Research Paper on Diabetes
An interesting fact, according to The American Heritage College dictionary, diabetes is named for one of it’s symptoms. The disease was known to the Greeks as diabetes, a word derived from the verb diabainein, made up of the prefix dia-, “across, apart,” and the word bainen, “ to walk, stand “. The verb diabeinien meant “ to stride, walk or stand with legs apart”; Hence, its derivative diabetes meant “ one that straddles” or “ a compass siphon”. The sense “siphon” gave rise to the use of diabetes as the name for a disease involving the discharge of excessive amounts of urine. (Pg.382)
The muscle cells and other tissues in the body require certain specific levels of glucose and carbohydrates to maintain their functions. The level of glucose absorbed into the bloodstream by the intestines, and the method by which glucose enters the body’s cells, is controlled by a hormone called insulin. The insulin hormone is produced in the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach.
People with diabetes either produce too little insulin or their cells become resistant to its action, resulting in abnormally high levels of blood sugar. Then sugar levels are severely raised, the condition is called hyperglycemia.
There are three main types of diabetes, Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (Type I), Non-Insulin Dependent (Type II), and Gestational Diabetes. The causes, short-term effects, and treatments are different. But, they cause the same long term health problems.
Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It occurs most often in children and young adults, but can appear at any age. It use to be known as juvenile diabetes. People with this type have little or no ability to produce insulin. The cause of Type I diabetes is unknown, but childhood infections are possibly responsible and a tendency to develop it may be inherited. The pancreas undergoes a change and cells that usually produce insulin are destroyed, as a result of the body’s own immune system, believing the pancreas to be a foreign organ. The body may then try to eliminate the pancreas.
The symptoms of Type I diabetes develop during a short period of time. They include increased thirst, urination, being hungry all the time, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme tiredness. People with Type I diabetes must have daily injections of insulin to suvive.
Type II diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. In Type II diabetes, the pancreas still has its ability to produce insulin, but the amount is not enough for the body’s needs, or it cannot, use it to its full extent by the tissues. Most people with Type II diabetes are over 40 and, or suffer from obesity (clinically overweight).
The symptoms of Type II diabetes develop gradually. They include feeling tired or ill, frequent night urination, thirst, blurred vision, some weight loss, frequent infections, and sores the heal slowly or not at all. Type II diabetes is controlled through dietary changes, exercise, or with oral medications.
Gestational diabetes occurs only in women. This condition develops or is discovered during pregnancy. There is enough insulin produced, but it is blocked by hormones produced in the placenta. This condition is called insulin resistance. Gestational diabetes is controlled with diet, and goes away after the delivery of the baby. Women who get Gestational diabetes are at greater risk to develop Type II diabetes later in life.
There is no cure for diabetes as of yet, but diabetes can be controlled by listening to health care providers and by doing what they say. There are an estimated 15 million people with some form of diabetes in the United States, but half do not even know they have it. If diabetes is left untreated it can lead to even more serious conditions. Such as blindness, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, amputations of limbs, and diabetic coma.
The muscle cells and other tissues in the body require certain specific levels of glucose and carbohydrates to maintain their functions. The level of glucose absorbed into the bloodstream by the intestines, and the method by which glucose enters the body’s cells, is controlled by a hormone called insulin. The insulin hormone is produced in the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach.
People with diabetes either produce too little insulin or their cells become resistant to its action, resulting in abnormally high levels of blood sugar. Then sugar levels are severely raised, the condition is called hyperglycemia.
There are three main types of diabetes, Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (Type I), Non-Insulin Dependent (Type II), and Gestational Diabetes. The causes, short-term effects, and treatments are different. But, they cause the same long term health problems.
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Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It occurs most often in children and young adults, but can appear at any age. It use to be known as juvenile diabetes. People with this type have little or no ability to produce insulin. The cause of Type I diabetes is unknown, but childhood infections are possibly responsible and a tendency to develop it may be inherited. The pancreas undergoes a change and cells that usually produce insulin are destroyed, as a result of the body’s own immune system, believing the pancreas to be a foreign organ. The body may then try to eliminate the pancreas.
The symptoms of Type I diabetes develop during a short period of time. They include increased thirst, urination, being hungry all the time, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme tiredness. People with Type I diabetes must have daily injections of insulin to suvive.
Type II diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. In Type II diabetes, the pancreas still has its ability to produce insulin, but the amount is not enough for the body’s needs, or it cannot, use it to its full extent by the tissues. Most people with Type II diabetes are over 40 and, or suffer from obesity (clinically overweight).
The symptoms of Type II diabetes develop gradually. They include feeling tired or ill, frequent night urination, thirst, blurred vision, some weight loss, frequent infections, and sores the heal slowly or not at all. Type II diabetes is controlled through dietary changes, exercise, or with oral medications.
Gestational diabetes occurs only in women. This condition develops or is discovered during pregnancy. There is enough insulin produced, but it is blocked by hormones produced in the placenta. This condition is called insulin resistance. Gestational diabetes is controlled with diet, and goes away after the delivery of the baby. Women who get Gestational diabetes are at greater risk to develop Type II diabetes later in life.
There is no cure for diabetes as of yet, but diabetes can be controlled by listening to health care providers and by doing what they say. There are an estimated 15 million people with some form of diabetes in the United States, but half do not even know they have it. If diabetes is left untreated it can lead to even more serious conditions. Such as blindness, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, amputations of limbs, and diabetic coma.
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