What is Diabetes?

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which the body is unable to produce or effectively use insulin. The disease is divided into two types. Insulin dependent diabetes, which is also known as Type 1, accounts for %5 of cases. Onset is typically during youth, with peak incidence occurring between the ages of 11 and 14. It is caused by destruction of the pancreatic islet beta cells. This results in insufficient production of insulin, a protein hormone that is essential for metabolizing carbohydrates.

Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is also known as type 2 diabetes. It is far more common type of diabetes, accounting for 90% to 95% of cases. Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is caused by a combination of  beta cell disorder and insulin resistance stemming from obesity. Most of the people who have that type of diabetes are obese people.

Mortality and morbidity from diabetes are primary related to complications from the disease rather than from diabetes per se. heart disease is the leading cause of diabetes related deaths. About 60 or 65 percent of people with diabetes have high blood pressure which is often a manifestation of diabetic nephropathy, and the risk of both stroke and heart disease is two to four times higher among people with diabetes than those without the disease. Diabetes is also the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults, and diabetic neuropathy accounts for more than half of the lower limb amputations in the USA. Finally, type 1 diabetes can result in an increased production of ketones, leading to ketoacidosis, coma and sometimes even death. Type 2 diabetes can lead to some types of syndromes which are also life threatening.