Operation Diabetes

Introduction to Diabetes

Diabetes is an abnormal condition in a person in which the body does not properly control the amount of sugar bloodstream. In a normal person, the pancreas (an endocrine system organ located near the stomach) would secrete a substance call insulin when blood glucose (sugar) level gets too high. Insulin is used to convert glucose into glycogen, which is the storage form of glucose and is stored in the liver and muscle cells. When glucose is needed, due to fasting or exercise, glycogen will be broken down into glucose again. People with diabetes have problems regulating this glycogen production.

Types of Diabetes

There are two forms of diabetes mellitus: type 1 and type 2. Each form incurable, chronic, and comes with its own symptoms.

Type 1 diabetes is the condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin. Without insulin in the body, the body can not process glucose into glycogen, which forces the glucose to be stored in the bloodstream instead of cells. But because the cells cannot utilize it, this causes the patient to feel a sense of hunger (due to lowered blood/sugar level). Other symptoms include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue

Diabetes can also cause damage to blood vessels and nerves and also impairs the immune system. The usual cause of type 1 is still unconfirmed, though genetics, virus, and auto-immune problems contribute to it.

Type 2 diabetes is the more common form. Unlike type 1, the body of a type 2 diabetic produces insulin. However, the insulin is not properly utilized due to a metabolic disorder known as insulin resistance. Similar to type 1, cells can not utilize the glucose and therefore it is stored in the bloodstream. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Increased appetite
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Frequent or slow healing infections

The causes of type 2 diabetes include:
- HDL cholesterol (“good” high density lipoprotein) too low
- High blood pressure
- Poor diet
- Low activity
- Excess body weight

Treatment

The only solution to diabetes type 1 is to administer insulin, which is usually injected.

Careful dieting and exercise may help manage the extent of diabetes’ harm.

Special attention must be paid to a diabetic’s foot, because, due to the damage of nerves and impaired immune system, the person may be unaware that the foot is injured. The injury may progress into an infection and if allowed to develop further, the foot may rot.