Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases that develop as a result of disruption of glucose absorption processes and have a chronic nature. According to WHO estimates, about half a billion people in the world suffer from this pathology. Correct and timely treatment of diabetes mellitus is very important for patients. This does not lead to a complete recovery from the disease, but it allows to prevent severe complications and alleviate symptoms, thereby ensuring a normal quality of life.
Reasons
Simply put, the causes of diabetes can be described as a decrease in the sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin or a violation of its secretion.
The pancreas synthesizes insulin, which maintains the desired level of sugar in the blood and ensures the supply of glucose to the cells of almost all tissues of the body.
Metabolic processes are disturbed in diabetes. Either the cells of the pancreas no longer produce enough insulin (type 1), or the body cannot use it properly (type 2). As a result, glucose accumulates in the blood and urine instead of entering the cells. The patient experiences hyperglycemia and glycosuria, respectively.
Diabetes mellitus is one of the multifactorial diseases. It can be caused by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- physical inactivity;
- overweight, especially in the stage of obesity;
- age-related changes;
- drinking alcohol, overeating;
- uncontrolled use of drugs;
- hypertension;
- other endocrine pathologies;
- pancreatic injuries;
- effect of stress.
In the presence of one or more provoking factors, the probability of developing the disease depends on the hereditary tendency.
Symptoms of diabetes
Specific symptoms of the disease include:
- frequent urination (polyuria). In diabetes mellitus, urine is released in large volumes, but painlessly and mostly during the day;
- constant thirst caused by dehydration;
- increased appetite, which may manifest itself in attacks at the beginning of the disease. Patients usually gravitate toward sweet foods that contain simple carbohydrates;
- weight change. Due to excessive appetite, patients often lose weight due to increased catabolism of proteins and fats.
Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by other symptoms:
- decrease in visual acuity;
- numbness of hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, severe fatigue and increased sweating even with a small force;
- skin problems (itching, non-healing wounds, the appearance of dark lumps in certain areas of the body);
- dry mouth, gingivitis, deterioration of teeth.
In the first type, insulin deficiency develops quickly and the listed symptoms increase rapidly and are difficult to ignore. In patients with type 2, the disease can be asymptomatic for a long time, and even symptoms indicating it may not be expressed. Therefore, the second variant of the disease is often detected several years after the onset.
The patient may not show all symptoms, but only 2-3. In addition, the symptoms of hyperglycemia may bother him only at a certain stage of the disease, and then the body adapts to the increase in sugar and these feelings disappear. Therefore, it is important to conduct a special diagnosis at the first signs of diabetes.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease, but a group of pathological conditions. The international classification consists of several types, but most patients are diagnosed with type 1 or 2 disease. Gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and can threaten the health of the woman and the child, is also common.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes begins when the pancreas stops producing insulin due to the destruction of beta cells. Therefore, there is an absolute lack of this hormone in the body, carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed, and then other metabolic processes suffer. The disease usually begins before the age of 30, often in childhood or adolescence.
This type of disease is determined genetically, and the development of pathology occurs under the influence of external factors that affect the immune system.
Diabetes mellitus type 2
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed more often than type 1. The mechanism of its formation is different: the pancreas still produces insulin, but glucose does not enter the cells due to the violation of sensitivity to the hormone. Its amount in the blood remains at a constant high level. This condition is called insulin resistance.
The disease usually develops in adults, often after the age of 40-45. Being overweight is of great importance for the occurrence of the disease: according to statistics, it is characteristic of more than 80% of patients with this diagnosis. In the presence of this factor, the hereditary tendency is more likely to be realized, because a defect in insulin receptors occurs due to excess fat mass.
In overweight people, insulin resistance is caused by other causes, including endocrine and some other diseases.
Gestational diabetes
This pathology occurs due to a decrease in glucose tolerance in pregnant women. It is an intermediate state between normal and diabetes mellitus, which usually disappears after birth. It should be distinguished from the initial manifestation of type 1 or 2 detected during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years old;
- having a history of severe toxicosis and gestosis, chronic abortion, stillbirth, chronic malformation in children in previous pregnancies;
- suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Diabetes in pregnant women can start without these factors.
This pathology poses a threat to women and children, even leading to life-threatening situations. Risks and possible complications can be avoided by keeping your sugar level under control.
