Diabetes Basics.
Last updated Thursday, February 10, 2005
Causes and effectsCauses No one knows the cause of type 1 diabetes. Clearly, one must have a
genetic risk and scientists are now identifying the genetic markers.
Not everyone with a genetic risk gets type 1 diabetes, however, as
there also must be an environmental risk. The exact environmental
insult is not clear but may be a virus and likely is different for
different people. It is interesting that 90% of people with type 1
diabetes have no family history, although the genetic risk needs to be
present for the disease to occur.
For type 2 diabetes, genetics appear to have a more important role
as the disease usually occurs within families. Ethnic minorities
(African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans)
are at a particularly high risk. Our population's trend toward a
sedentary lifestyle and higher fat foods have resulted in more obesity
which appears to be the main reason we are seeing more type 2 diabetes.
However, not everyone who is obese gets type 2 diabetes, which speaks
for the need of a genetic risk to get this disease. Effects High blood glucose (sugar) has an impact on almost every tissue and
organ in the body. Scientists have noted three possible ways this may
occur, and current research is determining if there are drugs that
oppose the effects of the high glucose levels after the damage is done.
It is clear, however, that the best therapy is to prevent the damage
before it occurs by taking meticulous care to avoid excessive high
blood glucose levels. Research has shown that the complications of
diabetes, particularly those that involve the eyes, kidneys, and
nerves, can be avoided by maintaining the average blood glucose level
below 150 mg/dL, which will be below a HbA1c level below 7%. The HbA1c,
a test which provides an average of your blood glucose control for the
past 3 months, should be done 4 times each year if you take insulin,
twice yearly if your diabetes is well-controlled on medication or diet
alone.
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