1 Overview of Type 1 Diabetes
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body cannot use glucose due to a lack of insulin production or the inability to use insulin or both. Normally, the body gets energy from glucose, lipids, and proteins. Glucose provides the main source of energy for cells, the brain, muscles, etc. to function. But to use glucose, insulin is needed. Insulin is a hormone produced by the endocrine pancreas. Insulin helps sugar (glucose) move from the blood into cells, thereby metabolizing and creating energy
Diabetes has two main forms: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disease in which the beta cells of the islets of pancreas (insulin-secreting cells) are destroyed, causing a lack of insulin and requiring the use of insulin from outside the body.
2 Causes of Type 1 Diabetes
What causes type 1 diabetes?
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. The body’s immune system cells, which normally fight off harmful pathogens, for some reason destroy insulin-secreting cells. The cause of this condition is still being studied.
Is type 1 diabetes hereditary?
It is known that type 1 diabetes may be related to exposure to viruses, and that there is a genetic component. But just because a parent has type 1 diabetes does not mean that a child will definitely have the disease.
3 Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes usually starts quickly and dramatically. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:
Classic symptoms of diabetes:
- Eating a lot
- Drinking a lot (or being thirsty)
- Urinating a lot (due to high sugar in the urine, causing osmotic diuresis)
- Losing a lot (weight loss)
Symptoms when complications occur:
Acute complications
- Ketoacidosis coma: weakness, fatigue, thirst, dry skin, cramps, rapid pulse, low blood pressure (signs of dehydration), impaired consciousness (lethargy, drowsiness, coma), nausea, rapid breathing, breath that smells like rotten apples. This complication requires emergency treatment.
Chronic complications
- Blurred vision (due to retinal complications, cataracts)
- Atypical chest pain (due to coronary complications)
- Numbness and paresthesia in the feet (neurological complications)
- Foot ulcers and infections
- Fullness, indigestion, difficulty swallowing (autonomic nerve complications causing paralysis of the stomach and esophagus)
4 Risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes
- Family history: if a parent has type 1 diabetes, the children are at higher risk
- Environmental factors: exposure to viruses such as Coxsackie, Rubella can trigger the destruction of pancreatic beta cells
- Geography: some countries such as Finland, Sweden have higher rates of type 1 diabetes
5 Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes
There is currently no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Scientists are continuing to research ways to prevent the disease from progressing in newly diagnosed people.
6 Diagnostic measures for Type 1 Diabetes
General diagnosis of diabetes (according to the American Diabetes Association):
- Any blood sugar >11.1 mmol/l, with symptoms of hyperglycemia (eating a lot, drinking a lot, urinating a lot, losing a lot)
- Fasting blood sugar (fasting >8-14 hours) >7 mmol in 2 different mornings
- Blood sugar 2 hours after drinking 75g of glucose >11.1 mmol/l (hyperglycemia test)
- HbA1C (quantified by liquid chromatography) >6.5%
In addition:
- Think of type 1 diabetes when: age of onset <30, severe symptoms, family history of the disease, other autoimmune diseases. Tests for anti-islet antibodies, low or zero blood insulin levels.
- Other tests: Cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, Triglycerides, total urine analysis for proteinuria, 24-hour urine test
- Ophthalmoscopy: look for retinal lesions
- Electrocardiogram: look for signs of coronary artery disease
7 Type 1 Diabetes Treatment Measures
- Appropriate diet: adequate protein, fat, sugar, vitamins, minerals and water in reasonable amounts
- Regular exercise: 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
- Blood sugar control: for type 1, control with exogenous insulin is the main thing. Use according to the regimen, adhere to the injection time and dosage to avoid hypoglycemia. Types of insulin include: regular insulin (very fast and fast acting, insulin Lispro, Actrapid..), semi-slow acting insulin (NPH, Lente..), slow acting insulin (ultralente..), mixed insulin (Mixtard..), basal insulin (Lantus)
- Blood pressure control: prioritize ACE inhibitors/receptor blockers when there are kidney complications (captopril, ibesartan, losartan..)
