Diabetes Mellitus
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels, which result from defects in insulin secretion, or action, or both. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, means "sweet urine." Elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) lead to spillage of glucose into the urine, hence the term sweet urine. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the blood glucose elevates (for example, after eating food), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In patients with diabetes mellitus, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic medical condition, meaning it can last a lifetime.
What is the impact of diabetes?
Over time, diabetes mellitus can lead to blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Diabetes mellitus is also an important factor in accelerating the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), leading to strokes, coronary heart diseases, and other blood vessel diseases. Diabetes mellitus affects 15 million people (about 8% of the population) in the United States. In addition, an estimated 12 million people in the United States have diabetes and don't even know it. From an economic perspective, the total annual economic cost of diabetes in 1997 was estimated to be 98 billion dollars in the United States. The per capita cost resulting from diabetes in 1997 amounted to $10,071, while to health care costs for people without diabetes incurred a per capita cost of $2,699. During this same year, 13.9 million days of hospital stay were attributed to diabetes, while 30.3 million physician office visits were diabetes related. Remember, these numbers reflect only the population in the United States. Globally, the statistics are staggering.
Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer.
Type 2 diabetes happens when your body either cannot produce enough insulin
or does not use the insulin it makes properly – insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas.
Many of the foods we eat – such as bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, milk and fruit – are converted into sugar and give us the energy we need to maintain life. Insulin gets the sugar into the cells, but if you have type 2 diabetes, your body can’t do that without help.
How did I get diabetes?
There is no single cause of type 2 diabetes, but some factors put people at a greater risk, including:
- Being age 40 or over
- Being overweight
- Having a family member who has diabetes
- Having had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
Should my family be tested for diabetes?
People should ask their doctor to be tested for diabetes if they:
- Are age 40 or over
- Are overweight
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Have given birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 lbs
- Are of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, or African descent
Complications of diabetes
Diabetes is a life-long condition. High blood glucose levels over a long period of time can cause blindness, heart disease, kidney problems, amputations, nerve damage and erectile dysfunction. Good diabetes care and management can prevent or delay the onset of these complications.
When you have your regular check-up, ask your doctor to check for complications.
Taking responsibility for managing your diabetes and looking after yourself will help you to delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes-related complications.
To manage your diabetes well, it is very important that you:
- Don’t smoke
- Live a healthy lifestyle
- Keep your blood glucose levels (the amount of sugar in your blood) in your target range
- Keep your cholesterol and other blood fats in your target range
- Keep your weight in a healthy range
- Keep your blood pressure close to target level
- Take your medication as prescribed
Living a healthy lifestyle includes:
- Managing your stress effectively
- Following a balanced meal plan
- Being physically active
- Taking care of your feet
Regular visits to your
– dentist
– eye specialist (every one to two years)
– doctor for diabetes management and testing for complications
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