Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Juvenile diabetes

Diabetes occurs in two different form- Type1 and Type2 diabetes which is called as diabetes insipidus. Here lets discuss about the type1 diabetes which is observed more commonly.

A.Juvenile diabetes , comes under type1 diabetes, as the name suggests,diabetes occuring below the age group of 16years is termed as juvenile diabetes diabetes.The major cause of this type in children is heredity.the risk increases when the mother is diabetic during pregnancy.
B. Otherwise it may be caused due to viral or bacterial infection to the pancreas.
C. In this variety of diabetes , the pancreas is rendered incapable of producing required amount of insulin for breaking down the food in to glucose for the blood. Due to inefficiency of the pancreas,the excess sugar remains unconverted and excreted in urine. Due to excess urination the children often may end up in dehydration. This may cause other complexities inside the body and usually child may end up in other disorder also if unchecked at appropriate time.
D. More than 10% of children are already suffering from juvenile diabetes and atleast 30 cases of children are detected every day.
E. Children may not be able to say or find diabetic symptoms within them, so its left up to the parents to find it at early as possible to avoid complications.look out for symptoms like excess thirst, frequent urination, feeling excess hunger, strange odor from mouth, frequent exhaustion, difficulty in vision, loss of sensation in palm or feet, decreased immunity and frquent infections. weight loss due to utilization of fat and proteins.

Patients frequently have to be injected with adequate dosage of insulin to maintain normalcy.
In severe cases an isulin pump may be installed. Cure has not been discovered yet, but with a healthy diet and adequate physical activity patient can lead an almost normal life with minor alteration.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Diabetes treatment

There are two types of treatment for diabetes-curative and preventive. curative treatment deals with the ongoing condition of the diabetes and try and let the person lead a normal life.Whereas the preventive treatments deals with the precaution need to be taken by people who may be prone to develop diabetes, may be suffering from early stage disease.

Curative:
A. First and foremost diabetes is notreadily curable. it is a long lasting disease and patients have to build their life around that conditions laid down by the disease.
B. some cases have been shown improvement with the use of external or internal pumps to supply extra insulin to the body.This acts like the pacemaker used in coronary heart diseases. it is very costly and depends on the patient's body to accept or reject such an interfering device.they have also managed to make it infection free.
C.Oral medicines are given to get in control of the deficency of the hormones in pancrease.
D. Along with the right medicines, the patients should exercise regularly preferably at the same time each day this would set the body to smooth rhythm. This has known to fasten the process of body cycle regulation.
E. Indulging in correct food habits become ever so important for diabetic patients.In severe cases they cannot even tolerate even a minimal changes in their food habit.

Preventive:
A. Checking blood sugar regularly.
B. Food and exercise are the major preventive care to be taken.
C. Having balenced diet at regular time during the day.
D.Controlling the weight to under the prescribed limit is extremely important.
E. If aged above fifty , regulay checkups are essential.

Type1 diabetes mellitus

There are two types of diabetes- type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The type1 Diabetes occurs far more commonly, almost more then 80% of all diabetic cases. It is caused by the disorder of the pancrease to produce adequate amount of the pancreatic hormone called insulin.Insulin is extremely important in the energy build up inside the body.Insulin breaks down the complex sugars in the food in to usable energy for the body in the form of glucose.This glucose is then absorbed in the blood stream which nourishes each and every cell in th body. The lack of insulin causes the sugar remain complex and unusuable.A very small part of the sugars are converted in to glucose and the person has to throw out the remaining sugar through frequent urination.

This is the deadly condition of the body as it cannot utilize the energy supplied via food intake.
As a result of this body organs are affected severely and many time irreparable damage is done.
lack of attention to this severe condition may result in dying of vital tissues in organs farthest from the heart such as palm and feet. Due to the excess level of sugar in the body,many time people have to amputate their fingers and or toes.some times even the extremities.

Unfortunately no permanent solutions have been found to this problem and diabetes remains one of the most deadly disease of our time. Ever year it kills thousands of people who are unable to be attended to or don't receive proper treatment. precaution is the only cure.

