Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Action

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Diabetes in Action Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease that results from either hyposecretion or hypoactivity of insulin (Marieb 620). Blood sugar, also known as glucose, is the body cells major source of energy; however, elevated glucose can be fatal. According to CDC, Diabetes mellitus is the number seven cause of death in the United States (Hoyert 4). DM can be split into two types: type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 DM is the lack of insulin and type 2 DM is the presence of insulin but its effect is defective. Type 1diabetes usually occurs in children or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes occurs at any age and is often preventable. Signs and symptoms of diabetes vary among individuals and the type of diabetes they have. “Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe.” Signs and symptoms of diabetes include the following: increase thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough insulin), fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores, high blood pressure and frequent infections (Mayo Clinic Staff). Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system not recognizing the body’s insulin-producing cells in the pancreas leading the immune system to attack the cells. Therefore, the body has lack of insulin or no insulin at all. So the glucose does not get transported to the cells but rather remain in the bloodstream leading to hyperglycemia. “Type 1 is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and environm... ... middle of paper ... ... a point where he went to get his A1C test done with level of 4.5. His doctor was amazed and then started him on the lowest dosage of Metformin. He was instructed to come back to get A1C test done in three months. Again his A1C test was below 6.5. His doctor then took him off of Metformin and his A1C test in six months was still below 6.5. He was told by his doctor that his case was “phenomenal” because people with type 1 diabetes Works Cited Hoyert, Donna L., and Jiaquan Xu. “Deaths: Preliminary data for 2011.” National vital statistics reports 61.6 (2012): 4. Print. Marieb, Elaine N., and Katja Hoehn. Human Anatomy & Physiology. 9th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Diabetes.” MayoClinic.com. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. .

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