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Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Glucose is the main energy source for the cells of the human body.
Glucose that accumulates in the blood due to not being absorbed by the body's cells properly can cause various disorders of the body's organs. If diabetes is not controlled properly, various complications can arise that endanger the patient's life.
Blood sugar levels are controlled by the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, which is an organ located behind the stomach. In people with diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce insulin according to the body's needs. Without insulin, the body's cells cannot absorb and process glucose into energy.
Types of Diabetes
In general, diabetes is divided into two types, namely type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the patient's immune system attacks and destroys the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. This results in an increase in blood glucose levels, resulting in damage to the body's organs. Type 1 diabetes is also known as autoimmune diabetes. The trigger for this autoimmune condition is still not known with certainty. The strongest suspicion is that it is caused by genetic factors of the patient which are also influenced by environmental factors.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. This type of diabetes is caused by the body's cells becoming less sensitive to insulin, so that the insulin produced cannot be used properly (body cell resistance to insulin). About 90-95% percent of diabetics in the world suffer from this type of diabetes.
In addition to these two types of diabetes, there is a special type of diabetes in pregnant women called gestational diabetes. Diabetes in pregnancy is caused by hormonal changes, and blood sugar will return to normal after a pregnant woman has given birth.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes can develop rapidly within a few weeks, even days. Whereas in type 2 diabetes, many sufferers do not realize that they have had diabetes for years, because the symptoms tend to be non-specific. Some of the characteristics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes include:
- Often feel thirsty.
- Frequent urination, especially at night.
- Often feel very hungry.
- Weight loss for no apparent reason.
- Reduced muscle mass.
- There are ketones in the urine. Ketones are a by-product of the breakdown of muscle and fat as the body cannot use sugar as an energy source.
- Weak.
- Blurred vision.
- Wounds that are difficult to heal.
- Frequent infections, such as the gums, skin, vagina, or urinary tract.
Several other symptoms can also be signs that a person has diabetes, including:
- Dry mouth.
- Burning, stiffness, and pain in the legs.
- Itchy rash.
- Erectile dysfunction or impotence.
- Easily offended.
- Experiencing reactive hypoglycemia, which is hypoglycemia that occurs several hours after eating due to excessive insulin production.
- The appearance of black spots around the neck, armpits, and groin, (acanthosis nigricans) as a sign of insulin resistance.
Some people can develop prediabetes, which is a condition when the glucose in the blood is above normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. A person who has prediabetes can develop type 2 diabetes if it is not treated properly.
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