Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases that develop due to disruption of glucose absorption processes and are chronic. According to WHO estimates, around half a billion people around the world suffer from this pathology. Correct and timely treatment of diabetes mellitus is very important for patients. It does not lead to complete relief of the disease, but it allows you to avoid serious complications and alleviate symptoms, thus ensuring a normal quality of life.
Causes
Simply put, the causes of diabetes can be described as a decrease in the susceptibility of cells to the hormone insulin or a violation of its secretion.
The pancreas synthesizes insulin, which maintains the desired blood sugar level and ensures the supply of glucose to the cells of almost all tissues of the body.
In diabetes, metabolic processes are disrupted. Either the cells in the pancreas no longer produce enough insulin (type 1) or the body cannot use it properly (type 2). As a result, glucose, instead of entering the cells, accumulates in the blood and urine. The patient presents, respectively, hyperglycemia and glycosuria.
Diabetes mellitus is one of the multifactorial diseases. Its occurrence can be triggered by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- physical inactivity;
- excess weight, especially in the obesity phase;
- age-related changes;
- drink alcohol, overeat;
- uncontrolled use of medications;
- hypertension;
- other endocrine pathologies;
- pancreas injuries;
- impact of stress.
The probability of developing the disease in the presence of one or more provoking factors depends on the hereditary predisposition.
Diabetes symptoms
Specific symptoms of the disease include:
- frequent urination (polyuria). In diabetes mellitus, urine is released in large volumes, but painlessly and mainly during the day;
- permanent thirst caused by dehydration;
- increased appetite, which at the beginning of the disease can manifest itself in attacks. Patients are often attracted to sweet foods made up of simple carbohydrates;
- weight change. Due to excessive appetite, patients often lose weight as a result of increased protein and fat catabolism.
Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by other symptoms:
- decreased visual acuity;
- numbness in hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, intense fatigue and increased sweating even with small efforts;
- skin problems (itching, wounds that do not heal, appearance of dark lumps in certain areas of the body);
- dry mouth, gum inflammation, tooth decay.
In the first type, insulin deficiency develops quickly and the listed symptoms increase quickly and are difficult to ignore. In patients with type 2, the disease can remain asymptomatic for a long time, and even the signs that appear indicating it may not be as pronounced. Therefore, the second variant of the disease is often detected several years after its onset.
The patient may not show all the signs, but only 2-3 of them. In addition, the symptoms of hyperglycemia can bother you only at a certain stage of the disease, and then the body seems to adapt to the increase in sugar, and these sensations disappear. Therefore, at the first signs of diabetes, it is important to undergo a special diagnosis.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease, but a group of pathological conditions. The international classification contains 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 child, is also common.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Type 1 diabetes begins when the pancreas stops producing insulin due to the destruction of beta cells. Because of this, an absolute deficiency of this hormone occurs in the body, carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted and other metabolic processes suffer. The disease usually begins before age 30, usually in childhood or adolescence.
This type of disease is genetically determined and the development of the pathology occurs under the influence of external factors that act on the immune system.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed much more often than type 1. The mechanism of its occurrence is different: the pancreas still generates insulin, but glucose does not enter the cells due to impaired sensitivity to the hormone. Its quantity in the blood remains constantly at high levels. This condition is called insulin resistance.
The disease usually develops in adults, usually after 40-45 years. The presence of excess weight is of great importance for the onset of the disease: according to statistics, it is typical for more than 80% of patients with this diagnosis. In the presence of this factor, a hereditary predisposition is more likely to occur, as due to excess fat mass there is a defect in insulin receptors.
In people who are not overweight, insulin resistance is caused by other reasons, including endocrine diseases and some other diseases.
Gestational diabetes
This pathology occurs in pregnant women due to decreased glucose tolerance. This is an intermediate state between normal and diabetes, which usually disappears after childbirth. It must be differentiated from the primary manifestation of type 1 or 2 discovered during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years;
- have a history of severe poisoning and preeclampsia, chronic miscarriage, stillbirth, chronic malformations in children during previous pregnancies;
- suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Diabetes in pregnant women can begin without these factors.
This pathology poses a threat to women and children, even leading to life-threatening conditions. Risks and possible complications can be avoided by keeping sugar levels under control.