Monday, July 6, 2009

causes of diabetic

Even after millions of people today being diabetic, the single exact cause of diabetes is not fully known. What we do know in medical science are a few factors that definitly pose increased risk in diabetes cases. They are as follows:

A. Genetic predisposition-
There is overwhelming evidence that your diabetic tendencies are hidden in your genes that you receive from your parents.This is genetic inheritance can be from any one in the family, but the risk is greatest with mother and then father. But there are many cases where parents were unaffected but grandparents passed the diabetic gene to the grandchildren.

B. Blood pressure- High blood pressure has been found to co-relate with diabetic cases, but may not be a cause and effective relationship.

C. Age factor- technically diabetes can be triggered at any age group and some kids may have diabetes from birth if it runs high in family.otherwise risk increases mulityfold after 50 years age.

D. Life style- Lack of exercise and stationary work leads to some of the problems that alter physiological condition of the person.

E. Excessive stress-stress, both physical and mental is known to trigger the genetic tendency for diabetes.

F. Diet factor-excssive intake of refind sugar products are a known evil as is also low consumption of essential fibres and proteins.

G. Diseases- Viral and bacterial infections to pancreas is known to produce diabetic condition.

H. Weight and body fat- Overweight body means more need for supply for insulin. This puts added pressure on pancreas to secret the hormone for breaking down glucose inthe blood. This along with age is relatively more significant factor in disposing the gene for diabetes, due to added related factors of Body mass index and fat percentage.

diabetic emergencies

You should be aware of the diabetic emergencies , so that you can tackle at right time and avoid
life threatening conditions. In diabetes, emergencies occurs either due to high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) or in result of decreased blood sugar level (hypoglycemia).

In hypoglycemia the person may present with sudden onset, staggering, poor coordination, paler, confusion, disorientation, sudden hunger, excessive sweating, trembling, eventually unconsciousness. Even though you can conclude the hypoglycemia by above symptoms. but its always advisable to get spot glucose test done.Usually hypoglycemia express when blood sugar level falls below 60mg/dl. provide sugar, candy, fruit juice or glucose. Don't try to feed if person is unconsciousness.Rush to hospital if person didn't get better 15mins after oral feeding, or already unconscious.

Hyperglycemia shows gradual onset, drowsiness, extreme thirst, frequent urination, fruity breath odour, heavy breathing, eventually unconsciousness.Give fluids orally if person is conscious.if uncertain whether the person has hyper/hypo glycemia give sugar containing drink.
shift the person to hospital if failed to improve in 15 mins .

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Blood glucose levels

There may be many investigations to diagnose a particular disease.But when it comes to diabetes mellitus, Monitoring blood sugar is the only investigation available as diagnostic criteria for confirming it.

Before you go for a blood sugar investigation, there are few things You should consider before undergoing it. There are some medicines which interfere the blood sugar levels, so make sure you don’t take any medicines at least 48 hrs before the test. If you are taking medicines you cannot afford to avoid, such as cardiac medicines, anti hypertension medicines, then consult your physician. They will confirm the drugs which alter the test results and can stop it or prescribe you an alternative in which case it turns to be a life saving medicines.

Fasting blood sugar is done on morning , nothing should be taken orally after previous day dinner. Make sure you have at least 12 hrs gap between dinner and the test. Post prandial is done 2hrs from the food intake after giving fasting sugar sample. Don’t let food to alter the test results .it should be of easily digestible, should include proper distribution of carbohydrates, proteins.

In case of glucose tolerance test, after fasting sample is taken glucose is administered orally and samples are collected at the interval of 30mins, 60mins and 90mins.

Here are the blood sugar values:


Normal

Fasting: 80mg/dl – 110mg/dl

prandial: 120mg/dl – 140 mg/dl

Diabetes: > 120mg/dl in fasting, >160mg/dl in postprandial


If your blood sugar levels falls between 110-120mg/dl in fasting sample & 140-159mg/dl in post prandial then one must under go GTT ( glucose tolerance test ) to get a clear picture.

