Basic Information of Diabetes

Health education Number:META-101. Set date:2012.09.03 Review date:2014.05.10 Revised date:2018.10.24. Basic Information of Diabetes 1. What is diabetes? Diabetes is caused by insufficient secretion of Insulin (a kind of hormone) in. human body that creates a symptom of excessive sugar. contained by blood. The normal value of blood glucose before meals should be in the range of 70-100 mg/dl and less than 140 mg/dl 2 hours after meals. There is no obvious symptom of diabetes in the early stage of pathogenesis. Accompanied with elevated blood glucose (as value over 180 mg/dl, in general), certain symptoms such as increasing urinary frequency, thirst, hunger, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision or unable healing wounds may possibly appear.. To deliver intelligent and holistic medicine and to provide the best healthcare Compassion Quality Innovation Accountability All information above has been reviewed by Endocrinology specialists Edited and published by the Department of Nursing, Taichung Veterans General Hospital.

2. Diagnosis of Diabetes （1） The fasting plasma glucose value measured in the morning is over 126 mg/dl (fasting here defined as not eating any food for at least 8 hours). （2） The value of two-hour plasma glucose taken by 75g glucose tolerance test is over 200 mg/dl. （3） Appearing symptoms of diabetes such as eating, drinking and urinating more than usual, as well as weight loss together with value of blood glucose over 200 mg/dl measured at any time. （4） HbA1C>6.5%. Any one of the three conditions shown above can be diagnosed as diabetes.. 3. Factors possibly causing diabetes: （1） Genetics: Statistically, those who have families ever affected diabetes may have risk of affecting the same disease five times higher than ordinary people. （2） Increment of age: The incidence of diabetes will increase with age. It is advised to pay special attention after middle age. （3） Obesity: 80% of those affecting diabetes over the age of 40 are overweight (BMI ≧25, waist circumference more than 90 cm for male and 80 cm for female). （4） Abnormal blood fat: People with too high levels of triglycerides or low density lipoprotein are more likely to develop diabetes. （5） Pressure: The relationship between diabetes and physical or mental pressure has not been well-known yet. Yet, it has been.

confirmed that when stress exists, Insulin sensitivity will reduce which causes the rise of blood sugar. （6） Other: Diabetes can be induced by certain medication or endocrine diseases.. 4. Types of Diabetes （1） Diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM / insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) It may caused by pancreas fails to secrete Insulin. As the blood in human body is in deficiency, it therefore must rely on external Insulin for therapy. （2） Diabetes mellitus type 2(NIDDM / non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) It is mainly caused by the increase of Insulin resistance together with the reduce of Insulin secretion. Glucose in blood can not be utilized causing blood glucose over the limit. （3） Other types of diabetes: Diabetes caused by diseases of other organs or their corresponding treatments such as repeated episodes of chronic pancreatitis, pancreatectomy or physiological variations caused by medicine, chemicals, etc. （4） Gestational diabetes: Newly diagnosed diabetes during pregnancy.. 5. Symptoms of Diabetes? （1） Increasing dieting – feel hungry recurrently （2） Increasing drinking – feel thirsty persistently.

（3） Polyuria – volume of urine increasing and urinating frequently （4） Urine containing sugar （5） Weight loss （6） Wound hard to heal （7） Fatigue easily （8） Pruritus.. 6. What are the complications of diabetes? （1）Acute complications: a.Low blood sugar shock: It is also known as Insulin shock since it often occurs in patients with oral hypoglycemic agents or Insulin injections. Its symptoms includes: limbs shivering, sweating, hunger, weakness, heartbeat accelerating, and even coma. b.High blood sugar coma: Symptoms like weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, thirst, drowsiness and so on caused by high blood sugar. It may lead to command and endangering life for severe cases. （2）Chronic complications: a.Vascular Disease: complications such as hardening arteries, hypertension, heart disease and even stroke can be caused by long-term diabetes. b.Neuropathy: Diabetes patients may become insensitive, limb numbness, diarrhea, constipation, difficulty in urination, sexual dysfunction, numbness and tingling on hands and feet due to neuropathy. c.Retinopathy: Vision loss and even blindness..

d.Kidney pathological change: Diabetes may cause edema, proteinuria, increasing blood pressure and even kidney failure which brings uremia that requires dialysis for the whole life. More than one-third dialysis patients in Taiwan are also diabetes patients.. 7. How to control diabetes? （1） Diet Control: Diet therapy is the starting point to control diabetes. By controlling the intake of calorie and sugar in food may reduce blood sugar. （2） Exercise: Exercise is also one of the measures to control diabetes. It may effectively lower blood sugar. Some diabetes patients can simply control their blood sugar by diet and exercise. According to WHO, high-intensity aerobic exercise such as speed walking, jogging, swimming are suggested to do at least 150 minutes every week. Avoid sitting in a long term period, even when it is a job requirement, stretch your limbs every 30 minutes is suggested . （3） Medication: As diet control and exercise can not fairly control blood sugar, it is necessary to rely on oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin injections to lower blood sugar.. 8. Self-care measures for the diabetes patients: For those who have genetic constitution, it is necessary to pay more attention to control their diet in order to avoid obesity. It is also essential to watch the variations of their blood sugar. Once affecting diabetes, it is advised that the sooner to take appropriate.

control measures, the fewer complications may cause. By adopting principles noted above, regular outpatient visits and following the medical instructions, your blood sugar can be well controlled..