The information on these pages is intended for general knowledge purposes only. If you have or think you have any of these conditions, you should contact your physician immediately. If you do not have a physician, contact: Hartford Hospital's Health Referral Services: Phone: 860.545.1888 Email: CLICK HERE

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 13 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.

In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform.

With the FPG test, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl signals pre-diabetes. A person with a fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dl or higher has diabetes.

In the OGTT test, a person's blood glucose level is measured after a fast and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage. If the two-hour blood glucose level is between 140 and 199 mg/dl, the person tested has pre-diabetes. If the two-hour blood glucose level is at 200 mg/dl or higher, the person tested has diabetes.

Major Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases in the United States each year.

Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 41 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 18.2 million with diabetes.

Symptoms and Risk Factors

All forms of diabetes cause the same main symptoms, including frequent urination, excessive thirst, a "run-down," tired feeling, and unexplained weight loss. Additional symptoms include tingling in the hands and feet, blurred vision, itching skin, and slow healing cuts and bruises. Diabetes can produce symptoms early, or they may not appear until years after the onset of the disease. In those cases, diabetes' presence is usually detected during a routine physical exam, either through a urinalysis or blood test.

The people most at risk of getting diabetes are overweight women over forty. Heredity also seems to be an important factor. The disease itself carries many risks, including eye disorders, nerve disease, and kidney failure, as well as an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure.

For more information about the symptoms and risks factors of diabetes, contact  your physician, or:

On the Web:
American Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.org
Diabetes LifeCare @ Hartford Hospital: www.harthosp.org/diabetes

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