What is Diabetes? Causes, Types, and Complications Explained in Simple Terms
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which glucose (blood sugar) in the blood is chronically high.
Blood sugar is an important source of energy for our bodies, but its amount is usually kept within a certain range. Diabetes is when this regulation fails and high blood glucose levels persist for a long period of time.
Everyone can have temporarily high blood sugar levels. In diabetes, however, the condition is chronic. This "long-lasting high blood sugar" has various effects on the body.
Diabetes is not just a numerical abnormality, but a chronic metabolic disease involving the entire body.
Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar
The central hormone that regulates blood sugar is insulin It is.
Insulin is secreted by the pancreas and causes glucose in the blood to be taken up by cells in the muscle, liver, and fat.
Blood glucose rises when we eat, but in a healthy body, blood glucose naturally falls when insulin is properly secreted.
However,
- Insufficient insulin secretion
- Insulin becomes less effective.
and it is difficult to lower blood glucose.
This is the basic mechanism of diabetes.
Diabetes mellitus is Diseases caused by "lack of insulin action." It can be said that
Types of Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is classified into four main categories depending on its cause
type 1 diabetes mellitus
This is a type in which insulin-producing cells break down due to immune abnormalities or other factors.
Since little or no insulin is secreted, insulin injections are necessary for treatment.
It is most often seen in children and young adults, but can also occur in adults.
type 2 diabetes mellitus
It is the most common type of diabetes in Japan.
In addition to the constitution,
- Increase in food intake
- insufficient exercise
- weight gain
- adding to one's years
The onset of the disease is related to such factors as the following
The main causes are
- Decreased insulin secretion
- Insulin ineffectiveness (insulin resistance)
is the overlap of the two.
Japanese people tend not to have a very strong ability to secrete insulin to begin with,Diabetes can occur even in the absence of strong obesityis a feature of this product.
gestational diabetes mellitus
This is the first blood sugar abnormality found during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, hormones make insulin less effective, so blood glucose levels rise more easily. It may improve after delivery, but in the future Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetesIt is known that
Other Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes may be caused by the following
- Pancreatic disease
- hormonal disease
- Genetic Anomalies
- Drugs (e.g., steroids)
In this case, treatment is needed according to the cause.
Diabetes in Japan
In Japan,Approximately 10 million people are strongly suspected to have diabetes、
Including the reserve group, about 20 million peopleThe number of such cases is estimated to be about 1,000 (according to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).
It increases with age, but in recent years Working generation in their 40s and 50sThe incidence of the disease is also increasing in
Characteristics of diabetes mellitus are,Little or no subjective symptoms in the early stages.It is.
- thirst
- Increased frequency of urination
- weight loss
but in many cases, symptoms such as Not noticed until after a physical exam when abnormal blood glucose or HbA1c levels are noted.It is a common disease.
The absence of symptoms does not mean that the disease is not reassuring.
The real problem with diabetes is "complications.
The most important thing in diabetes is Preventing complicationsIt is.
Prolonged high blood sugar gradually damages blood vessels and nerves.
Particularly susceptible to,
- Eye (retinopathy)
- Kidney (nephropathy)
- Nervous (Neuropathy)
The organ has many small blood vessels, such as
Further,
- myocardial infarction
- cerebral infarction
It also increases the risk of major vascular diseases such as
Diabetes mellitus is Blindness, dialysis, myocardial infarction, strokeIt is known to cause serious illnesses such as
In other words, diabetes is not just a blood sugar problem.
How to prevent future complications" is the key to this disease.It is.
And complications can be managed by properly managing blood glucose. Prevention or control of progression is possible.It has been found to be
Therefore, early detection and early response are very important.
Diabetes is a disease that can be controlled if faced
Diabetes is not a disease that "only people with disordered lifestyles can get.
It is a disease that can occur in anyone, largely due to body constitution.
On the other hand, diabetes is A disease that, if properly understood and properly managed from the early stages, can lead to a long and healthy life.But there is also.
The most significant risks are To be left alone.It is.
Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic provides medical care by a diabetes specialist.
- Those who have abnormal blood glucose or HbA1c levels indicated in a health checkup
- Those who have a family member with diabetes
- Concerned about future diabetes?
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this.
The first step in preventing complications and protecting healthy life span is to know "what kind of disease diabetes is.
The following article also discusses diabetes in more detail.
Diabetes Symptoms and Complications
◼️Go to Diabetes and Endocrinology page
◼️Go to General Internal Medicine Page
◼️TOP