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- 22 May, 2023
What You Need to Know About Diabetes: A Guide for Beginners
What You Need to Know About Diabetes: A Guide for Beginners
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body processes sugar (glucose) in your blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for your cells, but when you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose get into your cells. Without insulin, glucose builds up in your blood and can cause serious health problems.
What are the types of diabetes?
There are different types of diabetes, each with its own causes and treatments. Here are some basic facts about the most common types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes: This type occurs when your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. You need to take insulin injections or use an insulin pump every day to survive. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children or young adults, but it can happen at any age.
- Type 2 diabetes: This type occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough of it. You may be able to manage type 2 diabetes with lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy, exercising, and losing weight. You may also need to take oral medications or injectable drugs to lower your blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults, especially those who are overweight, older, or have a family history of diabetes.
- Prediabetes: This type is the stage before Type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be officially diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
- Gestational diabetes: This type occurs when pregnant women develop high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. It usually goes away after the baby is born, but it can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Gestational diabetes can affect the health of both the mother and the baby. It can be controlled with diet, exercise, and sometimes medication.
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- Type 3c diabetes
- Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY)
- Neonatal diabetes
- Brittle diabetes
Diabetes is common. About 54 crore adults across the world have diabetes. Experts predict this number will rise to 64 crores by 2030 and 78 crores by 2045.India ranks second after China in the global diabetes epidemic with 8 crore people with diabetes. Kerala is the diabetes capital of India with a prevalence of diabetes as high as 20% ─ double the national average of 8%.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
The symptoms of diabetes may vary depending on the type and severity of the condition. Some common symptoms include:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Hunger and fatigue
- Blurred vision and headaches
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Slow healing of wounds or infections
- Weight loss or gain
- Frequent skin and/or vaginal yeast infections.
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in your bloodstream. This can happen regardless of the type of diabetes you have. However, the reason why your blood glucose levels are high differs depending on the type of diabetes.
There are different causes of diabetes:
- Insulin resistance: Type 2 diabetes mainly results from insulin resistance. Insulin resistance happens when cells in your muscles, fat and liver don’t respond as they should to insulin. Several factors and conditions contribute to varying degrees of insulin resistance, including obesity, lack of physical activity, diet, hormonal imbalances, genetics and certain medications.
- Autoimmune disease: Type 1 diabetes and LADA happen when your immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas.
- Hormonal imbalances: During pregnancy, the placenta releases hormones that cause insulin resistance. You may develop gestational diabetes if your pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. Other hormone-related conditions like acromegaly and Cushing syndrome can also cause Type 2 diabetes.
- Pancreatic damage: Physical damage to your pancreas — from a condition, surgery or injury — can impact its ability to make insulin, resulting in Type 3c diabetes.
- Genetic mutations: Certain genetic mutations can cause MODY and neonatal diabetes.
- Long-term use of certain medications can also lead to Type 2 diabetes, including HIV/AIDS medications and corticosteroids.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Healthcare providers diagnose diabetes by checking your glucose level in a blood test. Three tests can measure your blood glucose level:
Fasting blood glucose test: For this test, you don’t eat or drink anything except water (fast) for at least eight hours before the test.
Random blood glucose test: “Random” means that you can get this test at any time, regardless of if you’ve fasted.
A1c: This test, also called HbA1C or glycated hemoglobin test, provides your average blood glucose level over the past two to three months.
To screen for and diagnose gestational diabetes, an oral glucose tolerance testis done.
The following test results typically indicate if you don’t have diabetes, have prediabetes or have diabetes.
| Type of test | In-range (mg/dL) |
Prediabetes (mg/dL) |
Diabetes (mg/L) |
| Fasting blood glucose test | Less than 100. | 100 to 125. | 126 or higher. |
| Random blood glucose test | N/A. |
N/A. | 200 or higher (with classic symptoms of hyperglycemia or hyperglycemic crisis). |
| HbA1c | Less than 5.7%. | 5.7% to 6.4%. | 6.5% or higher. |
What are the complications of diabetes?
Diabetes can cause serious complications if left untreated or poorly managed. Some of the possible complications include:
- Heart disease and stroke
- Kidney disease and failure
- Nerve damage and neuropathy
- Eye damage and blindness
- Foot problems and amputation
- Skin infections and ulcers
- Dental problems and gum disease
- Acute diabetes complications that can be life-threatening include:
Diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA)
Severe low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)
Diabetes Management and Prevention
The good news is that you can prevent or delay many of these complications by keeping your blood sugar under control. You can do this by following a treatment plan that suits your needs and goals. Your treatment plan may include:
- Monitoring your blood sugar regularly and keeping a record of the results
- Taking your medications as prescribed and adjusting them as needed
- Following a balanced diet that limits carbohydrates, fats, and sugars
- Getting regular physical activity that helps you burn calories and improve your blood circulation
- Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake
- Managing stress and coping with emotions
- Getting regular check-ups and screenings from your health care team
Living with diabetes can be challenging, but it doesn't have to stop you from enjoying life. With proper care and support, you can manage your condition and prevent complications. You can also find helpful resources and communities online or in your area that can offer you information, advice, and encouragement.
Remember that you are not alone in this journey. Diabetes is a common condition that affects millions of people around the world. By learning more about it and taking action, you can improve your health and well-being.
Done by Dr. Raveesh
Topic - Diabetes