The Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus

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DM Type I & II: 1

The Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a condition in the body that is related to a faulty metabolism. It means that the body’s metabolism is not functioning properly, which leads to adverse effects in the health. The food we ingest, gets broken down into blood sugar (glucose), which is what fuels our body in the form of energy. This converted glucose needs to enter our cells so that it can be used for energy and growth. And in order for the glucose to enter our cells, there needs to be insulin present, which the beta cells of the pancreas is responsible for producing. This hormone is responsible for maintaining glucose level in the blood. It allows the body cells to use glucose as a main energy source.

But in a diabetic person, due to abnormal insulin metabolism, the body cells and tissues do not make use of glucose from the blood, resulting in an elevated level of blood glucose or hyperglycemia. This happens when the body produces less insulin, no insulin or has faulty cells that do not respond to the insulin produced. Therefore the end result is that the body has no insulin to transport the glucose into our cells for growth and energy. Over a period of time, high glucose level in the bloodstream can lead to severe complications, such as eye disorders, cardiovascular diseases, kidney damage and nerve problems.

There are three classifications of diabetes mellitus, Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and Gestational diabetes (GD). The symptoms and effects of all three forms of diabetes are similar and the outcome for all three types is high blood glucose level or hyperglycemia. The noticeable symptoms include increased thirst (polydipsia), increased urination (polyuria), incre...

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...betes, they must visit their health care provider or diabetes educator at least four times a year and talk about any problems they are having. They should also stay up to date with all of their vaccinations and get a flu shot every year in the fall. Regular exercise is important for a person with diabetes because it helps lowers blood sugar level without medication and helps burn excess calories and fat so they can manage their weight.

Works Cited

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pathophysiology-of-diabetes-mellitus.html

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/

http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_mellitus/article.htm

http://www.suite101.com/content/type-1-and-type-2-diabetes-a101258

http://forecast.diabetes.org/news/managing-your-diabetes-living-chronic-illness-can-be-more-daunting-tough-economic-times

http://www.pathophysiologyofdiabetesmellitus.com/

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