Facts About Diabetes

    * Diabetes is a serious condition associated with unusually high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood .
    * Insulin produced by the pancreas lowers blood glucose.
    * Absence or inadequate production of insulin causes diabetes.

    * The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 and type 2. Former names for these conditions were insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, or juvenile onset and adult onset diabetes.
    * Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue.
    * Diabetes is diagnosed by blood sugar levels (glucose) testing.
    * The major problems of diabetes are both acute and chronic.
          o Acute complications: dangerously elevated blood vessels sugar levels (hyperglycemia), unusually low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) due to diabetes medicines may occur
          o Chronic complications: disease of the blood vessels(both small and large) which can damage the feet, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart may occur
    * Diabetes treatment depends on the kind and severity of the diabetes. Type one diabetes is treated with insulin, exercise, and a diabetic diet. Type two diabetes is first treated with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. When these measures fail to control the elevated blood sugars, medicines are used. If medicines are still inadequate, insulin medicines and other injectable medicines are considered.