What is the diabetes?
Diabetes is defined as the alteration of blood glucose values causing abnormal levels. These abnormal blood glucose values occur because the pancreas does not make insulin or the insulin it makes is not effective enough. Insulin is a hormone responsible for giving way to glucose in the cells, if the glucose cannot enter the cells we will not be able to obtain energy and the glucose will circulate freely through the blood causing different pathologies.
How many types are there and how do they differ?
Although there are more types, the main ones are two:
Type I diabetes:
- Absolute insulin deficiency
- Autoimmune origin or unknown cause.
- Onset in childhood or youth.
- The treatment will always be insulin.
- Rarely hereditary.
Type II diabetes:
- The insulin produced by the pancreas is not effective, which is called insulin resistance. It is usually associated with obesity, hypertension and hyperlipidemia (high triglycerides, cholesterol…).
- It is more frequent after forty years of age and covers 85-90% of all people with diabetes.
- hereditary
Main symptoms of diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes are caused by high blood glucose levels or what is the same: hyperglycemia. The rise in blood glucose can be sudden or sustained.
Sudden hyperglycemia is when in a short time we have very high glucose levels and it gives very visible symptoms, it is typical of type I diabetes and produces: frequent urination and very long urination (polyuria), great thirst (polydipsia) , hunger (polyphagia). Fatigue, acetone breath odor (ketotic halitosis), and acetone odor in urine.
Sustained hyperglycemia is one in which glucose does not increase so sharply, blood glucose levels are permanently high for a long period, it is typical of type II diabetes. In type II diabetes, the symptoms may be mild or absent, although very similar to those mentioned above for type I diabetes and cause: excessive thirst, lack of energy, frequent urination, blurred vision, slow wound healing and numbness in the hands and feet. .
1 in 2 people with type II diabetes is undiagnosed
Long-term high blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves, causing vascular and neuropathies. It is very important to do regular blood tests and that we also encourage our relatives to do them. At Ibáñez Farmacia we do glucose and glycated hemoglobin controls. Ask us about them!
To what extent is it important to have a well-controlled glucose?
As I mentioned before, even if glucose levels are not very high, if they circulate freely in the blood for a long time, they can have very harmful effects: vasculopathies and neuropathies, or what is the same, damage to blood vessels and nerves. Depending on the affected vessels and nerves, they can cause the following diseases:
- cardiovascular disease
- stroke
- Blindness
- Renal insufficiency
- Erectile dysfunction
- Lower extremity amputation
Diabetes is the main cause of the above diseases.
Can type 2 diabetes be prevented?
The answer is yes. Focusing on all the risk factors that are modifiable. Modifiable risk factors are those related to our lifestyle: weight, waist circumference, physical activity, smoking, hypertension, family history, consumption of fruits and vegetables…
During this month of November we are going to carry out different talks oriented to Diabetes. Also, if you want to learn more about this disease and its ways to prevent it, pay attention to our blog because every week we will publish a different post about Diabetes.
