Diabetes Mellitus .
[1]. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose level associated with other manifestations. ‘
[2]. Diabetes’ means ‘polyuria’ and ‘mellitus’ means ‘honey’.
[3]. The name ‘diabetes mellitus’ was coined by Thomas Willis, who discovered sweetness of urine from diabetics in 1675.
[4]. In most of the cases, diabetes mellitus develops due to deficiency of insulin.
Classification of Diabetes Mellitus .
 |
| Differences between type I and type II diabetes mellitus . |
[1]. There are several forms of diabetes mellitus, which occur due to different causes.
[2]. Diabetes may be primary or secondary. Primary diabetes is unrelated to another disease.
[3]. Secondary diabetes occurs due to damage or disease of pancreas by another disease or factor.
[4]. Recent classification divides primary diabetes mellitus into two types, Type I and Type II.
Type I Diabetes Mellitus .
[1]. Type I diabetes mellitus is due to deficiency of insulin because of destruction of β-cells in islets of Langerhans. This type of diabetes mellitus may occur at any age of life.
[2]. But, it usually occurs before 40 years of age and the persons affected by this require insulin injection. So it is also called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
[3]. When it develops at infancy or childhood, it is called juvenile diabetes.
[4]. Type I diabetes mellitus develops rapidly and progresses at a rapid phase. It is not associated with obesity, but may be associated with acidosis or ketosis.
Causes of type I diabetes mellitus .
1. Degeneration of β-cells in the islets of Langerhans of pancreas .
2. Destruction of β-cells by viral infection .
3. Congenital disorder of β-cells .
4. Destruction of β-cells during autoimmune diseases.
It is due to the development of antibodies against β-cells .
Other forms of type 1 diabetes mellitus .
1. Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) .
[1]. LADA or slow onset diabetes has slow onset and slow progress than IDDM and it occurs in later life after 35 years.
[2]. It may be difficult to distinguish LADA from type II diabetes mellitus, since pancreas takes longer period to stop secreting insulin.
2. Maturity onset diabetes in young individuals (MODY) .
[1]. It is a rare inherited form of diabetes mellitus that occurs before 25 years.
[2]. It is due to hereditary defects in insulin secretion.
Type II Diabetes Mellitus .
[1]. Type II diabetes mellitus is due to insulin resistance (failure of insulin receptors to give response to insulin). So, the body is unable to use insulin.
[2]. About 90% of diabetic patients have type II diabetes mellitus.
[3]. It usually occurs after 40 years. Only some forms of Type II diabetes require insulin.
[4]. In most cases, it can be controlled by oral hypoglycemic drugs. So it is also called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
[5]. Type II diabetes mellitus may or may not be associated with ketosis, but often it is associated with obesity.
Causes for type II diabetes mellitus .
[1]. In this type of diabetes, the structure and function of β-cells and blood level of insulin are normal. But insulin receptors may be less, absent or abnormal, resulting in insulin resistance.
[2]. Common causes of insulin resistance are :-
1. Genetic disorders (significant factors causing type II diabetes mellitus) .
2. Lifestyle changes such as bad eating habits and physical inactivity, leading to obesity .
3. Stress.
Other forms of type II diabetes mellitus .
1. Gestational diabetes .
[1]. It occurs during pregnancy. It is due to many factors such as hormones secreted during pregnancy, obesity and lifestyle before and during pregnancy.
[2]. Usually, diabetes disappears after delivery of the child. However, the woman has high risk of development of type II diabetes later.
2. Pre-diabetes .
[1]. It is also called chemical, subclinical, latent or borderline diabetes.
[2]. It is the stage between normal condition and diabetes.
[3]. The person does not show overt (observable) symptoms of diabetes but there is an increase in blood glucose level.
[4]. Though pre-diabetes is reversible, the affected persons are at a high risk of developing type II diabetes mellitus.
Secondary Diabetes Mellitus .
