What is Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting over 16 million Americans the largest percentage of any nation on the planet. In recent years, diabetes has been classified as epidemic because of the rapidity of cases in the population. About one-third of Americans do not know they even have it. Each year over 800,000 new cases are diagnosed which is 6% of the population. With the rapidity of new cases it is projected that by the year 2025 there will be over 9% of the population diagnosed with diabetes. The costs of treating diabetes runs over one-hundred billion dollars each year and that cost is projected to rise dramatically. Symptoms of diabetes include: thirst (the person is almost always thirsty, weight loss may be sudden and dramatic, and frequent urination). Diabetes is classified into three different categories – Diabetes Type 1, Diabetes Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes. The differences in each will be explained and discussed further below.
When a person is unable to use the glucose (sugar) and fat in their food for energy diabetes occurs. Glucose accumulates in the bloodstream eventually over time severely damaging the organs of the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. If left untreated the patient can suffer severe disability such as: loss of limbs or blindness and in extreme cases even death. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Type 1 or juvenile diabetes
affects 5 to 10% of the population and is the least common type of diabetes. This is 100% insulin dependent diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease meaning the immune system (the body’s defense against pathogens), does not function properly and is destroying the cells in the pancreas (the organ that produces insulin). Without insulin the body cannot use the sugar and fat it receives from food. In order to compensate for this the diabetic must take insulin shots and monitor their blood glucose levels frequently.
Type 2 diabetes
is the most common type of diabetes. This is non-insulin dependent diabetes and usually occurs in adulthood. This type of diabetes is where the body makes some insulin but not nearly enough to function properly or use the insulin they do produce effectively. Type 2 diabetes ususlly runs in families and normally develops after the age of forty. Persons overweight, older, and lead a sedentary lifestyle are more susceptible to this type of diabetes. This is a debilitating disease that progressively grows worse if left untreated. Type 2 diabetes can lead to severe heart disease, kidney disease (serious enough that the patient may require dialysis treatments to keep alive), blindness, amputation (loss of limbs), and in severe circumstances death. This condition is generally treated in the early stages of diagnosis by having the patient lose weight, change the foods they eat, diet, and regular exercise. Later progression of the disease may require oral medications and or regular insulin injections.
Gestational Diabetes
The last type of diabetes is present in some pregnant women and called Gestational Diabetes. The percentage of women affected by this type of diabetes is about 3 to 5% of all pregnant women. The good news for this type of diabetes is that it usually ends when the pregnancy is over and the baby is born. Generally this does not cause birth defects but the baby may be born with low blood sugar. Treatment is normally change in diet but some women may need insulin.
Regardless of what type of diabetes the patient has, with proper treatment of diabetes and monitoring the person can live a healthy, normal life.
What Is The Impact Of Diabetes?
You may not notice them at first!
The people who have to carry a little test meter, a syringe and insulin all carried together in a small little bag or pouch. These people have to take these little bags along with them when they go to a sporting event, or when they go out to a special dinner engagement or even just taking a trip to see a family friend or distant relative.
You may not recognize their faces, but they are the faces of those who live with a condition called Diabetes, a condition that effects upwards of 17 million people, and of those 17 million, only around 11 million have been diagnosed with this disease.
For those of you unfamiliar with the condition, simply stated Diabetes is a disease that is caused by either a resistance to insulin, too little insulin in the affected person’s system or sometimes both. But just what is the impact of diabetes on the person and family members who have to live with it?
The impact of diabetes on the person’s family is almost immediately effected and changed forever by the disease, as they have to become aware of and recognize certain symptoms associated with the disease.
There is always the specter of death surrounding diabetes, as the disease is one of that can lead to severe complications and even death if not treated properly. If the disease is left unchecked, it can cause blindness, nerve damage,heart disease, and sometimes even amputations.
Let’s take a closer look at the impact of diabetes on just a few of the body’s systems.
The Kidneys
The kidneys can become effected by diabetes and the disease is usually responsible for a high percentage of end-case Renal disease.
Blindness
It is surprising to find that diabetes is the major leading cause for blindness, diagnosed in new cases among adults whose ages range from the early 20’s to the mid 70’s.
Nerve Damage
Sometimes diabetes can lead to nerve damage, especially in the lower extremities or the feet of the person diagnosed. The medical term for this is called ” Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy ” or DPN for short.
About half of the people who suffer from diabetes, wind up developing DPN.
Heart Disease and Stroke
And here are some final facts that really should point out the impact of diabetes on the person who is diagnosed with it. Heart Disease is the leading major factor for deaths related to diabetes.
The diagnosed adult diabetic, has a death rate that is usually 2 to 4 times higher than an adult with out diabetes, and the risk for a stroke among diabetes suffers is usually 2 to 4 time higher than among those without the disease.