Diabetes and Ways to Prevent Diabetes - Research Paper Example

Outline Diabetes Thesis: Diabetes is the cause of death for millions of people around the globe especially in the western nations. Adequate measures are necessary to prevent this disease from occurring since its treatment might prove complex. 1) Abstract 2) Introduction I. Definition of Diabetes II. Types of diabetes a) Diabetes type 1 b) Diabetes type 2 c) Gestational diabetes III. Need for prevention 3) Prevalence and secondary effects I. Occurrence of diabetes in U.S II. Occurrence according to age III. Secondary effects a) Macro-vascular effects b) Micro-vascular effects 4) Causes and risk factors of diabetes I. Causes of diabetes type 1 II. Causes of diabetes type 2 III. Causes of gestational diabetes IV. Risk factors 5) Diagnosis and treatment I. Symptoms of diabetes II. Diagnosis f diabetes a) Fasting plasma glucose tests b) Random plasma glucose tests III. Treatment options 6) Management and prevention i) Purpose of prevention ii) Creating awareness iii) Diet modifications iv) Lifestyle modifications 7) Conclusion i) Restating the thesis ii) Recommendations for future research Abstract Diabetes is a disease that results from impaired insulin production hence affecting the regulation of blood sugar. There are three types of diabetes; type 1, type 2 and Gestational diabetes. Diabetes is the cause of death of many people around the world especially people above the age of 40. This paper will focus on the prevalence of diabetes, causes and risk factors, diagnosis and treatment and even management and prevention. It will expound on these areas to bring out the real situation of diabetes in the world. Introduction More than 20 million people in the United States suffer from the diabetes disease, accounting for over eight percent of the whole population. Research has shown that there are three types of diabetes, where all of them have their own causes and occurrence. This disease affects all people regardless of their ethnicity, race, age and gender. With the high prevalence of diabetes in the modern society, it is important to gain knowledge about its causes to help in its prevention and control (1). The main causes of diabetes are either absolute lack of production of the insulin in the body or inability to process the insulin produced. The body requires energy to function well. It receives this energy in the form of starches and sugars, found in the foods consumed. The body produces the insulin, the hormone that changes food into energy (Cook, 2). There are two major types of diabetes. The first type of diabetes, type 1, occurs due to deficiency of the insulin after the destruction of the pancreatic b-cell islets. The type 2 diabetes happens due to insulin resistance or irregular insulin emission (Zimmet & Shaw, 782). Type two of diabetes accounts for 90 to 95% of diabetes cases. In addition, type 2 diabetes accounts for the recent epidemic outbreak of diabetes (Cheng, 2). In addition to type 1 and type 2 diabetes, there is exists the Gestational diabetes, which commonly occur during pregnancy. There are high chances of women who experiences gestational to develop diabetes type 2 after the pregnancy. The treatment of diabetes will depend on the severity of the disease (Case, 4). There are other unclassified types of diabetes caused by particular genetic imperfections of beta-cell function, insulin action, drugs or chemicals or diseases of the pancreas. These unclassified types of diabetes are very rare in the population and there is little data concerning regarding their prevalence and treatment (Deshpande et al, 1255). There is an alarming incidence rate of diabetes. The high number of people diagnosed with diabetes makes it a public health problem in the 21st century. Understanding the etiology of this disease, and finding ways of preventing it, particularly the type two of diabetes, is a major concern in the health care community and society today. This is because sometimes treating of diabetes may prove to be very complex and might take extended periods. It is therefore paramount for people to understand the prevalence, causes and management of diabetes so as to prevent the disease from taking more lives (Cheng, 1). Prevalence and secondary effects of diabetes There has been a rapid development of type 2 diabetes through decades in the last century according to a historical perspective. According to the National Health Interview Survey, the occurrence of diabetes between the years 1990–1992 was 6.4 times higher than the rate of 1935–1936 occurrences. There was a 40% rise within 10-year duration from 1990 to 1999, from 4.9% to 6.9%. This shows that as the years go, diabetes is becoming not only more complicated but also a threat to the country (2). In the year 2002, more than 18 million residents in America had diabetes, accounting for 6.9% of the U.S. population. Consequently, the researchers predict that about 221 million people will be suffering from diabetes by 2010 with the number rising to 324 million by 2025(Cheng, 1). Presently, about 16 million to 17 million people suffer from diabetes, and an equal number of people are pre-diabetic, that is they are showing the early symptoms but are not yet in the developed version. In the past, type 2 diabetes was prevalent in middle age adults but this has changed such that even