Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin (the hormone that controls sugar or glucose levels in the blood and allows us to use sugar for energy). While this disorder is typically diagnosed in children and teenagers, it can occur at any age. People who have type-1 diabetes are at increased risk for a variety of serious conditions. These include heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage (resulting in loss of limbs). We know through medical research that good control of a person's blood glucose level can greatly reduced the risk of these complications. In the dept of Endocrinology, we use a team consisting of physicians, diabetes educators, dietitians and nurses to provide a comprehensive and individualized approach to diabetes care.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a condition of abnormally high blood sugars caused by the body’s inability to make enough, or to properly use, insulin. Insulin is a hormone which moves blood sugar into the body’s cells and keeps blood sugar levels normal. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and used to be called non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM).
What is pre-diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is commonly preceded by prediabetes. In prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be defined as diabetes. Many people with prediabetes develop type 2 diabetes. Much like type 2 diabetes, prediabetes increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. With modest weight loss and moderate physical activity, people with prediabetes can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.
What are some risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
- Age (people over age 45 are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes)
- Family history of diabetes
- Being overweight or obese
- Not exercising regularly
- Race and ethnicity (African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes
- History of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
- A low HDL cholesterol level (high-density lipoprotein – the “good” cholesterol)
- A high triglyceride level
How is type 2 diabetes managed?
- Proper diet
- Regular physical exercise
- Maintaining a normal body weight—every pound a person is above his or her ideal body weight increases the risk for type 2 diabetes
- Oral medications—help the body to make more insulin or improve how the body responds to its own insulin
- Insulin—Most people with type 2 diabetes eventually get to the point when they are not able to make enough insulin. The need for insulin therapy is not a sign of failure—this is simply the natural progression of the disease in many people.
- Regular monitoring of blood sugar