to heart attack, stroke, nerve damage, kidney damage, and possible amputation of limbs. Causes In type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. These cells are destro Continue reading >>