children are no longer resistant to diabetes type 2 (Mokdad et al, 686). The occurrence of diabetes Type 2 among children, youths and adolescents is a serious aspect and an emerging public health problem. There are reports in Japan, Pacific Islands, United States, United Kingdom and Australia on occurrence of diabetes type 2 among children (Zimmet & Shaw, 784). Diabetes brings about different effects in the body leading to serious complications. The complications are either micro vascular or macro vascular. The micro vascular complications may comprise the eye damage (retinopathy) renal system damage (nephropathy), and nervous system damage (neuropathy). The macro vascular complications, on the other hand, include cardiovascular disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. The Peripheral vascular disease could lead to bruises or injuries that do not heal, amputation, and even gangrene (Deshpande et al, 1257). Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause serious consequences. Among the adverse complications include stroke, increased risk of heart disease and kidney damage, which may even require dialysis. In addition, diabetes affects circulation, in that a simple cut on the foot can lead to amputation due to infection. Boils are also common among the diabetics and the slow healing process increases the incidence of diabetes. Some other common effects of diabetes include frequent infections, high blood pressure, constipation, high cholesterol, neuropathy, dehydration and to some extent, it can cause impotence. In addition, the rate of hospitalization and mortality are high among the diabetic patients (Case, 7). In the case where diabetes is uncontrolled, high amount of glucose in the bloodstream can lead to diabetic neuropathy. This uncontrolled glucose can lead to gradual loss of sense in the extremities by damaging the nerve-supplying blood vessels (2). In addition, if not diagnosed and treated in time, uncontrolled diabetes can cause reduced vision and eventually blindness since it damages blood supply to the eyes (3). Additionally, uncontrolled diabetes causes decline in kidney function leading to diabetic nephropathy, a form of kidney disease. In this condition, the kidneys are not able to perform effectively their role of sieving waste products from the blood (4). Many complications can occur during or prior to pregnancy in someone suffering from uncontrolled diabetes. These complications include birth defects, miscarriages or very large babies leading to difficult vaginal delivery or emergency cesarean section (Zapolnik, 5). Causes and Risk Factors of diabetes The type 1 diabetes happens when the immune system damages the cells found in the pancreas whose function is to produce insulin, which regulates the blood levels in the body. Therefore, the bloodstream is low in insulin, which means that the level of sugar in the blood is high instead of transferring the glucose to the cells, where energy production occurs (Cook, 3). In diabetes type 2, the body cells become resistant to insulin whose major role is to regulate the blood sugar although there can also be impaired insulin production be the β cells of the pancreas (Mokdad et al, 686). A patient is at pre-diabetes stage when the blood sugar levels are high above the normal levels, but they are not too high to cause the type 2 diabetes. According to the research done by the American Diabetes Association, 57 million people of the American population are at pre-diabetes stage (4). Gestational diabetes occurs in case the placenta generates hormones that interact negatively with the cells ability to make use of the insulin. As the placenta keeps on growing throughout the pregnancy period, the production of higher amounts of insulin hormone continues damaging the function of the insulin in energy production for the cells (Cook, 5). Although the pathogenesis of diabetes is complex, there are various factors contributing to increased risk to some people. Among the risk factors of diabetes type 1 are family history, race with whites at higher risk than other racial or ethnic groups, and certain viral infections during childhood (Deshpande et al, 1256). The development diabetes type 2 is mainly affected by the environmental factors especially lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking, and exercise level and by genetics, particularly the mutual consequences of what may be subtle adjustments in several genes. For instance, not every obese person gets diabetes type 2, a sign showing that some are more genetically vulnerable than others are (Mokdad et al, 686). Researchers show that African Americans have a higher chance of getting diabetes than whites. Additionally, for the Native Americans, the rates at which diagnosis of diabetes occur at a range of 5% to 50% among different tribes and population groups in America. There is minimal or no difference between sex. Although genetic factors also play a major role in the development of diabetes, non-genetic or the lifestyle risk factors such as diet and physical activities remain the main causes of diabetes. Some of the modifiable or lifestyle risk factors include physical inactivity, increased body mass index (BMI), hypertension and poor nutrition. Research has shown that increased BMI have been one of the strongest risk factors for the growth and development of