Monday, June 29, 2009

type 2 diabetes mellitus

Persons around 4th decade with chronic skin infection should check their blood glucose level, they could be a victim of Type 2 diabetes Mellitus.

often Type 2 diabetes patients are diagnosed during routine lab studies ( often asymptomatic), some may presents as increased urination and thirst. Chronic skin infections, genital ulcers in both men and women.
Other symptoms could be, weakness , fatigue, recurrent blurred vision, peripheral neuropathy,

Obesity and associated family history makes you more vulnerable to type 2 diabetes.

The diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes:

ð fasting plasma glucose 126 mg/dl and above.
ð Two hours after glucose load 200 mg/ dl and above.

Other laboratory findings are:
1. In urine sample one could find glucosuria , ketonuria( increased Ketone bodies)

2. In blood testing procedures GTT ( glucose tolerance test), Glycated hemoglobin measurements, serum fructosamine, can be done to monitor the diabetes.

Treatment includes a well balanced diet, which includes 45-60% of total daily calories in the form of carbohydrates, 25-35 % in the form of fat ( of which less then 7% are from saturated fat ) 10- 35 % in form of protein. Regular physical exercise .routine check up of eyes , foot.
Taking alternative for sugar such as artificial sweeteners.
Taking appropriate medicines for treating hyperglycaemia from consultant which includes anti hyperglycaemic drugs , insulin etc..

Monday, June 22, 2009

diabetes risk factor

Diabetes risk factors


Are you at risk –Know it yourself,

FAMILY HISTORY OF DIABETES: score
1. No diabetes in parents 0
2. One parent is diabetic 5
3. Both parents are diabetic 10

AGE FACTOR:
1. Less then 35 years 0
2. Age between 35 – 49 years 5
3. More then 50 years 10

WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE:
1. Waist less then 80cm in female,
Less then 90 cm in male. 0
2. Waist between 80-89cm in female,
90-99cm in male. 5
3. waist more then 90cm in female,
More then 100cm in male. 10

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:
1. regular exercise or work out 0
2. mild to moderate exercise or physical
Activity . 5
3. No exercise / sedentary activities 10

If the score is…….

30 and above , you are at high risk of having diabetes,
Between 15- less then 30 , the risk of having diabetes is moderate.
Less then 15 , risk of having diabetes s probably low.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

diabetic foot care

Believe it or not, diabetes can actually have adverse effects on your feet. You may think that diabetes is only a disease that affects your blood sugar and internal functions, but it can actually have some external effects, and those are most noticeable on your feet.
The main thing that diabetes does to your feet is either reduce blood flow or desensitize the nerve endings in your feet. This means that you do not have the same sensation in your feet, and it may be more difficult for you to detect potential problems. If not inspected frequently, a small blister can turn into a serious health problem. Even a wart can have a bad effect on your overall health.
There are a few things that you should do if you have diabetes to take care of your feet.
Look at your feet daily
This may sound like a pretty obvious tip, but really, when was the last time you thoroughly examined your own feet. Not lately, right? A lot of people don’t take the effort to inspect their feet for potential problems. As previously stated, if you have a small blister on the bottom of your foot, and you don’t notice it due to the desensitization of your feet, it could turn into a serious health issue. There are numerous other small issues that could escalate if they are not taken care of in a reasonable amount of time. That is why it is very important to thoroughly inspect your feet daily. It only takes a few minutes, but could really save you a lot of hassle.
Be Gentle with your feet
People are rarely gentle with their feet, even if they don’t have diabetes. But, it is important to take care of them, especially is you do have diabetes. Don’t be rough with them when washing them, and don’t try and scrape off calluses or anything else on your skin. Don’t subject them to extreme heat or extreme cold, and try to keep them covered as often as possible.
Use moisturizer on your feet
It is important to keep the skin on your feet moisturized and free from cracks or dry skin. Not only will this make them feel better, but it will allow them to be healthy and allow the skin to regenerate successfully. It is important to avoid putting on too much moisturizer, as an excess of moisture can promote fungal growth, especially between your toes.
Get checkups on your feet
People rarely go to podiatrists any more. If you have diabetes, a visit to your foot doctor should happen regularly. It doesn’t have to be every month, but it should happen more than once per year. Just use common sense.
It is important to take care of your feet, whether you have diabetes or not. But, if you are effected by diabetes, it is just that much more important to take good care of your feet. If you follow the above tips, you should not have any foot issues that will affect your health.