About Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas produces little insulin or no insulin at all. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body cells absorb glucose to be converted as a source of energy. If muscles, fats and liver cells respond poorly to insulin, this condition (DM) may develop.Diabetes affects almost 246 million people in the world and 15% develop foot ulcers associated with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage/lack of sensation) and ischemia (poor blood supply). In individuals with diabetes, the glucose accumulates in the urine and in the blood; this is the cause of frequent urination (polyuria). As the glucose passes through the kidney, the kidneys cannot absorb all the glucose and will be drained, accompanied by water and electrolytes. Electrolytes are the ions required by the cells to regulate the electric charge and flow of water molecules across the cell membrane. Hunger (polyphagia) is also one of the effects, as the body seeks to replace glucose lost in the urine and due to problems with fat and protein metabolism.

Diabetes insipidus is different from diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is caused by lack of hormone vasopressin that controls the amount of urine that is secreted by the kidneys. The symptoms of diabetes insipidus are thirst and the excretion of large amount of urine, as much as 10 liters a day. The urine excreted has a low specific gravity and contains no excess glucose. Injection or nasal inhalation of vasopressin controls the symptoms of this disease.

If diabetes is not given proper care it can result in several organ complications, such as heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, nerve damage and erectile dysfunction. Additional symptoms may include blurred vision, weight loss, irritability, weakness, fatigue, itching, nausea and vomiting. (The name diabetes mellitus refers to these symptoms: diabetes, from the Greek diabainein, meaning "to pass through," describes the copious urination, and mellitus, from the Latin meaning "sweetened with honey," refers to sugar in the urine.) Detection of the symptoms and the signs at an early stage is needed to delay or to prevent the complications.

Medical Terminology

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