Risk factors
Numerous studies directly relate the probability of developing the disease to genetic predisposition. If one of the parents has type 1 diabetes, the chance of inheriting the disease is 5%; if both parents are sick, it increases to 20%. For a person whose parents have type 2 disease, the probability of contracting the disease is about 80% and, in the presence of obesity, it approaches 100%.
But even if you have direct relatives with diabetes, you can prevent the implementation of a hereditary predisposition if you take risk factors into account and take preventive measures.
Visceral obesity is one of the main factors that cause the development of diabetes mellitus. Excess weight is caused by an inadequate diet with a high consumption of simple carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, use of certain medications and hormonal disorders (for example, excess androgens). According to international standards, visceral obesity is diagnosed when the waist circumference is greater than 80 cm in women and greater than 94 cm in men.
Other lifestyle factors include smoking, alcohol abuse, and prolonged exposure to stress.
Other diseases
At risk are women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as people of both sexes with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Age
Ceteris paribus, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in people over 45 years of age.
Diagnostic methods
The most reliable way to diagnose diabetes is laboratory tests. The first thing that makes it possible to suspect the presence of a disease is that blood sugar is above normal (on an empty stomach it is more than 6. 1-7. 0 mmol/l and 2 hours after a meal it is more than 11. 1 mmol/l). If the results are in doubt, an additional glucose tolerance test is performed, which helps identify prediabetes.
During the exam, glycated hemoglobin, the insulin resistance index, the presence of glucose in the urine are also checked, and insulin and C-peptide tests are performed, which allow the activity of β cells and the volume of insulin to be assessed. production.
To diagnose type 1 diabetes, especially in atypical cases, a blood test is prescribed to detect antibodies against β cells.
The patient may also be referred to specialists (cardiologist, ophthalmologist) for consultation in order to prevent complications.
It is best to have a complete examination at a medical institution where you can quickly get tested and get medical advice. The modern medical center has created conditions for quick and high-quality examination of patients. The technical equipment of the medical center allows you to carry out the necessary research, and the clinic has experienced doctors who will prescribe treatment and answer any questions that may arise.
Diabetes treatment
Methods to completely get rid of this disease have not yet been found. Treatment aims to stabilize the patient's condition, alleviate symptoms and prevent 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 mellitus, as it solves the problem of compensating carbohydrate metabolism and prevents the development of hypo- and hyperglycemia. In the second type, it is prescribed in case of ineffectiveness of other measures, as well as according to indications (for example, during pregnancy, significant reduction in body weight, certain complications).
Antihyperglycemic medications are prescribed to patients with the second type. This group includes products with different principles of action:
- increasing insulin secretion;
- increasing insulin sensitivity;
- reducing the absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work differently, but help restore normal blood glucose levels.
Determining the treatment program, choosing a medication or a combination of both is the responsibility of the attending physician. You can make an appointment with an endocrinologist at the clinic with a referral from a local therapist or without a referral for a fee. You can make an appointment online or over the phone.
Other treatment methods are also used in combination with medications:
- diet (diet for diabetes mellitus necessarily involves limiting carbohydrates),
- viable physical activity,
- compensation for deficiencies of vitamins and microelements,
- regular monitoring of sugar levels.
If complications or concomitant diseases occur, additional additional treatment is prescribed. Surgical methods (bariatric) are also used in the treatment of diabetes when other measures are insufficiently effective.
Possible complications
Impaired carbohydrate metabolism in diabetes mellitus affects the functioning of the entire body, but the disease has the most destructive effect on blood vessels.
Common diabetic complications are:
- retinal detachment;
- kidney failure;
- neuropathy;
- atherosclerosis, which leads to many serious problems, including angina, heart attacks and strokes.
The disease negatively affects the immune system, causing skin and joint pathologies.
The most serious complication is diabetic coma. This condition can be caused by sugar levels that are too high or too low. In these cases, the patient requires urgent medical care in intensive care.
Pathology prevention
Measures to prevent diabetes mellitus partially coincide with general recommendations for maintaining health and preventing diseases. People with a genetic predisposition should pay special attention to them:
- lead an active lifestyle and control weight;
- eat well, reducing the consumption of fast carbohydrates (baked goods, sweets, etc. );
- abandon bad habits (smoking, regular alcohol consumption);
- avoid unnecessary stress;
- After age 40, check your blood sugar levels annually.
In order not to miss the development of diabetes, identify it early and help your body, it is important to monitor the warning signs and not hesitate to consult a doctor.