Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes develops when your body can’t keep blood sugar levels within the healthy range. The condition occurs because the pancreas doesn’t produce, or the body stops responding to, insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar.  

The most common types of diabetes include:

Type 1 diabetes

This type usually occurs in childhood when an autoimmune disease damages the pancreas and stops insulin production.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes causes symptoms later in adulthood as the body gradually stops responding to insulin (insulin resistance).

Prediabetes

Prediabetes occurs when your blood glucose is slightly elevated but not enough to be Type 2 diabetes. You can prevent diabetes if you change your lifestyle habits at this stage.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy, with blood sugar returning to normal after delivery. However, gestational diabetes poses a risk to your pregnancy and baby.

Does diabetes cause health complications?

Persistently high blood sugar damages your nerves and small blood vessels, leading to serious complications such as:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol (diabetic dyslipidemia)
• Heart disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) and vision loss
• Foot wounds that won’t heal

Poorly controlled diabetes significantly increases your chances of developing heart and kidney disease.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes causes the following symptoms:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Unexplained weight loss
• Slow-healing cuts and wounds
• Numbness, tingling, or pain in your feet or hands (caused by nerve damage)

These symptoms appear quickly in Type 1 diabetes but develop slowly in those with Type 2 diabetes.

How is diabetes managed?

Diabetes can’t be cured. Instead, you need chronic care management to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range.

Long-term management of diabetes includes:

Lifestyle changes

Blood sugar increases, and most importantly decreases, in response to your diet, exercise, and weight. The Marion Heart Center & Marion Physician Associates team helps you develop a balanced and sustainable eating plan, focusing on moderating the type and amount of carbohydrates you consume. They also help with physician-supervised weight loss.

Medications

People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin. If you have Type 2, you may need medications to lower your blood sugar if lifestyle changes don’t help.

Call Marion Heart Center & Marion Physician Associates or book an exam online today to learn how to prevent diabetes or receive expert care for the condition.