Insulin-dependent diabetes
Insulin-dependent diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.
Causes[edit | edit source]
The exact cause of insulin-dependent diabetes is unknown. However, it's believed to be an autoimmune condition. This means your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. The damage is permanent.
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
The symptoms of insulin-dependent diabetes can appear suddenly and may include increased thirst, frequent urination, bed-wetting in children who previously didn't wet the bed during the night, extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, irritability and other mood changes, fatigue and weakness, and blurred vision.
Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
Insulin-dependent diabetes is diagnosed through several tests that measure blood sugar levels. These include the glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test, random blood sugar test, fasting blood sugar test, and oral glucose tolerance test.
Treatment[edit | edit source]
There is no cure for insulin-dependent diabetes. However, it can be managed with insulin therapy and lifestyle changes. Insulin therapy involves injecting insulin under the skin. The injections are usually given several times a day.
Complications[edit | edit source]
If not properly managed, insulin-dependent diabetes can lead to a number of serious complications, including heart disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney damage (nephropathy), eye damage (retinopathy) and blindness, foot damage due to poor blood flow, skin and mouth conditions, and pregnancy complications.
Prevention[edit | edit source]
There is no known way to prevent insulin-dependent diabetes. However, research into preventing or slowing the disease is ongoing.
See also[edit | edit source]
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
