The dangerous toll diabetes can take on the body
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In 2002, nearly 225,000 people died due to complications arising from diabetes. Although this is an astonishing figure, it's apparently a gross understatement. According to Diabetes.org, studies indicate that diabetes is under-reported on death certificates, mostly due to the fact these deaths strike older citizens with multiple chronic conditions. In the end, doctors attribute these deaths to the patient's predominant condition rather than the pre-existing one: diabetes.

As the fifth-deadliest disease in America and one of the most prominent among our population (it afflicts seven percent of the population, or around 20.8 million), diabetes is one of the most important health risks facing Americans today. And although there is no cure, early recognition and diagnosis is key to living a healthy life with this disease.

Types

There are three prevalent forms of diabetes. Although each are unique in the way your body responds to the disease, all are potentially lifethreatening if not treated.

Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children and young adults, giving rise to its former misnomer "juvenile diabetes." This disease, however, can afflict anyone of any age. Type 1 is a condition in which the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that the body uses to convert sugars and starches into the energy that powers our bodies' cells. People suffering from this form of diabetes become dependent upon injections of prescribed insulin. Conditions associated with Type 1 include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis and celiac disease.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form. It generally occurs in the obese and the elderly, although it is more common in blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and Asians. Similar to Type 1, Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce insulin or the body's cells ignore insulin. However, people afflicted with

Type 2 are not always insulin-dependent. Most can lead a healthy life by simply monitoring their blood sugar levels.

Gestational diabetes generally occurs in pregnant women. It is a condition in which pregnant women develop high levels of blood sugar. It starts when the body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. In some women, the pregnancy will uncover a diagnosis of Type 1 or 2 diabetes. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a two in three chance of it returning during future pregnancies.

Symptoms

Diabetes often goes undetected because its symptoms seem benign. In fact, 6.2 million people in the United States currently have diabetes and don't know it. The key to living a healthy life with this incurable disease, however, is early diagnosis.

There are many early warning factors that can indicate you may be prone to developing diabetes. Obesity is chief among causes for diabetes, especially Type 2. A family history of diabetes may also further your chances of getting the disease. Race is also a factor: blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians are all more prone to Type 2 diabetes than Caucasians.

If you meet any of these criteria, it's a good idea to be on the lookout for symptoms that you have the disease. Diabetes symptoms include:
• Frequent urination.
• Excessive thirst.
• Extreme hunger.
• Unusual weight loss.

• Increased fatigue.
• Irritability.
• Blurry vision.

If you experience any of these symptoms and you also are pre-disposed for diabetes because of the aforementioned factors, get checked out by your doctor. Although diabetes is a scary disease that causes life-altering changes, diagnosing the disease early and creating a new life for yourself is a more appealing option than blindness or death.

- Information courtesy of Diabetes.org.

Many medical conditions are associated with diabetes and warrant screening. A partial list includes:
• High blood pressure.
• Elevated cholesterol
levels.
• Coronary artery
disease.
• Past gestational
diabetes.
• Polycystic ovary
syndrome.
• Chronic pancreatitis.
• Fatty liver.
• Hemochromatosis.
• Cystic fibrosis.

Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action or both. It has no cure. Diabetes can lead to serious complications and premature death, but people with diabetes can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications. - Courtesy Diabetes.org