Diabetes mellitus

by Our Doctors

• Related Diseases & Conditions:?: 7 articles
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    • Dizziness is a symptom that is often applies to a variety of sensations including lightheadedness and vertigo. Causes of dizziness include low blood pressure, heart problems, anemia, dehydration, and more. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause.
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  • Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)
    • Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
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  • Encephalopathy
    • Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
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  • Diabetes Treatment
    • The major goal in treating diabetes is controlling elevated blood sugar without causing abnormally low levels of blood sugar. Treatment for type 1 diabetes is with insulin, exercise, and a diabetic diet. Treatment for type 2 diabetes is first treated with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. When these measures fail to control the elevated blood sugar, oral medications are used. If oral medications are still insufficient, insulin medications are considered.
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  • Diabetic Neuropathy
    • Diabetic Neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that causes damage to the nerves; this is related to the blood glucose of the body being too high for a long period of time. The four types of neuropathy include peripheral, autonomic, proximal and focal.
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  • Diabetes and Eye Problems
    • Diabetes and eye problems are generally caused by high blood sugar levels over an extended period of time. Types of eye problems in a person with diabetes include glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy. Examples of symptoms include blurred vision, headaches, eye aches, pain, halos around lights, loss of vision, watering eyes. Treatment for eye problems in people with diabetes depend on the type of eye problem. Prevention of eye problems include reducing blood pressure, cholesterol levels, quitting smoking, and maintaining proper blood glucose levels.
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  • Diabetic Home Care and Monitoring
    • Managing your diabetes is important. The goal of diabetic therapy is to control blood glucose levels and prevent the complications of diabetes. Information about exercise, diet diet, and medication will help you manage your diabetes better. Blood glucose reagent strips, blood glucose meters, urine glucose tests, tests for urinary ketones, continuous glucose sensors, and Hemoglobin A1C testing information is also provided in this article
    
    
  
  

What Causes Hyperglycemia in Diabetes?

What Are the Symptoms of Hyperglycemia in Diabetes?

How Is Hyperglycemia in Diabetes Treated?

How Can Hyperglycemia in Diabetes Be Prevented?

Patient Discussions: Hyperglycemia - Describe Your Experience





Autopilot Lost – Diabetic Ketoacidosis


Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

We live in a very narrow range of normal. In the range of normal, the body performs well, but once we slip outside the norm, the body spirals slowly out of control. We take most of the internal controls of our body for granted since they are on autopilot, but many people need to fly manually.

The body's cells need two energy requirements to function. The blood stream delivers both oxygen and glucose to the front door of the cell. The the oxygen is invited in, but the glucose needs a key to open the door. The insulin molecule is that key. When we eat, the body senses the levels of glucose in the blood stream and secretes just the right amount of insulin from the pancreas so that cells and the body can function.

People with diabetesdon't have the luxury of that auto-sensing. They need to balance the amount of glucose intake with the amount of insulin that needs to be injected. Not enough insulin and the glucose levels in the blood stream start to rise; too much insulin, and they plummet.

The consequences of hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis are easy to understand.

Read more about diabetic ketoacidosis »

What is Hyperglycemia?




Hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose (sugar), is a serious health problem for those with diabetes. Hyperglycemia develops when there is too much sugar in the blood. In people with diabetes, there are two specific types of hyperglycemia that occur:

• Fasting hyperglycemia is defined as a blood sugar greater than 90-130 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) after fasting for at least 8 hours.
  
• Postprandial or after-meal hyperglycemia is defined as a blood sugar usually greater than 180 mg/dL. In people without diabetes postprandial or post-meal sugars rarely go over 140 mg/dL but occasionally, after a large meal, a 1-2 hour post-meal glucose level can reach 180 mg/dL. Consistently elevated high post-meal glucose levels can be an indicator that a person is at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes
  

When a person with diabetes has hyperglycemia frequently or for long periods of time as indicated by a high HbA1c blood test, damage to nerves, blood vessels and other body organs can occur. Hyperglycemia can also lead to more serious conditions, including ketoacidosis -- mostly in people with type 1 diabetes -- and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS) in people with type 2 diabetes or in people at risk for type 2 diabetes.

It's important to treat the symptoms of hyperglycemia promptly to prevent complications from diabetes.





Autopilot Lost – Diabetic Ketoacidosis


Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

We live in a very narrow range of normal. In the range of normal, the body performs well, but once we slip outside the norm, the body spirals slowly out of control. We take most of the internal controls of our body for granted since they are on autopilot, but many people need to fly manually.

The body's cells need two energy requirements to function. The blood stream delivers both oxygen and glucose to the front door of the cell. The the oxygen is invited in, but the glucose needs a key to open the door. The insulin molecule is that key. When we eat, the body senses the levels of glucose in the blood stream and secretes just the right amount of insulin from the pancreas so that cells and the body can function.

People with diabetesdon't have the luxury of that auto-sensing. They need to balance the amount of glucose intake with the amount of insulin that needs to be injected. Not enough insulin and the glucose levels in the blood stream start to rise; too much insulin, and they plummet.

The consequences of hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis are easy to understand.

Read more about diabetic ketoacidosis »

What Causes Hyperglycemia in Diabetes?




Hyperglycemia in diabetes may be caused by:

• Skipping or forgetting your insulin or oral glucose-lowering medicine
  
• Eating too many grams of carbohydrates for the amount of insulin administered or just eating too many grams of carbohydrates in general
  
• Eating too much food and having too may calories
  
• Infection
  
• Illness
  
• Increased stress
  
• Decreased activity or exercising less than usual
  
• Strenuous physical activity