[1]. Secondary diabetes mellitus is rare and only about 2% of diabetic patients have secondary diabetes .
[2]. It may be temporary or may become permanent due to the underlying cause.
Causes of secondary diabetes mellitus .
[1] . Endocrine disorders such as gigantism, acromegaly and Cushing’s syndrome. Hyperglycemia in these conditions causes excess stimulation of β-cells. Constant and excess stimulation, in turn causes burning out and degeneration of β-cells. The β-cell exhaustion leads to permanent diabetes mellitus.
[2] . Damage of pancreas due to disorders such as chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis (high iron content in body causing damage of organs)
[3] . Pancreatectomy (surgical removal)
[4] . Liver diseases such as hepatitis C and fatty liver
[5] . Autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease
[6] . Excessive use of drugs like antihypertensive drugs (beta blockers and diuretics), steroids, oral contraceptives, chemotherapy drugs, etc.
[7] . Excessive intake of alcohol and opiates.
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus .
Various manifestations of diabetes mellitus develop because of three major setbacks of insulin deficiency.
[1] . Increased blood glucose level (300 to 400 mg/dL) due to reduced utilization by tissue .
[2] . Mobilization of fats from adipose tissue for energy purpose, leading to elevated fatty acid content in blood. This causes deposition of fat on the wall of arteries and development of atherosclerosis .
[3] . Depletion of proteins from the tissues.
Following are the signs and symptoms of diabetes mellitus:
1. Glucosuria .
[1]. Glucosuria is the loss of glucose in urine. Normally, glucose does not appear in urine.
[2]. When glucose level rises above 180 mg/dL in blood, glucose appears in urine. It is the renal threshold level for glucose.
2. Osmotic diuresis .
[1]. Osmotic diuresis is the diuresis caused by osmotic effects.
[2]. Excess glucose in the renal tubules develops osmotic effect.
[3]. Osmotic effect decreases the reabsorption of water from renal tubules, resulting in diuresis. It leads to polyuria and polydipsia.
3. Polyuria .
[1]. Excess urine formation with increase in the frequency of voiding urine is called polyuria.
[2]. It is due to the osmotic diuresis caused by increase in blood glucose level.
4. Polydipsia .
[1]. Increase in water intake is called polydipsia.
[2]. Excess loss of water decreases the water content and increases the salt content in the body.
[3]. This stimulates the thirst center in hypothalamus. Thirst center, in turn increases the intake of water.
5. Polyphagia .
Polyphagia means the intake of excess food. It is very common in diabetes mellitus.
6. Asthenia .
[1]. Loss of strength is called asthenia. Body becomes very weak because of this.
[2]. Asthenia occurs due to protein depletion, which is caused by lack of insulin.
[3]. Lack of insulin causes decrease in protein synthesis and increase in protein breakdown, resulting in protein depletion.
[4]. Protein depletion also occurs due to the utilization of proteins for energy in the absence of glucose utilization.
7. Acidosis .
[1]. During insulin deficiency, glucose cannot be utilized by the peripheral tissues for energy. So, a large amount of fat is broken down to release energy.
[2]. It causes the formation of excess ketoacids, leading to acidosis.
[3]. One more reason for acidosis is that the ketoacids are excreted in combination with sodium ions through urine (ketonuria).
[4]. Sodium is exchanged for hydrogen ions, which diffuse from the renal tubules into ECF adding to acidosis.
8. Acetone breathing .
[1]. In cases of severe ketoacidosis, acetone is expired in the expiratory air, giving the characteristic acetone or fruity breath odor.
[2]. It is a life-threatening condition of severe diabetes.
9. Kussmaul breathing .
Kussmaul breathing is the increase in rate and depth of respiration caused by severe acidosis.
10. Circulatory shock .
[1]. Osmotic diuresis leads to dehydration, which causes circulatory shock.
[2]. It occurs only in severe diabetes.
