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DIABETES MELLITUSIn diabetes mellitus the body’s blood sugar control becomes impaired. This disease is not the same as diabetes insipidus, an illness of the pituitary gland, in which excess urine is passed. Excess urine is also passed in diabetes mellitus, but the urine contains a large amount of sugar (glucose). (Diabetes insipidus is discussed at end of this chapter.) The amount of glucose in your blood is determined by a number of factors. The different types of carbohydrates that are ingested are converted into glucose, a simple sugar that stimulates the pancreas to increase its output of the hormone insulin. Insulin helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, converting nutrients into glucose. The manner in which glucose and other nutrients are used by your body is also governed by the amount of insulin produced. The amount of glucose in your blood varies with the amount of food that you eat and the amount of exercise that you do. If there is too little insulin, the level of glucose in your blood rises. If the glucose reaches a certain level, it begins to leak through the kidneys and “spills” into your urine. It is important to measure the amount of glucose in your urine with special testing kits that can be used at home. As you grow older, your pancreas may become less able to produce enough insulin to fill your needs. If you are overweight, you may be putting an extra load on your pancreas. Even though there appears to be enough insulin, its effect is impaired because of the excess weight. The most common type of diabetes mellitus in older individuals is called adult onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. This may affect you much more gradually than the kind that begins in younger people. Although it is not quite so dangerous, it must be treated carefully and controlled properly for you to maintain well-being and avoid complications. Many people have latent diabetes mellitus. This means that your body has trouble controlling the blood glucose level, but this may not become obvious until you take certain medications or experience certain stressful illnesses. You will not develop diabetes mellitus because of the medications or illness, but you have a tendency toward it, and it manifests itself for the first time under these stressful circumstances, during a heart attack or pneumonia, for example. Diuretics and cortisone therapy may also cause latent diabetes to become evident. Diabetics are in greater danger of developing infections, especially of the urinary tract. They also develop narrowing of the blood vessels as a result of atherosclerosis, which can result in an increased tendency to strokes, ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, kidney ailments, and eye disease. It appears that if care is taken to control the diabetes, the risk of these complications decreases. Diabetics may develop ischemic heart disease without the usual symptoms of chest pain, and a heart attack (myocardial infarction) also may be experienced without chest pain and be revealed incidentally on a cardiogram long after the attack occurred. If you are diabetic, you should take great care of your feet. Your nails should be cut properly (straight across) with the assistance of a physician, podiatrist, or chiropodist or by yourself after proper instruction if you feel secure and comfortable in the technique. Any foot infection or injury must be treated immediately to prevent progression and the possible risk of impaired blood supply and gangrene. *242\166\2* Related Posts:Tags: Men’s Health Leave OneYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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