diabetes. Allocation of body fat, especially an increased waist-to-hip ratio increases the risk of a person getting diabetes (Deshpande et al, 1257). Diagnosis and treatment of Diabetes Symptoms and signs of diabetes are clear in all types. The three major signs of diabetes include thirst, excessive hunger and urination. Other minor signs and symptoms may include irritability, fatigue, weight loss, elevated blood sugar levels, blurred vision and fruity breath. A diabetic coma may happen if the blood sugars remain high for a long period. This is a condition where one losses consciousness hence requiring hospitalization and treatment using intravenous insulin. If it goes untreated, death will be occur (Case, 5). Blood tests are necessary since these symptoms can point out other types of disorder. Fasting plasma, glucose test, and the random plasma glucose test are the three major tests carried out for diagnosing diabetes (Michelle, 1). During the fasting plasma glucose tests, the patient has to fast for eight hours before the test. The results should range from 99 or below if normal, the pre diabetes stage range between 100 and 125, and if it ranges from 126 and higher, then one is actually suffering from diabetes and needs treatment (2). After fasting for eight hours, the patient is immediately tested prior to and two hours after taking a glucose solution, which is applicable with the oral glucose tolerance test (3). The random plasma glucose test, however, does not necessitate fasting. It is done at any time and only used to diagnose diabetes although it is not effective for determining pre-diabetic conditions. A plasma glucose level of 200 or higher, together with excessive urination, hunger and thirst, may point out that one has diabetes (Michelle, 4). In diabetes type 1, automatic pumps can be set to constantly manage the insulin or give larger doses at mealtimes. The patient may go through an experimental procedure, known as the pancreatic islet transplantation in the serious cases to help the insulin production hence its ability to regulate the amount of sugar level in the blood. The production of insulin happens at the islet cells in the pancreas (5). Early diabetes type 2 can managed using diet and exercise even without insulin therapy (Michelle, 6). High level of discipline is essential among patients using the lifestyle modification, which may lower its effectiveness in the public. Consequently, safe medications remain the best intervention (Cheng, 7). Management and prevention of diabetes Effective secondary prevention of diabetes requires more than the community awareness efforts and education focus of primary preventative medicine. The main purpose of secondary or minor prevention is to minimize the impact of the disease on the patient (Morgan, 1). The rapid growth of people suffering from diabetes requires urgent actions on prevention even though it is also important to direct and center finances for treating diabetes and its consequences (Zimmet & Shaw, 785). The first step in secondary prevention of diabetes is creating awareness in the whole world about diabetes and especially to those who are at risk so that they can take part in diabetes screening. It is evident that there are numerous people suffering from diabetes but they do not realize it because it might be in its early stages. This implies that lack of awareness of the disease and its prevention is a major threat to the prevalence of the disease (2). For those people who are capable of detecting the early symptoms of diabetes, then they should modify their diets to prevent themselves from diabetes (3). Additionally, lifestyle alteration is equally vital in preventing and reversing the effects of diabetes. Lifestyle modifications are important because there are various risk factors that accelerate the susceptibility of the disease (Morgan, 5). Conclusion Diabetes is an emerging public health concern, which requires attention before it turns out to be an epidemic. All the three types of diabetes have adverse complications if not well controlled. The main risk factors of diabetes especially type 2, are the modifiable lifestyle ways like smoking, increasing BMI and lack of exercise. Consequently, the public need to be educated about the disease, its risk factors and ways of preventing oneself from getting it. In addition, more research needs to be carried out in the area to enhance treatment methods. Works Cited Case, Eva. Effects of Diabetes. 2011. Web. Cheng, Dong. “Prevalence, predisposition and prevention of type II diabetes”. Journal of Nutrition & Metabolism 2.29 (2005): 1-12. Print. Cook, Lee. Diabetes Causes. 2011. Web. < http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5401891_diabetes-causes.html> Deshpande, Anjali et al. “Epidemiology of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Complications”. Journal of Physical Therapy 88.11 (2008): 1254-1264. Print. Michelle, Julia. How Is Diabetes Diagnosed & how is it Treated? 2011. Web. Mokdad, Ali et al. “Unraveling the Causes of Diabetes”. Journal of Science 296 (2002): 686-689. Print. Morgan, Lee. Secondary Prevention for Diabetes. 2011. Web. Zapolnik, Charity. The Effects of Uncontrolled Diabetes. 2011. Web. Zimmet, Paul & Shaw, Jonathan. “Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic”. Journal of Nature 414.1 (2001): 782-787. Print. Read More