Diabetes: Diabetes Mellitus and Blood Sugar Levels Essay

Submitted By aburcham
Words: 771
Pages: 4
Open Document
Diabetes: Writing Assignment #2
Biochemistry 200

Unfortunately in today’s society diabetes is increasing in occurrence every day, with the increased population of overweight people and the lifestyles that we Americans live. Type 1 diabetes was previously known as Juvenile diabetes. This type is usually diagnosed during childhood or in the young adult stage of life. In this case the body fails to produce any insulin at all and leaves the body unable to function appropriately. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes today. With type 2 diabetes the body’s blood sugar fluctuates and rises higher than normal levels at times, basically your body doesn’t produce and use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed later on in life. Symptoms associated with diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite, fatigue, blurred vision, cuts or bruises that take a long time to heal. With type 1 diabetes the person may experience increased weight loss even though their appetite and food intake have increased. Type 2 diabetes may experience unusual pain, numbness/tingling in their feet and/or hands.
Diabetes can be diagnosed in a few different ways but may need to be repeated at least once for the diagnosis to be confirmed. Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1C) uses a blood sample and calculates a person’s blood glucose level over a two to three month period; the level will be equal to or greater than 6.5%. Another test is the Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), this also uses blood but requires that the person have nothing to eat or drink (except water) at least eight hours prior to the test, the glucose level will be equal to or greater than 126mg/dl. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) is performed by having the person come in and have labs drawn upon arrival and two hours after to see how the levels changed, positive results will have a blood glucose equal to or greater than 200mg/dl. Random or Casual Plasma Glucose Test can be performed at any time of the day when there are symptoms of severe diabetes; results for this test will also be equal to or greater than 200mg/dl.
With these two different types of diabetes, type 1 is not preventable. However, type 2 diabetes can be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a healthy body weight, increase physical activity and of course eat a healthy nutritional diet. Eating the appropriate amounts of vegetables, fruits, grains, meats and fats daily is important for our bodies even though it is sometimes hard to do.
With either type of diabetes insulin in some form may be required. Type 1 will be insulin injections with either individual syringes or an insulin pump. Type 2 diabetes can be treated with pills and/or insulin injections, if not controlled by diet and exercise. These treatments are usually taken for the rest of a person’s life, once the diagnosis is confirmed. With type 2 diabetes the results depends on the person, how well they control their diabetes with diet and exercise and if they are compliant with the treatment plan.
The third
Show More

Related Documents: Diabetes: Diabetes Mellitus and Blood Sugar Levels Essay

Diabetes: Diabetes Mellitus and Blood Sugar Level Essay

issues such as life threatening "Diabetes". Diabetes is a serious life-long illness caused by high level of glucose in the blood. This condition arises when the body cannot produce insulin from the pancreas or even secrete it but in an insufficient amount .Insulin is a hormone that moderates the blood level. Diabetes occurs in several forms but the major ones are Type I and II diabetes and gestational diabetes Type I diabetes is also known as “insulin-dependent diabetes” because it typically occurs…

Words 910 - Pages 4

Weight and Diabetes Essay examples

ype 2 diabetes, once known as adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose), your body's main source of fuel. With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin — a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells — or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Untreated, type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening. More common in adults, type 2 diabetes increasingly…

Words 344 - Pages 2

How to Yoodle Essay

What is Diabetes? inShare By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD Diabetes is a condition where the body fails to utilize the ingested glucose properly. This could be due to lack of the hormone insulin or because the insulin that is available is not working effectively. Diabetes mellitus The term diabetes is the shortened version of the full name diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is derived from: the Greek word diabetes meaning siphon - to pass through the Latin word mellitus meaning honeyed…

Words 731 - Pages 3

Type 2 Diabetes Outline

What is Diabetes? • Diabetes is also known as Diabetes Mellitus • Diabetes isn’t just one disease but it’s a couple of metabolic disorders (Metabolic syndrome) characterized by hyperglycemia (High blood sugar) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. • Type 2 of diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin resistance in appropriate hepatic glucose production and impaired insulin secretion. Usually starts around age 40 but can occur at any age, including during childhood…

Words 841 - Pages 4

Diabetes: Blood Sugar and Glucose Essay

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels that result from defects in insulin secretion, or its action, or both. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes was first identified as a disease associated with "sweet urine," and excessive muscle loss in the ancient world. Elevated levels of blood glucose lead to spillage of glucose into the urine, hence the term sweet urine. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by…

Words 3535 - Pages 15

A Note On Diabetes

encyclopedia "Diabetes" redirects here. For other uses, see Diabetes (disambiguation). Page semi-protected Diabetes mellitus Classification and external resources Blue circle for diabetes.svgUniversal blue circle symbol for diabetes.[1] ICD-10E10–E14 ICD-9250 MedlinePlus001214 eMedicinemed/546 emerg/134 Patient UKDiabetes mellitus MeSHC18.452.394.750 Diabetes mellitus (DM), also known as simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged…

Words 476 - Pages 2

Chronic Health Essay

(Oxford Nursing dictionary). The chronic health problem that I am going to talk about is Diabetes Mellitus which is endocrine system disorder. It involve the pancreatic islets that produce two hormones, insulin and glucagon, which both helps to regulate blood glucose level. (funnel, Koutoukidis, et al(2005) Tabbners nursing Care, “Endocrine System” (see chapter 41, pp 698-702). AETIOLOGY: Diabetes Mellitus results from an insulin deficiency a hormone (or chemical messenger) produced in the pancreas…

Words 1618 - Pages 7

Diabetes: Diabetes Treatment Plan Essay

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the U.S. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. With Type 1 diabetes, your main problem is your body’s inability to produce insulin- the all-important hormone that converts blood sugar to energy. Without insulin, glucose will only continuously build up in your system. Type 1 diabetes involves about 10% of all people with diabetes in the United States. Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. It used to be referred…

Words 863 - Pages 4

Informative Essay on Diabetes

An Informative Essay On Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death listed in the United States. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness. "In 1996 diabetes contributed to more than 162,000 deaths"(Lewis 1367). "Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but a group of disorders with glucose intolerance in common" (McCance 674). Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar) and results from defective insulin production…

Words 1506 - Pages 7

Hypertension: Diabetes Mellitus and Normal Sugar Level Essay

Also known as:Diabetes mellitus; juvenile, insulin-dependent diabetes, type 1 diabetes; adult onset, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, type 2 diabetes; gestational diabetes; diabetes insipidus; unspecified diabetes mellitus; prediabetes; “sugar.” Definition: Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome in which the body cannot metabolize glucose (sugar) appropriately. The subsequent sustained elevated levels cause significant damage to the eyes, heart, kidneys, and other organs. Diabetes is a significant and growing…

Words 1285 - Pages 6