Diabetes as one of the world’s fastest growing metabolic disease

DIABETES

Introduction

Diabetes is described as one of the world’s fastest growing metabolic disorder, which is highly characterized with a plethora life threatening adverse events and complications, increased cases of morbidity and mortality among populations, and heavy burden to public health care in regard to its treatment and management. It is also described a group of metabolic disorders that results from increased levels of glucose in the blood, and it’s diagnosed in a clinical setting by evaluating the amount of glucose in the blood or by assessing the signs and symptoms predominant with diabetes such as polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, presence of urinary ketones, and changes in potassium levels. If this condition is not diagnosed earlier or left untreated for a long period of time, its progression can lead to myriad of complications that range from organ failure, limb amputations, blindness, and severe complications such as nonketotic hyperosmolar coma and diabetic ketoacidosis that can even lead to death.

Diabetes

Diabetes is regarded as one of the world’s fastest growing metabolic disease that is characterized with increased and heightened blood glucose levels, and the current global statistics shows that it affects more than 330 million individuals worldwide inclusive of children, adolescents, and the aged. This condition is categorized into three distinct subtypes that include type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes mellitus.

Type1 diabetes also regarded as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes is a chronic T cell-mediated disease, and occurs in situations where the body is unable to produce enough or completely fail to produce insulin to aid metabolic processes. Type 1 diabetes is genetically determined and its pathophysiology is attributed to autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas that contribute to a progressive and irrevocable damage of the pancreatic cells resulting to reduced or no insulin production that is incapable of aiding metabolic processes. The progression and development of this condition is attributed to a myriad of environmental and genetic factors that range from viral infections, poor eating habits, intake of certain medications such as streptozotocin and antineoplastic agent used in chemotherapy and chemicals such as pyrinuron, trauma to the kidney, and diseases affecting the kidney such as pancreatitis and tumors to the pancreas.

Diabetes is regarded as one of the world’s fastest growing endocrine disease that is characterized with elevated blood glucose levels. It is classified into three broad classes namely: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (Rother, 2007). Type1 also known as Juvenile or childhood or insulin-dependent diabetes and occurs in situations where the body is unable to produce enough insulin. This type of diabetes is genetically inherited, and it is often caused by autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, which subsequently result to reduced production of insulin (Wilkins & Williams, 2006). In terms of prevalence, type 1 diabetes is less common and accounts for less than 10% of the total diabetic cases. Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is insulin independent and accounts for more than 90% of all diabetics’ cases (American Diabetes Association, 2010). This type of diabetes is commonly prevalent among adults aged over 40 years old, and occurs in events where the body is unable to respond or utilize the synthesized insulin. Unlike type 1 diabetes that is genetically determined, type 2 diabetes is caused by numerous causes that are not limited to unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, and inappropriate lifestyle behaviours such as alcoholism and smoking. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is another significant type of diabetes and unlike the other types of diabetes; GDM only affects pregnant women during gestational period. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is similar to type 2 diabetes in most aspects and affects about 2–5% of all pregnancies (Rother, 2007).

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, and the commonly used antidiabetic medications include the use sulfonylurea such as tolbutamide, glipizide and glyburide (Wilkins & Williams, 2006). This drug act on the liver cells where they enhance insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells by stimulating breakdown of glucose in glycolytic pathway, and as well as inhibiting glucose production. This drug is normally used as first-line drug for type 2 diabetes management, and it is administered orally because of its rapid and ensuing absorption from the gastrointestinal tract (Rother, 2007).

Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong condition and requires constant monitoring to avert short-term complications or adverse health events that range from hypoglycaemia, nonketotic hyperosmolar coma, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The most common long-term effect of type 2 diabetes include damage to blood vessels, blindness that results from retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, diabetic neuropathy, renal failure, and limb amputations that results from circulation difficulties (American Diabetes Association, 2010). Another important long-term effect is the idea of living with the disease for life, and this means the affected individual will continue to take medications permanently and as well as adjust their lifestyle in order to prevent any probable adverse events and complications. Although the drugs for treatment are very helpful in restoring glucose levels to normal, they tend to cause several side effects. The most common side effects of antidiabetic medications include weight gain, increased chances of developing cancer, and tremors (Rother, 2007).

Conclusion

Diabetes is one of the world’s most growing epidemics and currently it affects more than 320 million people worldwide inclusive of children, teenagers, and adults. The affected patients exhibit numerous signs and symptoms that include frequent urination (polyuria), increased thirst (polydipsia), and hunger (polyphagia). Being a very diverse condition, it causes are dependent on various environmental, genetic, and social factors that influence the treatment recommendations. In conclusion, diabetes is a lifelong disease and therefore individuals suffering from it are required to take antidiabetic medications for the rest of their lives.

References

American Diabetes Association. (2010). Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 2010;33 Suppl 1:S62-S69.

Rother, K.I (2007). “Diabetes treatment—bridging the divide”. The New England Journal of Medicine 356 (15): 1499–501.

Wilkins, B. & Williams, L.(2006). Diabetes Mellitus: a guide to patient care. New York: John Wiley and Sons