Diabetes and Blood Sugar Regulation

The Endocrine System:

Diabetes Mellitus

^{What is Diabetes Mellitus}

^{Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.}

^{Untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs.}

Types of Diabetes Mellitus:

• Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease. In people with type 1 diabetes, cells in the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed, and the body is unable to make insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes, your body isn’t able to effectively use insulin to bring glucose into your cells. This causes your body to rely on alternative energy sources in your tissues, muscles, and organs. This is a chain reaction that can cause a variety of symptoms.

  Type 2 diabetes can develop slowly. The symptoms may be mild and easy to dismiss at first.

Multiple Choice

Fred is a 60-year-old male who is obese and physically inactive. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes by his physician, but he is not taking supplemental insulin. Which type of diabetes does he likely have?

• Type 1

• Type 2

• Type 1.5

• Gestational

Hyperglycemia & Hypoglycemia

• Hyperglycemia refers to high levels of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. It occurs when the body does not produce or use enough insulin, which is a hormone that absorbs glucose into cells for use as energy.

• Hypoglycemia is a condition in which your blood sugar (glucose) level is lower than normal. Glucose is your body's main energy source.

• Look in your text at Box 34-1 for the causes and effects of hyperglycemia & hypoglycemia. TAKE NOTE

Blood Glucose Levels

Monitoring Blood Glucose Levels

A person with diabetes needs to monitor his / her blood glucose levels regularly to make sure that his / her prescribed treatment is keeping their blood glucose level within the desired range. A glucometer is used to monitor blood glucose levels.

Blood Glucose Readings

Normal Ranges: 4.0 - 6.0 mmol/L

Random: Less than 11.1 mmolL

Fasting: Less than 6.1 mmol/L

2 Hour Postprandial (after meals): less than 7.8 mmol/L

Procedure 34 in text: Monitoring the Blood Glucose

Multiple Choice

Diabetes is associated with all the following complications except

• increased nerve sensitivity caused by hypoglycemia

• increased risk of heart attack and stroke

• decreased ability of the body to heal.

• increased risk for blindness