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Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the pancreas does not produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter cells and remains high in the bloodstream, potentially damaging organs. Symptoms include increased thirst, urination, fatigue, and weight loss. Treatment requires regular insulin injections and careful management of diet and lifestyle to control blood sugar levels and minimize health risks like vision problems, infections, and hypoglycemia. While there is no cure, new procedures like islet cell transplants may help reduce risks of severe low blood sugar episodes. Long-term complications can include damage to blood vessels, nerves and organs if diabetes is not properly managed.

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Laura Lhoeste
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461 views4 pages

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the pancreas does not produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter cells and remains high in the bloodstream, potentially damaging organs. Symptoms include increased thirst, urination, fatigue, and weight loss. Treatment requires regular insulin injections and careful management of diet and lifestyle to control blood sugar levels and minimize health risks like vision problems, infections, and hypoglycemia. While there is no cure, new procedures like islet cell transplants may help reduce risks of severe low blood sugar episodes. Long-term complications can include damage to blood vessels, nerves and organs if diabetes is not properly managed.

Uploaded by

Laura Lhoeste
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. It is also known as diabetes mellitus.

Types of diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is often referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. It is also sometimes known as juvenile diabetes or early-onset diabetes because it often develops before the age of 40, usually during the teenage years. However, there are still some cases which remain unnoticeable until later ages. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce any insulin. If the amount of glucose in the blood is too high, it can seriously damage the body's organs.

Diabetes symptoms
The main symptoms of diabetes that are common to type 1 and type 2 are: feeling very thirsty urinating frequently, particularly at night *** feeling very tired weight loss and loss of muscle bulk (in type 1 diabetes) *** Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop quickly, over weeks or even days. Other symptoms include: blurred vision that is caused by the lens of your eye changing shape *** cramps *** skin infections Vomiting or heavy, deep breathing can also occur at a later stage. This is a dangerous sign and requires immediate admission to hospital for treatment.

Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose)


If you have diabetes, your blood glucose levels can become very low. This is known as hypoglycaemia (or a "hypo"), and happens because any insulin in your body has moved too much glucose out of your bloodstream. Symptoms of a "hypo" include:

feeling shaky and irritable sweating tingling lips feeling weak

Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose)


As diabetes occurs as a result of your body being unable to produce any, or enough, insulin to regulate your blood glucose, your blood glucose levels may become very high. extreme thirst a dry mouth blurred vision drowsiness a need to pass urine frequently

Causes of type 1 diabetes


Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down food and passes its nutrients into your bloodstream. The pancreas usually produces insulin, which transfers any glucose out of your blood and into your cells, where it is converted to energy. However, if you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas is unable to produce any insulin. This means that glucose cannot be moved out of your bloodstream and into your cells. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system mistakes the cells in your pancreas as harmful and attacks them, destroying them completely or damaging them enough to stop them producing insulin. It is not known exactly what triggers the immune system to do this, but some researchers have suggested that it may be due to a viral infection. Some researchers have even stated that type 1 diabetes develops specially during cold seasons, but in the case of our patient there doesnt seem to be any specific incident that could have triggered its development; especially at such an advanced age. Furthermore, Type 1 diabetes is usually inherited (runs in families), so the autoimmune reaction may also be genetic. If you have a close relative, such as a parent, brother or sister with type 1 diabetes, you have about a 6% chance of also developing the

condition. The risk for people who do not have a close relative with type 1 diabetes is just under 0.5%.

Diagnosing type 1 diabetes


Urine and blood tests
Your urine sample will be tested to see whether it contains glucose. Urine does not usually contain glucose, but if you have diabetes, some glucose can overflow through the kidneys and into the urine. If your urine contains glucose, a blood test can be used to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes. If your blood glucose levels are not high enough for your GP to diagnose diabetes, you may need to have an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This is also sometimes referred to as a glucose tolerance test (GTT). After drinking a glucose drink, samples of your blood will be taken every half an hour, for two hours. The samples will be tested to find out how your body is dealing with the glucose.

Treating type 1 diabetes


It is important that diabetes is diagnosed as early as possible so that treatment can be started. Diabetes cannot be cured, but treatment aims to keep your blood glucose levels as normal as possible, and control your symptoms to prevent health problems developing later. As your body cannot produce any insulin, you will need to have regular insulin treatment to keep your glucose levels normal. Insulin comes in several different forms, each of which works slightly differently. For example, some last up to a whole day (long-acting), some last up to eight hours (short-acting) and some work quickly but do not last very long (rapid-acting). Your treatment may include a combination of these different insulin preparations. If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to look after your health very carefully. Caring for your health will also make treating your diabetes easier and minimise your risk of developing complications. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly will lower your blood glucose level. And stopping smoking (if you smoke) will reduce your risk of developing a cardiovascular disease.

**Some people with type 1 diabetes may benefit from a fairly new procedure known as islet transplantation. It involves implanting healthy islet cells from the pancreas of a deceased donor into the pancreas of someone with type 1 diabetes. Islet transplants have been shown to be an effective way of reducing the risk of severe hypoglycaemic attacks or hypos (where a persons blood sugar falls to an abnormally low level).

Complications
Left untreated, diabetes can cause many different health problems. Large amounts of glucose can damage blood vessels, nerves and organs. Even a mildly raised glucose level that does not cause any symptoms can have damaging effects in the long term.

www.diabetes.org www.nhs.uk

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