11. Coma .
[1]. Due to Kussmaul breathing, large amount of carbon dioxide is lost during expiration.
[2]. It leads to drastic reduction in the concentration of bicarbonate ions causing severe acidosis and coma.
[3]. It occurs in severe cases of diabetes mellitus.
[4]. Increase in the blood glucose level develops hyperosmolarity of plasma which also leads to coma. It is called hyperosmolar coma.
Complications of Diabetes Mellitus .
[1]. Prolonged hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus causes dysfunction and injury of many tissues, resulting in some complications.
[2]. Development of these complications is directly proportional to the degree and duration of hyperglycemia. However, the patients with well controlled diabetes can postpone the onset or reduce the rate of progression of these complications.
[3]. Initially, the untreated chronic hyperglycemia affects the blood vessels, resulting in vascular complications like atherosclerosis.
[4]. Vascular complications are responsible for the development of most of the complications of diabetes such as:
1. Cardiovascular complications like:
i. Hypertension .
ii. Myocardial infarction .
2. Degenerative changes in retina called diabetic retinopathy .
3. Degenerative changes in kidney known as diabetic nephropathy .
4. Degeneration of autonomic and peripheral nerves called diabetic neuropathy.
Diagnostic Tests for Diabetes Mellitus .
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus includes the determination of :
1. Fasting blood glucose
2. Postprandial blood glucose
3. Glucose tolerance test (GTT)
4. Glycosylated (glycated) hemoglobin.
Determination of glycosylated hemoglobin is commonly done to monitor the glycemic control of the persons already diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
Abnormal response in diagnostic tests .
[1]. Abnormal response in diagnostic tests occurs in conditions like pre-diabetes .
[2]. There is an increased fasting blood glucose level or impaired (decreased) glucose tolerance.
Treatment for Diabetes Mellitus .
Type I diabetes mellitus .
Type I diabetes mellitus is treated by exogenous insulin. Since insulin is a polypeptide, it is degraded in GI tract if taken orally. So, it is generally administered by subcutaneous injection.
Type II diabetes mellitus .
[1]. Type II diabetes mellitus is treated by oral hypoglycemic drugs.
[2]. Patients with longstanding severe diabetes mellitus may require a combination of oral hypoglycemic drugs with insulin to control the hyperglycemia.
[3]. Oral hypoglycemic drugs are classified into three types.
1. Insulin secretagogue .
[1]. These drugs decrease the blood glucose level by stimulating insulin secretion from β-cells.
[2]. Sulfonylureas (tolbutamide, gluburide, glipizide, etc.) are the commonly available insulin secretagogue
2. Insulin sensitizers .
[1]. These drugs decrease the blood glucose level by facilitating the insulin action in the target tissues. [2]. Examples are biguanides (metformin) and thiazolidinediones (pioglitazone and rosiglitazone)
3. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors .
[1]. These drugs control blood glucose level by inhibiting α-glucosidase.
[2]. This intestinal enzyme is responsible for the conversion of dietary and other complex carbohydrates into glucose and other monosaccharides, which can be absorbed from intestine.
[3]. Examples of α-glucosidase inhibitors are acarbose and meglitol.
Hyperinsulinism .
Hyperinsulinism is the hypersecretion of insulin.
Cause of Hyperinsulinism .
Hyperinsulinism occurs due to the tumor of β-cells in the islets of Langerhans.
Signs and Symptoms of Hyperinsulinism .
1. Hypoglycemia .
Blood glucose level falls below 50 mg/dL.
2. Manifestations of central nervous system .
[1]. Manifestations of central nervous system occur when the blood glucose level decreases.
[2]. All the manifestations are together called neuroglycopenic symptoms.
[3]. Initially, the activity of neurons increases, resulting in nervousness, tremor all over the body and sweating.
[4]. If not treated immediately, it leads to clonic convulsions and unconsciousness. Slowly, the convulsions cease and coma occurs due to the damage of neurons.
Thanks for Visiting us .
