DIABETES AS A CIVILIZING THREAT
Diabetes (or diabetes mellitus) is the chronic and incurable disease, which is characterized by elevated concentration of glucose in human blood. In 1991 was announced World Diabetes Day, in response to the constantly growing concerns of threads of health and civilization, which diabetes represents. Falls on November 14 – and thanks the several actions the non-professional public can be closer familiarized with the meaning of the prevention, with the illness itself and with the possibility of treatments. Because this insidious disease can affect each of us!
General information about the disease
Diabetes mellitus is serious metabolic disease, which is characterized by elevated level of blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Hormone insulin caters regulation of the level of blood sugar in a human body and in case of its shortage, type 1 diabetes breaks out. It emerges primarily in childhood or in youth. Type 2 diabetes, which is typical for obese or older people, then occurs when insufficient tissue sensitivity to insulin. As briefly mentioned, the cause both types of diabetes is inadequate insulin action in target cells. Once is reduced the sugar transport into cells, they begin suffer from a lack of energy, and consequently is increased the release of sugar from the liver. In the human liver, sugar can arise by formation or by cleavage of glycogen storage substances. And what is essential, the level of blood sugar continues to increase.
Types of diabetes
In the first type diabetes, the human organism is completely lacking the hormone insulin. This is due autoimmune damage of cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for its production. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is usually diagnosed, as already mentioned, at young people alternatively in children. This disease is usually manifested by fatigue, frequent urination and the feeling of hunger. Not even in the present day, the causes of diabetes haven´t been absolutely cleared up. However external factors or genetic disposition of a man to the development of diabetes have important role. If we talk about external causes, we can mention, for example virus infection, which starts autoimmune process. In any case, it´s serious disease, with the maximum incidents in all development countries of the world, and therefore the object of the research is, for example influence of food, environment and life style. Researches show that 92% diabetes patients have the second type. Type 2 diabetes affects mostly older people or individuals, who are overweight. To the origin of this type of diabetes significantly contribute as genetic disposition as lack of exercise, irregular eating, excessive stress, etc. In the case of patients of type 2 diabetes rather than lack, tend to have excess of insulin. However, they suffer so-called insulin resistance, thus the lack of tissue sensitivity to the effects of insulin. Nevertheless, the hormone insulin helps blood sugar while entering cells, because sugar is the source of energy. In the case of insulin resistance, sugar begins to accumulate in the blood and causes many problems. Second type of diabetes is usually associated with a number of other metabolic deviations, including obesity, high blood pressure, elevated level of uric acid in the blood, etc. Of course, at obese patients is also part of the treatment necessary weight reduction.
Signs of diabetes
A typical example of developed disease of diabetes mellitus is large thirst and excessive urination (night one including). Other symptoms include fatigue, low efficiency (or inefficiency), malaise, alternatively weight loss during normal appetite. In some cases, visual acuity can also fluctuate at ill individuals. However, it´s important to note, that there´s no significant evidence of this serious disease at its beginning. Normal value of blood glucose (blood sugar) on an empty stomach is from 3.8 to 5.6 mmol/l. Doctors consider a manifestation of disease values higher than 7 mmol/l (on an empty stomach) and 11.1 mmol/l anytime during the day. The disease is always preceded by the so-called prediabetes, which may be regarded as a warning condition, when the body announces us that diabetes will come! According to experts is prediabetes already the condition, when for example is frequently to happen heart attacks or strokes. This phase to develop in diabetes may take several years – so there is still time for a treatment, thanks which may be blood sugar returned to the normal values. Diabetes is actually very serious disease, insidious by the fact that isn´t painful and actually doesn´t impede on its beginning. If isn´t diabetes mellitus diagnosed in time (and begin a treatment), can greatly worsen quality of the life of patients and also treatment costs increase significantly.