Type 1 Diabetes and How To Manage Its Complications
Diabetes is a disease a lifelong disease whose cure has not been found yet. It is one of the serious illnesses presently plaguing the society and burdening people, their loved ones, and governments. It has not been fully discovered yet what exactly causes the disease but genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle play a vital role in the development of this disease.
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas malfunctions and not enough insulin is produced or when insulin is not used properly. Insulin is the essential hormone that breaks down glucose into essential energy that the systems in the body need to carry out their functions. As a result a condition called hyperglycemia occurs because of the abnormal level of glucose. This eventually damages the nerves and blood vessels and fatal complications like heart disease and stroke, kidney malfunction and blindness occur.
This illness currently afflicts close to 250 million around the world and is now fast becoming a pandemic. This figure only represents those who have been diagnosed with the disease. In the US there are now and estimated 17 million diabetics.
Nature
Type 1 Diabetes, formerly known juvenile diabetes is one of two types of diabetes. In this type of the disease, the pancreas is unable to produce the hormone insulin thus glucose and starches are not converted to the needed energy form compared to type 2 diabetes where the body can still produce insulin however, it is not used properly. Type is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It is usually found occurring among children, teenagers, and young adults but it can occur at any age. Symptoms of this type include increased thirst because of frequent urination weight loss even if appetite is normal, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, and in women, the absence of menstruation. If these signs become marked, one should seek medical consultation so that proper tests are administered.
Tests are then done to diagnose the disease. Two initial tests are, urinalysis and blood tests, are done to check glucose and ketone bodies. Fasting blood glucose test shows normal blood sure level at not higher done 126 mg/dL. Insulin test is also administered. In C-peptide test, diabetes is diagnosed when the there is low or undetectable level of protein C-peptide, a by-product of insulin production.
Treatment
Initial treatment for newly diagnosed people with diabetes might require them to be hospitalized due to the sudden and severe symptoms at the onset of the disease. Proper care and treatment is needed if diagnosed patients wants to prolong his life, reduce the symptoms, and avoid the severe complications such as cardio-vascular diseases, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation of limbs due to wounds that would not heal.
Regular Insulin Intake: Because in this type of diabetes the body cannot produce its own needed insulin, insulin needs to taken in one to four times a day. Commonly it is entered through the body by injection it under the skin. In other cases, it is also inhaled.
Diet and Diet Plan: A healthy and balanced diet for patients is extremely important since the food taken in must work properly with the insulin intake to properly regulate glucose levels.
Physical Exercise: Equally important is regular exercise because it helps in burning excess calories and fat. It also boosts the other parts of the treatment in regulating blood sugar level to achieve a healthy weight.
Another thing recommended for patients would be self-blood glucose monitoring to check if diet, medications, and exercise programs are going well with each other in controlling the sugar level in the body. Regular simple self-administered tests will provide information to the patient and help him adjust the diet plan, medication, and exercise programs. Since diabetes destroys the nerves and blood vessels, it could make the patient numb to injury and wounds might go unnoticed especially in the feet until the infection could lead to amputation of the affected area that is why a foot care program is also recommended.
The regular monitoring program includes of course regular visit medical professionals that specialize in the disease: diabetes educator, ophthalmologist to check signs of diabetic retinopathy or eye complications, dentist (who is informed of the disease) for dental cleaning and exam, feet inspection by the diabetic health care provider.
With all these plans religiously done by the person afflicted with the disease, he can still manage to live a healthy and happy life and enjoy it to its fullest with his loved-ones.
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