Diabetes overview: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment with Medical ID

October 14, 2020

Diabetes mellitus or diabetes for short is a metabolic disease that leads to high blood sugar or glucose levels. Glucose is a vital energy resource for the entire human body. The hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the blood into the cells to be used as energy or stored for future use is insulin.

With diabetes, the body is unable to make adequate amounts of insulin or to use the insulin it produces. This causes blood sugar spikes. Left untreated, diabetes can have devastating health consequences. It can damage organs such as the kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

In this article, you will get to know more about two main diabetes types, which cause diabetes and how to manage it with Diabetes Medical ID for yourself and your family.

Main Contents

Type of diabetes
Symptoms of diabetes
Risk factors cause diabetes
Diabetes treatment

Types of diabetes

Diabetes has two chronic forms: type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is classified as an autoimmune disorder. Here, the immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreatic islets that produce insulin. The cause of this systemic behaviour is not known.
Type 2 diabetes happens when the body develops resistance to insulin. Conversely, it can also be due to an inability to produce adequate amounts of insulin. Both of these can lead to abnormally high glucose levels. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes in Australia, comprising 85 to 90 per cent of cases.

Another form of diabetes called gestational diabetes is temporary, as it occurs during pregnancy. It is caused by insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta and usually resolves after childbirth.

Prediabetes is another form of diabetes that can be reversed. It is a condition where the blood sugar level is higher than normal but cannot yet be classified as diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetes

Although diabetes symptoms vary, there are general signs and symptoms shared in common by type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

Intense feelings of thirst
Extreme hunger
Irritability
Frequent urination
Unexplained weight loss
Blurred vision
Fatigue
Frequent infections
Sores that won’t heal

Anyone can develop type 1 diabetes, although it usually starts during childhood or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes is common among people over 40 years of age. However, it can develop at any age.

Risk factors cause diabetes

Causes of diabetes

There are certain factors that can increase one's risk of developing diabetes.

For type 1 diabetes, those who have genes linked to the disease or have a parent or sibling suffering from this type of diabetes are likely to develop it as well.

When it comes to the more common type 2 diabetes, there are several risk factors that can lead to you having it:

Being overweight or obese
Age 45 and above
Sedentary
Pre-diabetic, or experienced gestational diabetes
A relation (parent or sibling) with type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
High cholesterol and triglycerides

Diabetes treatment

Diabetes treatments

While there is no cure for diabetes, it can be managed with some medications.

For type 1 diabetes, insulin is the primary treatment used since the body is unable to produce it. Insulin treatments come in different types based on how rapidly they work and how long they remain effective.
For type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes can help manage the disease. You can go on a diet and exercise plan for weight loss. However, you may need to take medication when lifestyle modifications prove inadequate.

People with diabetes are advised to wear a diabetes medical ID to ensure they get the medical attention they need during an emergency.