Diabetes: what you need to know
DIABETES IS a group of diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of frequent urination, increased thirst and increased hunger.
There are three main types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes results from the body's failure to produce insulin.
Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency.
Gestational diabetes is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2.
All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became available in 1921, and type 2 diabetes may be controlled with medications. Adequate treatment of diabetes is important, as well as blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation, exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight.
