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. This does not lead to a complete cure from the disease, but it allows to avoid severe complications and relieve symptoms, thus 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 delivery of glucose to the cells of almost all tissues of the body.
In diabetes, metabolic processes are disturbed. 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 experiences hyperglycemia and glycosuria, respectively.
Diabetes mellitus is one of the multifactorial diseases. Its appearance can be provoked by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- lack of physical activity;
- overweight, especially in the obesity stage;
- age-related changes;
- drinking alcohol, overeating;
- uncontrolled use of drugs;
- hypertension;
- other endocrine pathologies;
- pancreatic injuries;
- influence 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
Specific symptoms of the disease include:
- frequent urination (polyuria). In diabetes mellitus, urine is excreted in large quantities, but painlessly and mostly during the day;
- constant thirst caused by dehydration;
- increased appetite, which at the beginning of the disease can manifest itself in attacks. Patients are usually attracted to sweet foods consisting 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:
- reduced visual acuity;
- numbness in hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, severe fatigue and increased sweating even with minor exertion;
- skin problems (itching, non-healing wounds, appearance of dark lumps in certain areas of the body);
- dry mouth, inflammation of the gums, deterioration of the teeth.
In the first type, insulin deficiency develops rapidly, 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 the signs that appear indicating this may not be so 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 may bother him only at a certain stage of the disease, and then the body seems to adapt to the increased sugar and these sensations disappear. Therefore, at the first signs of diabetes, it is important to carry out special diagnostics.
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 endanger the health of the woman and the child, is also common.
Diabetes mellitus type 1
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 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 genetically determined and the development of the pathology occurs under the influence of external factors acting on the immune system.
Diabetes mellitus type 2
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 amount in the blood constantly remains at a high level. 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 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 be realized, because due to the excess fat mass, a defect in the insulin receptors occurs.
In non-obese people, 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 disappears after birth. It must be distinguished from the primary manifestation of type 1 or 2 detected during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years;
- with a history of severe toxicosis and gestosis, chronic spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, chronic malformations in children during previous pregnancies;
- suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Gestational diabetes can start without these factors.
This pathology poses a threat to women and children, even leading to life-threatening conditions. The risks and possible complications can be prevented by keeping the sugar levels under control.
Risk factors
Numerous studies have directly linked the likelihood 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 developing 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 appearance of a hereditary predisposition if you consider the risk factors and take preventive measures.
Visceral obesity is one of the main factors provoking the development of diabetes mellitus. Excess weight is due to a poor diet with a high consumption of simple carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, taking certain medications and hormonal disorders (for example, an excess of androgens). According to international standards, visceral obesity is diagnosed when the waist circumference is more than 80 cm in women and more than 94 cm in men.
Other lifestyle factors include smoking, alcohol abuse and prolonged exposure to stress.
Other diseases
Women with polycystic ovaries, as well as people of both sexes with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, are at risk.
Age
All other things being equal, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in people over 45.
Diagnostic methods
The most reliable way to diagnose diabetes is a laboratory test. The first thing that allows you to suspect the presence of a disease is that your blood sugar is higher than normal (on an empty stomach it is over 6. 1-7. 0 mmol/l, and 2 hours after eating it is over 11, 1 mmol/l). If the results are doubtful, an additional glucose tolerance test is performed, which helps to identify prediabetes.
During the examination, glycated hemoglobin, the index of insulin resistance, the presence of glucose in the urine are also checked, tests for insulin and C-peptide are performed, which allow to evaluate the activity of β-cells and the volume of insulin. production.
To diagnose type 1 diabetes, especially in atypical cases, a blood test for antibodies against β-cells is prescribed.
The patient can also be sent to specialists (cardiologist, ophthalmologist) for consultation to prevent complications.
It is better to undergo a complete examination in a medical institution, where you can be quickly tested and receive medical advice. In the modern medical center, conditions have been created for a quick and high-quality examination of patients. The technical equipment of the medical center allows you to conduct the necessary tests, and the clinic is staffed by experienced doctors who will prescribe treatment and clarify any questions that may arise.
Treatment of diabetes
No methods have yet been found to completely eliminate this disease. Treatment is aimed at stabilizing the patient's condition, relieving symptoms and preventing complications. If all recommendations are followed, patients with diabetes can minimize the impact of the disease on everyday 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, it is prescribed in case of ineffectiveness of other measures, as well as according to the indications (for example, during pregnancy, a significant decrease in body weight, certain complications).
In patients with the second type, antihyperglycemic drugs are prescribed. This group includes products with different principles of action:
- enhancing insulin secretion;
- increase in insulin sensitivity;
- reducing the absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work in different ways, but ultimately help restore normal blood sugar levels.
The determination of the treatment program, the choice of medicine or a combination of both is within the competence 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 for a consultation online or by phone.
In combination with drugs, other methods of treatment are also used:
- diet (diabetes diet necessarily includes restriction of carbohydrates),
- possible physical activity,
- compensating the deficiency of vitamins and trace elements,
- regular monitoring of sugar levels.
If complications or concomitant diseases occur, appropriate treatment is additionally prescribed. Surgical methods (bariatrics) 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 organism, 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 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 an intensive care unit.
Prevention of pathology
Measures to prevent diabetes partially coincide with general recommendations for maintaining health and preventing diseases. People with a genetic predisposition should watch them especially carefully:
- lead an active lifestyle and control weight;
- eat right by reducing the consumption of fast carbohydrates (baked goods, sweets, etc. );
- give up bad habits (smoking, regular alcohol use);
- avoid unnecessary stress;
- After age 40, check your blood sugar levels every year.
In order not to miss the development of diabetes, to identify it at an early stage and to help your body, it is important to observe the warning signs and not hesitate to consult a doctor.