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Pharmacy Links

DIABETES MELLITUS: INCIDENCE

08th February 2011

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that affects the endocrine system of the body and the use of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Specifically, there is not enough insulin available for the body’s needs. In some patients the islands of Langerhans of the pancreas do not produce enough insulin; in others the pancreas requires some stimulation to manufacture enough insulin; and in still others the insulin that is produced cannot, for some reason, be used by the tissues.
About 10 million persons in the United States have diabetes, although almost half of them are unaware that they are diabetic. Persons who have a family history of diabetes and who are overweight are more likely to have diabetes. It has been estimated that there are as many as 50 million persons who are diabetic carriers. Obviously, the campaigns to detect diabetes in the population should be vigorously supported. Two types of diabetes are recognized.
Non-insulin dependent diabetes, also known as maturity-onset or adult-type diabetes, accounts for most patients with the disease. About 80 per cent of all diabetics are 40 years of age or over. Of this group at least 90 per cent are obese. The disease is usually mild, stable, and can be regulated by diet alone or by diet and oral compounds. Complications are likely to develop if weight is not lost or hyperglycemia persists. These patients seldom have ketosis.
Insulin-dependent diabetes, also referred to as juvenile diabetes, accounts for about 20 per cent of all known cases of diabetes. The onset is sudden in children or young adults. The disease is also seen in adults of any age who are of normal weight or underweight. This type of diabetes is often severe, requires insulin and diet regulation to sustain life. There may be wide fluctuations between hypoglycemia and ketosis. Vascular changes are present in most patients and life expectancy is shortened.
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