Wednesday, June 11, 2008

TYPES


There are THREE main Types of the Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

Gestational diabetes


Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults. With this form of diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas no longer make insulin because the body’s immune system has attacked and destroyed them. These types of diabetics are dependent upon insulin. Some common symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus are excessive thirst and urination, distorted vision, sudden weight loss, and severe exhaustion. The symptoms of type 1 usually develop over a short period of time.

Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes taking insulin, making wise food choices, being physically active, taking aspirin daily (for some), and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.



Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age—even during childhood. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, is often related to obesity, old-age, a sedentary lifestyle, genetic history of the disease, ethnicity, and a history of gestational diabetes. Those with type 2 usually have a pancreas that produces enough insulin, but the body, for an unidentified reason, does not use it properly. This improper use of insulin is commonly referred to as insulin resistance. Throughout time the pancreas will begin to fail in producing insulin and sugar will build up in the body, making this main fuel source unattainable. Being the most common form of the debility, type 2 accounts for 90 - 95% of the diabetic population, and is on the increase. Though this ailment is mostly widespread among obese adults it is also being diagnosed in children and adolescents. Some of the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus are severe exhaustion, excessive urination, distorted vision, and enhanced hunger. Compared to type 1, these symptoms develop at a more gradual pace.

Treatment includes using diabetes medicines, making wise food choices, being physically active, taking aspirin daily, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.


Gestational diabetes is a form of the epidemic that can be acquired by women who are pregnant. This form of the condition usually disappears after the pregnancy is over, but leaves the mother with a 20 - 50% possibility of developing type 2 diabetes. Women who have a family history of developing the disease are, of course, the more likely candidates for diabetes. The disorder is primarily caused by hormones that are generated by the placenta and amplify the mothers’ resistance to insulin.