Cause Of Diabetes Mellitus
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Of Diabetes Mellitus!
From the American Diabetes Association : Diabetes Dictionary: Diabetes
Mellitus is defined as : diabetes mellitus (MELL-ih-tus)a condition characterized
by hyperglycemia resulting from the body's inability to use blood glucose
for energy. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin and
therefore blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy.
In Type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or
the body is unable to use insulin correctly.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high
blood sugar (glucose) levels, which result from defects in insulin secretion,
or action, or both. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes,
means "sweet urine." Elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia)
lead to spillage of glucose into the urine, hence the term sweet urine.
Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone
produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When
the blood glucose elevates (for example, after eating food), insulin is
released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In patients
with diabetes mellitus, the absence or insufficient production of insulin
causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic medical condition,
meaning it can last a lifetime.
What causes diabetes mellitus?
Insufficient production of insulin (either absolutely or relative to the
body's needs), production of defective insulin (which is uncommon), or
the inability of cells to use insulin leads to hyperglycemia and diabetes
mellitus. This latter condition affects mostly the cells of muscle and
fat tissues, and results in a condition known as "insulin resistance."
This is the primary problem in type 2 diabetes. The absolute lack of insulin,
usually secondary to a destructive process in the pancreas, is the particular
disorder in type 1 diabetes.Glucose is a simple sugar found in food. Glucose
is an essential nutrient that provides energy for the proper functioning
of the body cells. After meals, food is digested in the stomach and the
intestines. The glucose in digested food is absorbed by the intestinal
cells into the bloodstream, and is carried by blood to all the cells in
the body. However, glucose cannot enter the cells alone and needs insulin
to aid in its transport into the cells. Without insulin, cells become
starved of glucose energy despite the presence of abundant glucose in
the blood. In certain types of diabetes mellitus, the cells' inability
to utilize glucose gives rise to the ironic situation of "starvation
in the midst of plenty". The abundant, unutilized glucose is wastefully
excreted in the urine.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by specialized cells (beta cells)
of the pancreas. (The pancreas is a deep-seated organ in the abdomen located
behind the stomach.) In addition to helping glucose enter the cells, insulin
is also important in tightly regulating the level of glucose in the blood.
After a meal, the blood glucose level rises. In response to the increased
glucose level, the pancreas normally releases insulin into the bloodstream
to help glucose enter the cells and lower blood glucose levels. When the
blood glucose levels are lowered, the insulin release from the pancreas
is turned off. In normal individuals, such a regulatory system helps to
keep blood glucose levels in a tightly controlled range. In patients with
diabetes mellitus, the insulin is either missing (as in type 1 diabetes
mellitus), or insulin is relatively insufficient for the body's needs
(as in type 2 diabetes mellitus). Both cause elevated levels of blood
glucose (hyperglycemia).
Medical Revision Author: Ruchi Mathur, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR |
