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Diabetes
Diabetesisachronicconditioninwhichthelevelsofglucose(sugar)inthebloodaretoohigh. Bloodglucoselevelsarenormallyregulatedbythehormoneinsulin,whichismadebythe pancreas.Diabetesoccurswhenthereisaproblemwiththishormoneandhowitworksinthe body.Thetwomaintypesofdiabetesaretype1(insulindependent)andtype2(non-insulin dependent). Ourbodyreliesonbloodglucoseforenergy.Insulinstimulatesthebodyscellstousethisglucose asenergytofuelawiderangeoffunctions.Whenapersonhasdiabetes,thepancreasdoesnt makeenoughinsulinorthebodyscellsdontrespondadequatelytothehormone. Around7.4percentofAustraliansaged25yearsorolderhavediabetes.Theriskofdiabetes increaseswithage:from2.5percentinpeopleagedbetween3545yearsto23.6percentin thoseover75.Aboriginalpeoplehaveoneofthehighestratesoftype2diabetesintheworld. The two main types of diabetes Therearetwomaintypesofdiabetes. Type 1 diabetesis: Causedbyanautoimmunedestructionofinsulin-makingcellsinthepancreas,which meansinsulinisnolongermade Oneofthemostcommonchronicchildhoodillnessesindevelopednations Mostcommoninpeopleundertheageof30,butcanoccuratanyage Sometimescalledinsulindependentdiabetesmellitus.

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Type 2 diabetes is: Causedbyeitherinadequatelevelsofinsulinorafailureofthebodyscellstorespond properlytoinsulinmostpeoplehavebothoftheseproblems Mostcommonaftertheageof40,althoughtheageofonsetcanbeearlier Knowntohavebeendiagnosedinoverweightteenagersandchildren Oftenbroughtonbyalackofexerciseoranunhealthydiet Frequently,butnotalways,associatedwithbeingoverweight,particularlywhentheexcess weightiscarriedaroundthewaistitisalsocommoninpeoplewithhighbloodpressureor heartdisease Foundmorecommonlyinpeoplewhosecloserelativeshavediabetes;however,thefull pictureabouttherolegenesplayindiabetes(thegeneticprofile)hasnotbeenworkedout yet Sometimescallednon-insulindependentdiabetesmellitus.

Symptoms of high blood glucose Mostpeopledonothaveanysymptomswhentheydeveloptype2diabetesandregularcheck-ups areneededtodiagnosetype2diabetesearly.However,whenthelevelsofglucoseinthebloodare particularlyhigh(thisiscommonintype1diabetes),symptomsdevelop. Thesesymptomsinclude: Significantweightloss Tirednessandlackofenergy Excessivethirst Blurredvision Increasedriskofinfections,suchasthrush Frequenturination.

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Seek medical advice if these symptoms occur Occasionally,theonsetofdiabetescanbeabrupt.Thisisparticularlythecasewithtype1diabetes. Thiscanleadtoaconditioncalledketoacidosis,whichisamedicalemergency. Thesymptomsofketoacidosisare: Lossofappetite Weightloss Vomiting Excessivepassingofurine Alteredconsciousness Coma.

Seekimmediatemedicaladviceifthesesymptomsoccur. Untreated diabetes can result in complications Ifuntreated,highbloodglucoselevelscanresultinseriouscomplications.Theseinclude: Kidneydamage(nephropathy) Eyedamage(retinopathy) Nervedamagetothefeetandotherpartsofthebody(neuropathy) Heartdisease(forexample,anginaorheartattacks),strokesandcirculationproblemsin thelegs Sexualdifficulties Footulcersorinfectionsresultingfromcirculationproblemsandnervedamage.

Treating type 1 and type 2 diabetes Thereisnocurefordiabetes.Treatmentaimstopreventcomplicationsbycontrollingbloodglucose levels,aswellasbloodpressureandcholesterollevels,andbyachievingahealthybodyweight. Thetreatmentdependsonthetypeofdiabetes. Treatmentoptionsfortype1diabetesinclude: Insulininjections Abalanced,healthydiet Monitoringbloodglucose Physicalactivity Havingregularchecks.

Treatmentoptionsfortype2diabetesinclude: Healthyeating Physicalactivity Medicationsand(potentially)insulinatalaterstage Weightmanagement Monitoringbloodglucose Smokingcessation Havingregularchecks.

Where to get help Yourdoctor Yourlocalcommunityhealthcentre Yourdiabetesspecialist Diabeteseducator DiabetesAustraliaVictoriaTel.1300136588 Life!TakingActiononDiabetesTel.13RISK(137475)forinformationaboutpreventing yourriskoftype2diabetesortotakearisktestonline BakerIDIHeartandDiabetesInstituteSpecialistDiabetesClinicTel.(03)92585000 JuvenileDiabetesResearchFoundationTel.(03)96963866

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Things to remember Peoplewithdiabeteshavehighbloodglucoselevels,causedbyaproblemwiththe hormoneinsulin. Thetwomaintypesofdiabetesaretype1(insulindependent)andtype2(non-insulin dependent). Thereisno

cure, but the symptoms can be controlled with diet, exercise and medication.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

BakerIDIHeartandDiabetesInstitute

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

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