Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a set of metabolic disorders characterized by increased levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia), which lasts a lifetime and affects different organs and tissues.
It is caused by various conditions, the main one being low production of insulin secreted by cells of the pancreas βeta, or by inadequate use of the body.
The main symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination (polyuria), increased the need for abnormal eating (polyphagia), increased thirst (polydipsia), and weight loss for no apparent reason.
The World Health recognizes three forms of diabetes mellitus:
1. Type 1
2. Type 2
3. Gestational diabetes (occurs during pregnancy),
This condition causes various complications, acute (hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, nonketotic hyperosmolar coma) is a consequence of inadequate control of the disease while chronic complications (cardiovascular, renal disease, retinopathy, neuropathy and microvascular damage) is a consequence of disease progression . often damaging eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.
The World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14.
The diagnosis is based on the classic symptoms of the disease (polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and unexplained weight loss, plus the measurement of fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 126mg/dl (7.0 mmol / L). Fasting is defined as not having eaten food in at least 8 hours.
The test of tolerance to oral glucose (curve of glucose tolerance) is the measurement in plasma and two hours after the ingestion of 75g glucose in 375 ml of water, the test is positive with greater than or equal to 200 mg / dl (11.1 mmol / l).
Both diabetes type 1 and type 2, as in GA, the objective is to restore normal blood glucose levels between 70 and 105 mg / dl.
In type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes applies insulin replacement therapy or insulin analogues.
In type 2 diabetes treatment can substitute for insulin or analogs, or treatment with oral antidiabetics.
To determine if adequate treatment is working is performed a test called glycosylated hemoglobin A non-diabetes have an HbA1c <6%.
Good control prevents the onset of complications traditionally associated with diabetes, chronic renal failure, diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and so on.
A full treatment of diabetes should include a healthy diet and regular moderate exercise, the Diabetes Therapeutic Education, taught by healthcare professionals specifically trained in Therapeutic Education in Diabetes (doctors or nurses / as-Therapy in Diabetes Educators-) , Annual Review of ophthalmology, cardiology, with monitoring of blood pressure, lipid profile, review of podiatry for onychomycosis, ringworm, ingrown toenails (onychocryptosis).