Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome of metabolic disease characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. It is caused by a deficiency of insulin secretion from your pancreas or insulin action, or both. This causes the abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, protien and fat. It is the most common endocrine-metabolic disorder of childhood and adolescence.

Individuals affected by Type 1 Diabetes confront serious burdens that include:

• Absolute daily requirement for exogenous insulin
• Need to monitor their own metabolic control
• Need to pay constant attention to dietary control

Normal and target blood glucose ranges:

• Normal blood glucose levels in people who do not have diabetes
  • Upon waking (fasting) 70mg/dL to 110mg/dL
  • After meals 70mg/dL to 140mg/dL
• Target blood glucose levels in people who have diabetes
  • Before meals 90mg/dL to 130mg/dL
  • 1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal less than 180mg/dL
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) 70mg/dL or lower

Symptoms of Diabetes

The symptoms of Diabetes may include:

• Frequent thirst (Polydypsia)
• Frequent hunger (Polyphagia)
• Frequent urination (Polyuria)
• Unusual weight loss
• Irritibility
• Increased fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Wounds that do not heal normally

If you have one or more of these diabetes symptoms, see your doctor right away.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. It is characterized by a severe deficiency of insulin and is dependent on an additional source of insulin to prevent ketosis and perserve life. It was formally known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus. It is caused by a deficiency of insulin or inaction of insulin or both. Insulin is important and necessary to allow sugar to be used as fuel in your body's cells. Without it, sugar is metabolized inefficiently. Finding out you have diabetes is serious, and Type 1 is the most serious, but you can live a long, healthy life with Type 1.

Some of the conditions associated with Type 1 Diabetes include high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), ketoacidosis, and celiac disease. Complications of Type 1 include heart disease (cardiovascular), blindness, nerve damage or kidney damage.

If you have Type 1 Diabetes, the time you spend on preventive care like eye care, foot care and skin care, as well as your heart health and oral care could delay or prevent the onset of dangerous complications later in life.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. This was formally called adult-onset diabetes mellitus or non-insulin dependent diabetes. Persons in this type of diabetes are not insulin dependent and only infrequently develop ketosis. In Type 2 Diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.

When glucose builds up in the blood (hyperglycemia) because of a lack of insulin, and does not go into your cells, it can cause two problems:

• Immediately, your cells may be starved for energy
• Over time, your eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart may be hurt due to the high blood glucose level

Type 2 Diabetes is serious, but you can live a long, healthy life with proper care. While Diabetes can occur in people of all ages and races, Type 2 Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. About 4% of all pregnant women (135,000 cases) are affected with gestational diabetes each year. They are identified by a 2-hour Glucose Tolerance Test.

The exact cause of gestational diabetes is not known, but there are some clues to the cause. Your placenta supports your baby as it grows. Hormones from the placenta help your baby develop. These same hormones appear to block the action of your insulin in your body. This is called insulin resistance and it makes it hard for your body to use insulin. You may need up to three (3) times as much insulin as when you are not pregnant.

Gestational diabetes affects you late in the pregnancy after your baby's body is formed, but still growing. The kinds of birth defects seen are different than in those babies whose mothers have had diabetes before they became pregnant. Untreated or poorly controlled gestational diabetes can hurt your baby. When you have gestational diabetes, your insulin does not control your blood sugars and your pancreas is producing more insulin. The insulin you produce does not cross the placenta, so your baby gets a high blood sugar too. Your baby's pancreas produces extra insulin to lower it's blood sugar and helps convert the sugar to fat. When your deliver your baby, the "candy store" is closed and the extra source of sugar is stopped. Immediately after birth, your baby can get hypoglycemic and have respiratory problems. Also, since the sugar was converted to fat, your baby may have "macrosomia" or look like a "fat baby." This puts your baby at risk for congenital (at birth) heart problems. Babies with excess insulin become children who are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Often diabetes goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless or present slowly. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes. Family history is also important in assessing your risk of developing diabetes.