subject: Information About The Treatment of Diabetes [print this page] Information About The Treatment of Diabetes
Diabetes is a critical health care problem for many people throughout the world. It decreases the quality of life and, in many cases, it can also shorten one's life. The good news is that when you recognize the seriousness of being a diabetic and take constructive steps toward controlling it all of these things above decrease in importance.
Diabetes is a debilitating disorder of the body cell's metabolism. It is the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Diabetes is associated with long-term complications that affect almost every part of the body. Diabetes is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.
Conventional medical treatment involves the use of insulin. Insulin was the first, and remains the primary means, of treatment for Type 1 diabetes and is administered by subcutaneous injection. This method is necessary since insulin is destroyed by gastric stomach secretions when it is taken by mouth. Insulin injections must be balanced with meals and daily activities, and glucose levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood sugar testing. Many diabetics need to inject insulin only once a day; others require multiple injections. The usual time for a dose of insulin is before breakfast. The dosage is initially established according to the severity of the condition, but it often has to be reassessed as one or another of the variables in the person's condition changes.
Medicines for Type2 diabetes include the use of metformin which is often the first medicine that is advised. It mainly works by reducing the amount of glucose that your liver releases into the bloodstream.
Sulphonylureas, for example, glibelclamide, gliclazide, glimerpirizide, glipizide, and gliquidone, all work to increase the amount of insulin produced by your pancreas. They also make your body's cells more sensitive to insulin so that more glucose is taken up from the blood.
Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus) is treated with intensive insulin therapy. This type of treatment is designed to achieve near-normal blood sugars safely - while keeping the episodes of low blood sugars ("insulin reactions") to a minimum. Insulin therapy may include multiple daily injections of insulin. The insulin treatment may involve use of insulin pens or pumps, or use of a new type of insulin (Lispro or Humlog), which replaces regular insulin.
Diabetes medications include the use of Sulfonylureas such as Glyburide (Micronase, Diabeta) and Glipizide (Glucotrol). These are traditional medicines and are cheap and easy to take and work well with many people. These stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas. Among the problems associated with using this medicine includes that is doesn't always achieve normal blood sugars and may cause low blood sugars. Metformin (Glucophage) has been used in Europe for many years. It decreases sugar production by the liver, which contributes to elevated blood sugar levels. It works well with insulin. Problems associates with this include that it causes gastro-intestinal upset in some, and cannot be used if you have serious heart or kidney problems.
People with diabetes will experience many long-term and serious complications. These complications will affect virtually every part of the body from the feet and legs to the internal organs.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or use insulin properly; therefore, it is up to you and your doctor to learn how to manipulate the functions of your body properly to offset or minimize the complications of uncontrolled diabetes. With proper control you can still live a healthy and long life but it helps to be a fanatic about controlling your diabetes.
