How to recognize any type of diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease in which there is an increased level of glucose in the blood. The most common type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), which usually occurs in adults, is also called insulin-dependent. We understand how to recognize diabetes, and what you need to pay attention to.

DM is a serious disease that can not be started in any way. Improper control of blood glucose levels threatens to disrupt the functions of the kidneys, nervous and cardiovascular systems: for example, it is known that most patients with diabetes eventually die not from improper control of blood glucose levels, but from cardiovascular complications.

108 million people-had diabetes in 1980

422 million people-had diabetes in 2014

4.58 million people suffer from diabetes in Russia

4.2 million people in Russia suffer from type 2 diabetes

What is insulin and how does it work?

Insulin is the only hormone that is responsible for lowering blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that a person consumes with food are also broken down to monomers, one of which is glucose — the "gasoline" for our cells, without which they cannot work. In the intestine, glucose is gradually absorbed into the blood and carried to the cells. However, it cannot enter the cell on its own: insulin must help it by acting on the glucose carrier.

When glucose enters the cells, its level in the blood gradually decreases. Our cells receive energy in the course of chemical transformations of glucose. But if there is not enough insulin in the body or the cell is immune to it, then the sugar level remains high, and the sugar itself gets very poorly into the cells.

What are the types of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) is a disease in which the body's immune system targets the cells of the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin. As a result, these cells die. This is the very situation in which there is no insulin in the body at all. Accordingly, there is nothing to affect the glucose transporter, and glucose does not enter the cell. There is a very interesting situation in which a person has eaten, but his cells can not "eat".

Unlike DM1, with DM2, everything can be fine with insulin. It can be even more than normal. This is due to the fact that the body's cells become immune to the action of the hormone. The pancreas may start producing more insulin to compensate for cellular resistance, so insulin levels may be higher than normal. Resistance can occur for various reasons, but the essence is the same-the interaction of the hormone with the cell is disrupted, which is why glucose again can not get inside the cells and is in the blood.

In addition, there is a so-called gestational diabetes (GSD), which is observed exclusively in pregnant women. In gestational diabetes mellitus, there is also an increased level of glucose in the blood, but this level is lower than in the case of normal diabetes.

How to recognize type 1 diabetes

The development of type 1 diabetes can occur for many years. Symptoms may not occur until more than 90% of the cells responsible for producing insulin are destroyed in the pancreas. Very often, this disease is hereditary, but it can also develop in people without a family history of diabetes. The disease very often develops in childhood or adolescence, so it is sometimes also called juvenile. Most people with type 1 diabetes have the following symptoms::

• thirst;
• fatigue;
• increased frequency of urination;
• weight loss;
• blurred vision;
• constant feeling of hunger;
• fungal infections;
• urinary tract infections;
• slow-healing wounds.

Sometimes people with DM1 show symptoms of so-called diabetic ketoacidosis. This condition occurs when the body lacks insulin and, as a result, the energy obtained from glucose. The body begins to receive energy from fat as an alternative source of energy. However, in the course of these metabolic reactions, ketone bodies are formed, in particular, acetone, which is toxic to us. It is for this reason that the smell of acetone from the patient's mouth clearly signals that a doctor's help is needed, since this is an urgent condition. It may cause vomiting, abdominal pain, tachycardia, disorientation, and loss of consciousness.

How to recognize type 2 diabetes

The whole difficulty with type 2 diabetes is that its symptoms are not so easy to recognize, moreover, they are often absent. However, there are several signs that you can focus on:

• fatigue;
• frequent urination;
• feeling thirsty;
• blurred vision.

In addition, patients with DM2 are often obese or overweight (in contrast to patients with DM1, where this is a real rarity). In rare cases, patients with this type of disease may develop diabetic ketoacidosis.

But keep in mind that diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition that can only occur if a person is not treated at all.
The following risk factors for type 2 diabetes are known:

• age over 45;
• low physical activity;
• impaired fasting glycemia (increased fasting blood glucose);
• impaired glucose tolerance (increased blood glucose level 2 hours after a meal);
• gestational diabetes mellitus in the anamnesis;
• the presence of cardiovascular diseases;
• polycystic ovary syndrome.

How to recognize gestational diabetes

Pregnant women are under special medical supervision, so, as a rule, they have diabetes mellitus detected quite quickly. So, according to Russian recommendations, at the first visit of a pregnant woman to a doctor at the period from 6-7 weeks to 24 weeks, it is necessary to determine the level of glucose on an empty stomach. If no disorders of carbohydrate metabolism were detected in the early stages of pregnancy, it is recommended to conduct an oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks.

What a doctor can do

In order to determine an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe laboratory tests: determination of glucose in the blood on an empty stomach (after 8-12 hours of hunger), determination of the level of glycated hemoglobin (an average indicator that shows the blood glucose content over the past three months), as well as an oral glucose tolerance test (it is important to know that this test is not recommended independently, since it is a significant stress for the body and has serious contraindications).

In any case, the establishment of a diagnosis is important, so as not to risk your health unnecessarily. But living with diabetes is possible, and even relatively not difficult, but we will tell you about it next time.

Be healthy!