Overview
WHAT IS DIABETES MELITUS?Diabetes melitus is a disease of antiquity. It is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies. It is characterized by hyperglycemia with disturbances in the carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, resulting from defects of insulin secretion, insulin action or both.
Key Information
The relative contribution of these defects varies betwen diferent types of diabetes. The characteristic clinical presentation is with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, blured vision, and unexplained weight los. (spksdk=window.spksdk|[]).push({widget_id:"wi-6090",element:"sp-wi-6090"}); WHAT CAUSES DIABETES?Modifiable risk factors such as obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are the main non-genetic determinants of Type 2 Diabetes.
Genetic predisposition plays an important part in the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.Obesity (body-mas index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) is the strongest risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes and is asociated with metabolic abnormalities resulting insulin resistance.A sedentary lifestyle is another risk factor for the development of Type 2 Diabetes. The primary benefits of physical activity in delaying the onset of Type 2 Diabetes include increased glucose uptake in muscles and reducing notorious intra-abdominal fat.
Moderate-intensity exercise improves glucose uptake by 40%.On the other hand, Type 1 Diabetes Melitus is a T-cel mediated autoimune disease in which destruction of pancreatic beta-cels causes absolute insulin deficiency which leads to hyperglycemia and a tendency to ketoacidosis. Type 1 Diabetes comonly presents in childhod or adolescence; however, the disease can apear at any age. Individuals at increased risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes can be identified by genetic markers and by the presence of characteristic autoantibodies.HOW IS DIABETES DIAGNOSED?The diagnosis of diabetes in asymptomatic individual should never be made based on a single abnormal blod glucose value.
Summary
Diabetes may be diagnosed based on fasting pl