Risk factors
Numerous studies directly link the likelihood of developing the disease to genetic predisposition. If one of the parents has type 1 diabetes, if both parents are sick, the chance of inheriting the disease increases to 20%. For a person with a parent with type 2 disease, the chance of developing the disease is about 80%, and if obese, it approaches 100%.
But even if you have direct relatives with diabetes, if you consider the risk factors and take preventive measures, you can prevent the realization of the hereditary tendency.
Visceral obesity is one of the main factors leading to the development of diabetes mellitus. Excess weight is caused by an improper diet with a high consumption of simple carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, taking certain medications and hormonal disorders (for example, excess androgens). According to international standards, visceral obesity is diagnosed when the waist circumference is more than 80 cm in women and 94 cm in men.
Other lifestyle factors include smoking, alcohol abuse, and prolonged exposure to stress.
Other diseases
The risk group includes women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as representatives of both sexes with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Age
All other things being equal, people over the age of 45 have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Diagnostic methods
The most reliable way to diagnose diabetes is laboratory examination. The first thing that allows you to suspect the presence of a disease is that your blood sugar is higher than normal (more than 6. 1-7. 0 mmol/l on an empty stomach, and more than 11. 1 mmol/l 2 hours after eating). If the results are in doubt, an additional glucose tolerance test is performed, which helps to identify prediabetes;
During the examination, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance index, the presence of glucose in the urine are also checked, and tests for insulin and C-peptide are performed, which allow to evaluate the activity of β-cells and the amount of insulin. production.
To diagnose type 1 diabetes, especially in atypical cases, a blood test for antibodies to β-cells is prescribed.
The patient can also be referred to specialists (cardiologist, ophthalmologist) to prevent complications.
It is better to undergo a full examination in a medical institution, where you can quickly be examined and receive medical advice. Conditions for quick and high-quality examination of patients have been created in the modern medical center. The technical equipment of the medical center allows you to conduct the necessary research, and the clinic employs experienced doctors who will prescribe treatment and clarify any questions that may arise.
Treatment of diabetes
No method has yet been found to completely get rid of this disease. Treatment is aimed at stabilizing the patient's condition, eliminating symptoms and preventing complications. If all recommendations are followed, diabetes patients can minimize the impact of the disease on daily life.
Drug treatment may include insulin therapy or oral medications that lower blood sugar. Insulin is necessary for patients with type 1 diabetes because it solves the problem of compensating carbohydrate metabolism and prevents the development of hypo- and hyperglycemia. In the second type, the ineffectiveness of other measures is also determined by the indicators (for example, during pregnancy, a significant decrease in body weight, certain complications).
Patients of the second type are prescribed antihyperglycemic drugs. This group includes products with different operating principles:
- increase insulin secretion;
- increased sensitivity to insulin;
- reducing the absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work differently, but ultimately help restore normal blood glucose levels.
It is up to the attending physician to determine the treatment program, the choice of medication or a combination of both. You can make an appointment with an endocrinologist at the clinic with a referral from a local therapist or without a paid referral. You can make an appointment for a consultation online or by phone.
Other treatment methods are also used in combination with drugs:
- diet (diet for diabetes necessarily involves restriction of carbohydrates),
- possible physical activity,
- compensate for the lack of vitamins and trace elements;
- regular monitoring of sugar level.
If complications or accompanying diseases occur, appropriate treatment is additionally prescribed. Surgical methods (bariatric) are also used in the treatment of diabetes when other measures are not effective enough.
Possible complications
Disrupted carbohydrate metabolism in diabetes mellitus affects the work of the whole body, but the disease has the most devastating effect on blood vessels.
Common diabetic complications:
- retinal detachment;
- kidney failure;
- neuropathy;
- atherosclerosis, which causes many serious problems, including angina, heart attacks, and strokes.
The disease has a negative effect on the immune system, causes pathologies of the skin and joints.
The most serious complication is diabetic coma. This condition can cause either too high or too low sugar levels. In such cases, the patient needs urgent medical assistance in resuscitation.
Prevention of pathology
Measures to prevent diabetes mellitus partially coincide with general recommendations for health protection and disease prevention. People with a genetic predisposition should watch them especially carefully:
- lead an active lifestyle and control weight;
- eat right, reduce the consumption of fast carbohydrates (baked goods, sweets, etc. );
- give up bad habits (smoking, regular alcohol consumption);
- avoid unnecessary stress;
- After the age of 40, check your blood sugar level every year.
It is important not to miss the development of diabetes, to identify it at an early stage and to monitor the warning signs and consult a doctor in order to help your body.