Diabetics Types - I
| QUICK FACTS |
Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but it usually starts in people younger than 30. Symptoms are usually severe and occur rapidly. |
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 3% of all new cases of diabetes each year. There is 1 new case per every 7,000 children per year. New cases are less common among adults older than 20 |
In type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas produce little or no insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to enter body cells. Once glucose enters a cell, it is used as fuel. |
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Symptoms |
| increased thirst |
| increased urination |
| weight loss despite increased appetite |
| nausea |
| vomiting |
| abdominal pain |
| fatigue |
| absence of menstruation |
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Signs and tests |
| urinalysis shows glucose and ketone bodies in the urine |
| ifasting blood glucose is 126 mg/dL or higher |
| random (nonfasting) blood glucose exceeds 200 mg/dL |
| insulin test (low or undetectable level of insulin) |
| C-peptide test (low or undetectable level of the protein C-peptide, a by-product of insulin production) |
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Treatment |
| At diagnosis, the immediate goals of treatment are to treat diabetic ketoacidosis (also called DKA) and high blood glucose levels. Because of the sudden onset and severity of symptoms in type 1 diabetes, treatment for newly diagnosed people may involve hospitalization. |
| The long-term goals of treatment are to prolong life, reduce symptoms, and prevent diabetes-related complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and amputation of limbs. |
These goals are accomplished through
education |
insulin use |
meal planning |
weight control |
exercise |
foot care |
careful self-testing of blood glucose levels |
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