Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases that develop due to disruption of glucose absorption processes and are chronic. According to WHO estimates, about half a billion people worldwide suffer from this pathology. Correct and timely treatment of diabetes mellitus is very important for patients. It does not lead to complete relief from the disease, but it allows to avoid serious complications and alleviate symptoms, thus ensuring a normal quality of life.
Reasons
In a simplified way, 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 interrupted in the case of 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, instead of entering the cells, glucose accumulates in the blood and urine. The patient experiences hyperglycemia and glycosuria.
Diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial disease. Its occurrence can be triggered by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- physical inactivity;
- overweight, especially in the stage of obesity;
- age-related changes;
- alcohol consumption, overeating;
- uncontrolled use of drugs;
- hypertension;
- other endocrine pathologies;
- pancreatic injuries;
- effect of stress.
The probability of developing the disease in the presence of one or more provoking factors depends on the hereditary predisposition.
Symptoms of diabetes
The specific symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- frequent urination (polyuria). In diabetes mellitus, urine is released in large quantities, but painlessly and mainly during the day;
- persistent thirst caused by dehydration;
- increased appetite, which may manifest itself in seizures at the beginning of the disease. Patients are usually attracted to sweet foods consisting of simple carbohydrates;
- weight change. Due to excessive appetite, patients often lose weight due to the increased breakdown of proteins and fats.
Diabetes is accompanied by other symptoms:
- reduced visual acuity;
- numbness of the hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, severe fatigue and increased sweating even with minor exertion;
- 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 may be asymptomatic for a long time, and even the signs of it may not be so pronounced. Therefore, the second version of the disease is often detected several years after its appearance.
It may happen that the patient does not show all the signs, but only 2-3 of them. In addition, the symptoms of hyperglycemia may bother you only at a certain stage of the disease, and then the body seems to adapt to the increased sugar level, and these feelings disappear. Therefore, it is important to carry out 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 includes several types, but most patients are diagnosed with type 1 or 2 disease. Gestational diabetes is also common, which occurs during pregnancy and can endanger the health of the woman and the child.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Type 1 diabetes begins when the pancreas stops producing insulin due to the destruction of beta cells. Because of this, there is an absolute lack of this hormone in the body, carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted, 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 genetically determined, and the development of the pathology occurs as a result of external factors affecting 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 continues to produce insulin, but glucose does not enter the cells due to the sensitivity of the hormone. Its amount in the blood remains constantly high. This condition is called insulin resistance.
The disease usually develops in adults, often after 40-45 years. The presence of excess weight 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, since the defect of insulin receptors occurs due to excessive fat mass.
In people who are not overweight, insulin resistance is caused by other causes, including endocrine and some other diseases.
Gestational diabetes
This pathology occurs in pregnant women due to reduced glucose tolerance. It is an intermediate state between normal and diabetes that usually resolves after delivery. It must be distinguished from the primary manifestation of type 1 or 2 discovered during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years of age;
- severe toxicosis and gestosis, chronic miscarriage, stillbirth, chronic developmental disorders during previous pregnancies;
- suffers from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Diabetes in pregnant women can start even without these factors.
This pathology poses a threat to women and children, and even leads to life-threatening conditions. Risks and possible complications can be prevented by controlling sugar levels.
Risk factors
Many studies directly link the likelihood of developing the disease to genetic predisposition. If one parent suffers from type 1 diabetes, the chance of inheriting the disease is 5%, and if both parents are affected, this increases to 20%. People whose parents have type 2 have about an 80% chance of developing the disease, and obesity approaches 100%.
But even if you have direct relatives with diabetes, you can prevent the development of a hereditary tendency by taking into account the risk factors and taking preventive measures.
Visceral obesity is one of the key factors in the development of diabetes mellitus. Being overweight is caused by improper diet, high consumption of simple carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, taking certain medications and hormonal disorders (such as excessive androgens). According to international standards, visceral obesity is diagnosed when the waist circumference is more than 80 cm for women and more than 94 cm for men.
Other lifestyle factors include smoking, alcohol consumption and prolonged stress.
Other diseases
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as those with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases of both genders, are at risk.
Circle
All other things being equal, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in people over the age of 45.
Diagnostic methods
The most reliable way to diagnose diabetes is through laboratory tests. The first thing that allows you to suspect the presence of the disease is that your blood sugar level is higher than normal (more than 6. 1-7. 0 mmol/l on an empty stomach, more than 11. 1 mmol/l 2 hours after a meal). If the results are in doubt, an additional glucose tolerance test is performed to help identify prediabetes.
During the examination, glycated hemoglobin, the insulin resistance index, the presence of glucose in the urine are checked, and insulin and C-peptide tests are performed, which allow assessing the activity of β-cells and the volume of insulin. production.
To diagnose type 1 diabetes, especially in atypical cases, a blood test is prescribed to detect antibodies against β-cells.
The patient can also be referred to a specialist (cardiologist, ophthalmologist) for consultation in order to prevent complications.
It is better to have a full examination in a medical institution, where you can quickly carry out the examination and medical advice. The modern medical center has created the conditions for quick and high-quality examination of patients. The medical center's technical equipment enables the necessary research to be carried out, and the clinic is staffed by experienced doctors who prescribe treatment and clarify any questions that may arise.
Treatment of diabetes
They have not yet found ways to completely get rid of the disease. The aim of the treatment is to stabilize the patient's condition, relieve symptoms and prevent complications. If all recommendations are followed, diabetics can minimize the impact of the disease on everyday life.
Medication 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 carbohydrate metabolism compensation 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 weight loss, certain complications).
Patients of the second type are prescribed antihyperglycemic drugs. This group includes products with different operating principles:
- increasing insulin secretion;
- increasing insulin sensitivity;
- reducing the absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work differently, but ultimately help restore normal blood sugar levels.
It is the duty of the attending physician to define the treatment program and select the drug or their combination. You can make an appointment with an endocrinologist at the doctor's office with a referral from a local therapist or, for a fee, without a referral. You can make an appointment for the consultation online or by phone.
Other treatment methods are also used in combination with drugs:
- diet (diabetes diet necessarily includes restriction of carbohydrates),
- feasible physical activity,
- replacement of vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies,
- regular control of sugar levels.
If complications or concomitant diseases occur, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Surgical methods (bariatrics) are also used to treat diabetes when other measures are not effective enough.
Possible complications
In diabetes, impaired carbohydrate metabolism affects the functioning of the entire body, but the disease has the most destructive effect on blood vessels.
Common complications of diabetes include:
- retinal detachment;
- kidney failure;
- neuropathy;
- atherosclerosis, which leads to a number of serious problems, including angina, heart attack, and stroke.
The disease negatively affects the immune system, which causes pathologies of the skin and joints.
The most serious complication is diabetic coma. This condition can be caused by sugar levels that are too high or too low. In such cases, the patient needs urgent medical care in the intensive care unit.
Prevention of pathology
Measures to prevent diabetes mellitus partially coincide with general recommendations for health maintenance and disease prevention. People with a genetic predisposition should watch them especially carefully:
- leading an active lifestyle and controlling body weight;
- eat right, reduce the consumption of fast carbohydrates (bakery, sweets, etc. );
- give up 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, to recognize it at an early stage and to help your body, it is important to pay attention to the warning signs and do not hesitate to consult a doctor.