Types of diabetes

[9714]

What is type 1 & type 2 diabetes?

[nbreight]

Hello 9714,

Diabetes type 1 also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes is usually diagnosed in children from a few months old to young adults. The primary cause of type 1 is an autoimmune reaction of the body to the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin resulting in the beta cells being destroyed. As insulin is needed for the body to absorb glucose the patient needs to eliminate the glucose by urination which leads to increased thirst. If remained untreated, it can lead to death within a few days. Type 1 diabetes represents only 5 to 10 % of cases.

Diabetes type 2 also know as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes is caused by insulin resistance usually following overweight and lack of exercise. Exercise is the best way to restore the normal insulin sensitivity but if this is initially not enough intake of oral medication increasing insulin secretion is usually prescribed. In cases where this is still not enough to lower the glucose concentration in the blood - know as blood sugar - insulin injection might be recommended. Type 2 diabetes counts for about 90% of cases.

Beside those two most common types of diabetes there is also type 1.5 or latent autoimmune diabetes in adults is a case of type 1 in which the autoimmune reaction is less strong which leads to it being initially misdiagnosed as type 2 until the patient colapses and they have to be put on insulin. It seems that if the patients were initially put on insulin their own beta cells could survive much longer

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Please check out the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation for the free leaflets at the website. Go to: drwf.org.uk/diabetes-leaflets

Also, you can go on HU and click on the DRWF group and click on the follow group button. Hope this helps.