Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Diabetes mellitus, or Diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by
sustained high blood sugar levels. According to Nora (2010), diabetes is due to cells of the body
becoming unresponsive to the hormone’s effects or the pancreas not producing enough insulin”
(pp.735-742). Some of the diabetes symptoms include polyuria, blurred vision and weight loss.
Therefore, if the symptoms are left untreated, the disease can lead to various health
complications such as eye, kidney, nerves and cardiovascular disorders. The significant types of
Diabetes are type 1, 2, and gestational. The most common treatment for type 1 is insulin
injection, while lifestyle and anti-diabetic medications are used to manage type 2 diabetes.
Whereas gestational treatment includes blood glucose monitoring, dietary changes, and
sometimes insulin may be required. In addition, Diabetes has short- and long-term complications
related to blood vessels at both microvascular and macrovascular levels.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is a chronic condition. Type 1 is the most common type
diagnosed in patients between 20 years of age, accounting for 5 to 10% of the disease cases.
However, studies explain (E & Steffes , 2010) that the older term juvenile-onset diabetes is no
longer used to define the disease and does not uncommonly have onset in adulthood’(pp.800-
811). Type 1 diabetes is distinguished by mislaying the pancreatic islets’ insulin-producing beta
cells, resulting in severe insulin deficiency. It can be further classified as idiopathic or immune-
mediated.
In most cases, the majority are immune-mediated, in which a T-cell-mediated autoimmune
attack causes loss of beta cells and thus insulin deficiency. Most patients often have

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unpredictable and irregular blood sugar levels due to an impaired counter-response to
hypoglycaemia and deficient insulin.
According to research (Eastwood , 2013) , type 1 diabetes is partly inherited, with multiple
genes, such as the HLA genotype, also known to influence the risk of Diabetes’’ (pp 201-230).
Genetically, type 1 diabetes can be triggered by one or more environmental factors such as diet
or viral infections. Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed at any age; however significant proportion
is diagnosed during adulthood. The diagnostic term applied when type 1 diabetes develops in
adulthood is Latent autoimmune Diabetes in adults (LADA). The LADA is known to have a
slower onset than the same condition in children. Researchers explain adults with type 1 diabetes
are initially misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes based on age factors rather than a cause of
the disease.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is distinguished by insulin resistance, which may be combined with reduced
insulin secretion. This type of Diabetes has a defective responsiveness of body tissues to insulin
that is believed to involve the insulin receptor. In addition, type 2 diabetes is characterized to be
caused by genetic and lifestyle factors. Several lifestyle factors are known to develop type 2
diabetes, such as lack of physical activity, stress, obesity, poor diet and urbanization. Lack of
physical activities such as running, walking or jogging may increase the risk of Diabetes in some
people. Dietary factors such as fats in the diet and sugar-sweetened drinks contribute to an
increased risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In addition, adverse childhood
experiences, including household difficulties, neglect and abuse, increase the likelihood of type 2
diabetes later in life by 32%, with decay having the most substantial effect.
Gestational Diabetes

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Gestational Diabetes is characterized to resemble type 2 diabetes, involving a combination of
relative responsiveness and inadequate insulin secretion. Gestational Diabetes is common in
pregnant women. Research shows that (Soldavini , 2019) women get diagnosed with Diabetes
during the second and third trimesters because of the increase in insulin-antagonist hormone
levels during pregnancy’’ (p. 22). However, most women after childbirth are reported to have
another form of Diabetes, mostly known as type 2. Gestational Diabetes is treatable but requires
medical supervision throughout the pregnancy to birth. Some gestational diabetes management
includes blood glucose monitoring, dietary changes, and in some cases, insulin may be required.
Short-term and Long -term Complications
Short-term diabetes complications occur if the blood glucose levels go too high or go too low for
the body to function correctly in the present state. Short-term complications include thirst,
fatigue, frequent urination, and headaches. However, in the long term, diabetes relates to damage
to the blood vessel at both microvascular and macrovascular levels. Long-term complications
increase the risk of cardiovascular disease; in some cases, it results in death due to coronary
artery disease.
In conclusion, the major types of Diabetes are known as type 1, 2, and gestational. The most
common treatment for type 1 is insulin injection, while lifestyle and anti-diabetic medications are
used to manage type 2 diabetes. Whereas gestational treatment includes blood glucose
monitoring, dietary changes, and sometimes insulin may be
required. In addition, Diabetes has short- and long-term complications related to blood vessels at
both microvascular and macrovascular levels. Other types of Diabetes medications include
glucose control, blood pressure lowering and self-management support.
References

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E, S., & Steffes , M. (2010). Glycated hemoglobin, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk in
nondiabetic adults. The New England Journal of Medicine., 800-811.
 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61965-6
Eastwood , S. (2013). Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group. California :
Computer-based diabetes self-management interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes
mellitus. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0908359
N, S. (2010). Statins and risk of incident diabetes. New York: a collaborative meta-analysis of
randomised statin trials. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008776.pub2
Soldavini , J. (2019). Krause’s Food & The Nutrition Care Process. Journal of Nutrition
Education and Behavior, 23.  doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2019.06.02