It is generally believed that diabetes is a type of disease that leads to a disruption of metabolic processes in the human body under the influence of one characteristic for this type of disease traits: an increase in blood above the norm of the sugar level. This is a very serious and, even can be said, "insidious" pathology can develop for quite a long time, not making itself felt, which often leads to dangerous complications. Diabetes mellitus is firmly established in the third place in mortality, following cardiovascular diseases and oncology. The sooner the disease is detected, the easier it will be to monitor it, and avoid serious complications.
How to identify diabetes? To reveal it in time is quite simple, if you are well aware of the causes of its development, symptomatic manifestations, and take into account belonging to the risk group.
High-risk group
There is a certain risk group, which includes people who for some reason are prone to develop such a disease:
- Women who gave birth to a child weighing more than 4.5 kg. Women who had spontaneous miscarriages on short terms or were born dead children.
- Adults and children whose close relatives are ill or have diabetes.
- Children and adults with excess of normal body weight, obese.
- Patients with different forms of peptic ulcer, liver disease, pancreatitis, ischemic disease, atherosclerosis;
- People who have suffered a stroke.
Why glucose in the blood rises
The main source of energy production, so necessary for the body and adult and child to ensure normal life, is the glucose used by cells as fuel. Her entry into the cells provides insulin - a hormone produced in the process of the pancreas. By acting on receptors sensitive to the hormone, insulin provides penetration into the cell of glucose.
In a healthy person, as the blood sugar levels rise, insulin release increases. Glucose is processed by cells more intensively, its concentration decreases.
Normally, the sugar content per one liter of blood should not exceed the level of 5.5 mmol on an empty stomach, and after a certain time, after eating, 8.9 mmol.
Classification of diabetes and the causes of
Three main types of diabetes can be identified:
I type( insulin-dependent)
The main cause of this type of diabetes development is the process that occurs when a normal immunity breaks down, resulting in the immune system destroying pancreatic cells responsible for insulin production. Sugar( glucose) draws water from cells into the bloodstream. Liquid is excreted through the genitourinary system, creating a chance of dehydration. The weight of the patient is drastically reduced and, if the treatment is not started on time, a person can fall into a diabetic coma that is capable of causing a fatal outcome.
To the development of such autoimmune processes, pancreatic pathologies, the defeat of the body by rubella viruses, hepatitis, mumps can be encouraged. Feeding a baby with the use of cow's milk is also a provoking factor for the development of such a process.
Type I diabetes is most often affected by adolescents and children, it is often called "juvenile diabetes."Its other name is "diabetes of the young", it is rapidly developing and, in the absence of proper observation and treatment, leads to the death of .Insulin-dependent diabetes develops in middle-aged and elderly people. Characterized by a long course, its development can last from 5 to 20 years.
II type( non-insulin dependent)
With this type of diabetes, insulin is released enough, but the sensitivity to receptors decreases, and glucose does not enter the cells. Secretion of unclaimed hormone decreases with time, energy production decreases. Synthesis of protein compounds is disrupted, which leads to the breakdown of the protein, enhancing the process of fat oxidation. In the blood accumulate the products of metabolism( ketone bodies).The reasons for the decrease in sensitivity may be a decrease in the number of cellular receptors associated with age-related changes or their damage as a result of severe chemical poisoning, medication intake, obesity.
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes most often affects women.
Gestational( glucose intolerance)
This type of diabetes can develop in a woman during pregnancy. It often passes on its own after the birth of the child. The weight of the child in such cases at birth is more than 4 kg. Women who have had gestational diabetes mellitus are at risk because they have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus than other women.
There are several other types of diabetes mellitus. They are directly related to the anomaly of insulin receptors, genetic syndromes, mixed states( "tropical diabetes").
Diabetes mellitus in children
Despite the fact that the course of the disease in children is similar to the development of this pathology in adults, it has its own characteristics. Diabetes of the second type in children is very rare. In the appearance of a child of type 1 diabetes, heredity is the cause, when the pancreas has an insufficient number of cells responsible for the secretion of insulin. Even if there is a genetic predisposition, the disease can be avoided by excluding factors that trigger the development of diabetes.
Factors influencing the development of diabetes in children:
- feeding the infant with a mixture or early cessation of breastfeeding;
- stress, which can lead to a decrease in the child's immunity;
- previously infectious childhood infectious diseases( measles, rubella, parotitis).
As a rule, small children do not complain about any minor manifestations of the ailment. Therefore, parents should be attentive and pay attention to any noticeable changes in the usual behavior and well-being of their baby.
Symptoms of diabetes in children and adults
Despite the fact that the causes and mechanism of development of each type of diabetes are different, they share common symptomatic manifestations( symptoms), which can not affect the age and gender of a person.
The main symptoms:
- dry mouth, thirst, drinking water over a day more than 2 liters;
- frequent urination with an increase in the daily volume of urine output to 5 liters, in some cases up to 10 liters.
- change in body weight.
The change in body weight is a symptom that allows you to determine the type of diabetes. A sharp decrease in weight indicates a type 1 diabetes, its increase is characteristic of the second type.
In addition to the main symptoms, there are also others, the degree of which depends on the duration of the disease. With prolonged exposure to elevated sugar levels, the following symptoms may occur:
- decreased sharpness and visual acuity;
- heaviness in the legs, cramps in the calf muscles;
- rapid fatigue, weakness, frequent dizziness;
- itching of the skin and in the perineum;
- protracted course of infectious diseases;
- for the healing of wounds and abrasions takes a longer time.
The degree of their expression depends on the individual characteristics of the patient, the level of glucose and the duration of diabetes.
If a child or an adult has a feeling of unquenchable thirst, dry mouth, he begins to absorb a significant amount of fluid and often urinate, even at night, it is worth considering. After all, it is these symptoms that help to determine diabetes in the initial stages. In such cases, you should consult a doctor who, after listening to complaints, will prescribe an appropriate examination, including a number of tests, including blood for sugar, a general urine test( in a healthy person, sugar should not be present in the urine) andappropriate treatment.
Do not forget that often the disease begins and can take a long period without special symptoms, but manifests itself already having complications. But this option can be excluded. To do this, you must at least once a year undergo an appropriate examination by the adult at the doctor( donate blood and urine to determine the presence of sugar in them) and do not ignore pediatrician-prescribed preventive examinations to the child.
How to make urine and blood test for diabetes at home
To check urine or blood for glucose at home, you can buy at any pharmacy specially designed for these purposes:
- glucometer;
- test strips for urine;
- kit A1C.
Measurement of blood sugar level with the glucose meter
A glucometer is a special device that allows you to check blood for yourself without the help of specialists. It is equipped with a lancing pincer and special test strips to determine the concentration of sugar.
Determination of sugar content in urine with
test strips This type of over-the-counter test strip is sold in a pharmacy. The analysis should be carried out by reading the instructions in advance. If the test shows that the urine contains sugar, you should make a blood test with a glucometer.
A1C
kit The test performed by the A1C kit shows a three-month average blood sugar level. Norm A1C should be 6%.Before buying such a kit, pay attention to the duration of the test, indicated on the package. The home kit offers an analysis time of 5 minutes.
