Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Also known as: Type 1
Diabetes, Juvenile Diabetes
What is it?
Insulin dependent diabetes,
also known as Type 1 diabetes, is a disease that
affects the way cell’s respond to insulin, or
diminishes the amount of insulin produced by the
pancreas, so that glucose (sugar) in the blood
can’t be absorbed by the body. It can cause
serious health complications, including kidney
failure, heart disease, stroke and blindness. This
form of diabetes requires daily insulin
injections.
Who gets it?
More than 700,000 people in
the United States have insulin dependent diabetes.
About five percent of people diagnosed with
diabetes have insulin dependent diabetes. It is
sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes because
it most commonly develops in children and
adolescents, peaking around puberty.
Insulin dependent diabetes is
an inherited disease, so those people with a
family history are more at risk for developing it.
Caucasians of northern European heritage are more
prone to insulin dependent diabetes than other
racial and ethnic groups.
What causes it?
Doctors believe insulin
dependent diabetes is caused by several genetic
and environmental factors. Research has shown that
people who develop diabetes have several common
genetic indicators. Doctors also believe that a
virus can destroy the cells in the pancreas that
produce insulin. People with insulin dependent
diabetes are more likely to develop other
autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis, Addison's
disease (adrenal failure), and lupus.
Some studies have shown an
association between drinking cow's milk early in
life and the development of insulin dependent
diabetes. Some children diagnosed with the disease
have antibodies to a protein in cow's milk. There
is also some evidence that free radicals, unstable
oxygen molecules, may cause considerable cellular
damage and destroy cells of the pancreas.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of insulin dependent
diabetes can develop suddenly or gradually over
several years. Symptoms include frequent
urination, tiredness, excessive thirst and hunger,
and weight loss. Ketoacidosis, a condition caused
by starvation or uncontrolled diabetes, is common
in insulin dependent diabetes. Symptoms include
abdominal pain, vomiting, rapid breathing, extreme
lethargy, and drowsiness. Patients with
ketoacidosis will also have a sweet breath odor.
Left untreated, this condition can lead to coma
and death.
How is it diagnosed?
To diagnose insulin dependent
diabetes, a doctor will take urine and blood tests
after reviewing the patient’s symptoms. Glucose
levels in the blood and urine, along with ketones
and protein in the urine, will confirm diagnosis.
During the blood test, blood is drawn from a vein
in the patient's arm after a period at least eight
hours when the patient has not eaten, usually in
the morning before breakfast. The red blood cells
are separated from the sample and the amount of
glucose is measured in the remaining plasma.
Home blood glucose monitoring
kits are available so patients with diabetes can
monitor their own levels. A small needle or lancet
is used to prick the finger and a drop of blood is
collected and analyzed by a monitoring device.
Some patients may test their blood glucose levels
several times during a day and use this
information to adjust their doses of insulin. The
test can be used to prevent hypoglycemia, or low
blood sugar, which can be caused by too much
insulin, too little food (or eating too late to
coincide with the action of the insulin), alcohol
consumption, or increased exercise. A patient with
symptoms of hypoglycemia may be hungry, cranky,
confused, and tired. This condition is sometimes
called an insulin reaction and should be treated
by giving the patient something sweet to eat or
drink like a candy, sugar cubes, juice, or another
high sugar snack.
What is the treatment?
While there is no cure for
insulin dependent diabetes, the condition can be
controlled so that patients can live relatively
normal lives. Treatment focuses on keeping blood
glucose levels within a normal range and
preventing long-term complications.
The doctor may recommend
daily injections of insulin to help patients use
glucose. The amount and type of insulin required
depends on the patient’s height, weight, age, food
intake, and activity level. Insulin may be given
as an injection of a single dose of one type of
insulin once a day. Patients who require multiple
injections over the course of a day may be able to
use an insulin pump that administers small doses
of insulin on demand. The small battery-operated
pump is worn outside the body and is connected to
a needle that is inserted into the abdomen.
Transplanting a healthy
pancreas into a diabetic patient is another
treatment option, usually recommended if a kidney
transplant is also needed.
Self-care tips
Uncontrolled insulin
dependent diabetes can cause blindness, kidney
disease and limb amputations due to diabetic
peripheral neuropathy, a condition where nerve
endings become less able to sense pain. In
addition, poor blood circulation in the legs and
feet contribute to delayed wound healing. The
combination of the two conditions can lead to
minor injuries such as blisters or calluses
becoming infected and difficult to treat. In the
most extreme cases, the tissue begins to rot away,
and amputation may be necessary. Uncontrolled
diabetes can also cause heart disease and stroke.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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