Monitoring blood sugar and the amount of sugars in the diet, compliance with treatment – necessary conditions to maintain optimal health.
One of the health problems worldwide is definitely diabetes. According to data provided by the World Health Organization in the world, approximately 422 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, most of whom live in low- and middle-income countries. Annually, 1.5 million deaths globally are attributed to this condition. Unfortunately, due to today’s lifestyle, the prevalence of diabetes has steadily increased over the past decades.
Checking blood glucose values is recommended with routine blood tests. Tell your doctor if you have any first-degree relatives with diabetes.
What is diabetes mellitus?
According to the medical definition, diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that occurs when insulin, produced by the pancreas, is in insufficient quantity or when it is not used properly – it does not take glucose to enter it into the cell. “In the case of patients with diabetes, glucose remains in the blood having as a correspondent in the laboratory analyzes the increase in blood sugar” explains Dr. Laura Panait, family doctor.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, depending on the production mechanism, can be of two types:
- Type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes
Doctors also diagnose gestational diabetes in some pregnant women. This condition occurs during pregnancy and requires special attention considering both the impact on the mother and the fetus.
What causes can diabetes occur?
Even today, when medicine is making immense progress, in type 1 diabetes, also called insulin-dependent, the causes are not fully known. But there are some official risk factors:
- Genetic factors (careful if a family member diagnosed with type 1 diabetes)
- Diseases of the pancreas – surgical interventions, infections
- Patients with autoimmune diseases are a risk category
- Episodes of major stress – can even lead to the onset of diabetes
And in the case of type 2 diabetes, genetic factors are involved, as well as other conditions.
- Genetic factors
- Dyslipidemia (LDL cholesterol, elevated triglycerides)
- Cardiovascular diseases (beware, even hypertension)
- Psychiatric and neurological diseases (stroke, depression)
- Diseases of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
