Diabetes Mellitus is one of the commonest and most seen disease condition in our world today. It has become so common that it's almost nearly impossible for general practitioners in cities to go a whole day without seeing a patient with diabetes.
Despite how common it is, lots of people still seem to miss the facts about this disease condition and hold on to certain wrong notions about the condition. In this article I'll be giving some basic information about diabetes that should get you started.
Are you ready? I am... So let's go then;
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease condition that is characterized by the presence of high levels of glucose in the blood. (Hence, some people call it sugar disease).
It comes about by either of these two reasons;
The inability of a special group of cells in the pancreas (Beta cells of Langerhans) to produce enough insulin. Or
The inability of the body cells to respond to insulin produced by the pancreas.
As a result of the above we have two major types of Diabetes, Types I and II. Type I corresponds to 1. above and Type II to 2. above. Other types are gestational DM (DM in pregnancy), MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young), etc. However, types I and II are the most seen.
Some predisposing factors to it include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, genetics, family history, some congenital conditions, to mention a few.
People with diabetes are often times always hungry, this is because the glucose in their blood is not utilized by the body cells either as a result of any of the reasons given above. As a result of this, they keep eating more (polyphagia) but are never really satisfied, this causes the glucose levels in the blood to keep rising and soon it makes the blood hyperosmolar causing the kidneys to regulate leading to frequent urination (polyuria). This frequent urination will lead to a decrease in body fluid triggering the thirst centres this making the individual thirst for water and leading to frequent drinking of water known as polydypsia. Hence the three cardinal symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus are polyphagia, polyuria and polydypsia. Other symptoms are bound to follow depending on the levels of glucose in the blood. Sometimes it's gets to the point of people having a diabetic coma which is a medical emergency.
Checking for diabetes is rapidly becoming a routine investigation in many centres because of how common it has become in our world today. However if you do feel any of the above symptoms or feel like you're not feeling good. Please do well go visit the hospital.
I'll do a follow up write up soon to talk about treatment modalities. Thank you and I hope you know more now?!