Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases that are caused by disturbances in the glucose absorption process and are chronic. According to WHO estimates, about half a billion people worldwide suffer from this pathology. Proper and timely treatment of diabetes mellitus is very important for patients. It does not lead to complete relief from the disease, but it allows avoiding severe complications and relieving symptoms, thus ensuring a normal quality of life.
Causes
In simplified terms, the causes of diabetes can be described as a decrease in the sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin, i. e. 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 in 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.
Diabetes mellitus is one of the multifactorial diseases. Its appearance can be triggered by:
- viral diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- physical inactivity;
- overweight, especially in the stage of obesity;
- age changes;
- alcohol consumption, overeating;
- uncontrolled use of drugs;
- hypertension;
- other endocrine pathologies;
- pancreatic injuries;
- impact 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 can manifest itself in attacks 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 as a result of increased protein and fat catabolism.
Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by other symptoms:
- reduced visual acuity;
- numbness of hands and feet;
- drowsiness (especially during the day), weakness, severe fatigue and increased sweating even with minor effort;
- skin problems (itching, non-healing wounds, dark bumps on certain parts of the body);
- dry mouth, gum inflammation, tooth decay.
In the first type, insulin deficiency develops rapidly, and the above 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 on it may not be so pronounced. Therefore, the second variant of the disease is often discovered several years after the onset.
The patient may not show all the signs, but only 2-3 of them. In addition, the symptoms of hyperglycemia can bother him only at a certain stage of the disease, and then it seems that the body adapts to the increased sugar and these feelings disappear. Therefore, at the first signs of diabetes, it is important to carry out 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. Gestational diabetes is also common, which occurs during pregnancy and can threaten the health of the woman and the child.
Diabetes mellitus type 1
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 disturbed, and then other metabolic processes also 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 that affect 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 produces 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 development of the disease: according to statistics, it is typical for more than 80% of patients with this diagnosis. In the presence of this factor, it is more likely that a hereditary predisposition will occur, because due to excess fat mass, there is a defect in the insulin receptors.
In people who are not overweight, insulin resistance is caused by other reasons, including endocrine and some other diseases.
Gestational diabetes
This pathology occurs in pregnant women due to reduced glucose tolerance. This is an intermediate state between normal and diabetes, which usually disappears after childbirth. It should be distinguished from a primary manifestation of type 1 or 2 detected during pregnancy.
Women at risk:
- overweight;
- over 30 years;
- had a history of severe toxicosis and gestosis, chronic miscarriage, stillbirth, chronic malformations in children during previous pregnancies;
- patients with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.
Diabetes in pregnant women can start even without these factors.
This pathology poses a threat to women and children, even leading to life-threatening conditions. Risks and possible complications can be prevented by keeping sugar levels under control.
Risk factors
Numerous studies directly link the likelihood of developing the disease with 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 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 into account risk factors and take preventive measures.
Visceral obesity is one of the key factors that cause the development of diabetes mellitus. Excess weight is caused by a poor 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 greater 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 ovary syndrome, as well as people of both sexes with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, are at risk.
Old age
All things considered, 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 laboratory testing. The first thing that allows you to suspect the presence of the disease is that your blood sugar is higher than 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 doubtful, an additional glucose tolerance test is performed;
During the examination, glycated hemoglobin, the index of insulin resistance, the presence of glucose in the urine, and tests for insulin and C-peptide are performed, which enable the assessment of β-cell activity and insulin volume. 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 sent to specialists (cardiologist, ophthalmologist) for consultation in order to prevent complications.
It is better to undergo a full examination at a medical facility, where you can be quickly tested and receive medical advice. The modern medical center has created the conditions for a 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 employs experienced doctors who will prescribe treatment and clarify any questions that may arise.
Treatment of diabetes
There are still no methods found that would completely get rid of 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 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, it is prescribed in case of ineffectiveness of other measures, as well as according to indications (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 principles of action:
- increase in insulin secretion;
- increasing sensitivity to insulin;
- reduction of absorption of carbohydrates and others;
They work differently, but ultimately help restore normal blood glucose levels.
Determining the treatment program, choosing the drug or their combination 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 an additional fee. You can schedule a consultation appointment online or by phone.
Other treatment methods are used in combination with drugs:
- diet (diet for diabetes mellitus necessarily includes limiting carbohydrates),
- feasible physical activity,
- compensation of vitamin and microelement deficiencies,
- 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
Disruption of carbohydrate metabolism in diabetes mellitus affects the functioning of the entire organism, but the disease has the most destructive effect on blood vessels.
Common complications of diabetes are:
- retinal ablation;
- 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 either too high or too low sugar levels. In such cases, the patient needs immediate medical care in the intensive care unit.
Prevention of pathology
Measures for the prevention of diabetes mellitus partly coincide with general recommendations for health preservation and disease prevention. People with a genetic predisposition should observe them especially carefully:
- lead an active lifestyle and control weight;
- eat correctly, reducing 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 level every year.
In order not to miss the development of diabetes, to recognize it at an early stage and help your body, it is important to monitor the warning signs and not hesitate to consult a doctor.