A Study On Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes develops when an individual’s body cannot properly produce or respond to insulin. In a normal functioning body, after food is consumed it is converted into glucose, or sugar, that the body will use for energy. When the body is not able to appropriately respond to the glucose it builds up in blood and can create complex health complications such as a diabetic coma or even premature death. The HbA1C is a blood test a doctor uses to determine an individual’s blood sugar control over a ninety day time period as well as to make an accurate diagnosis of diabetes. The red blood cells carry oxygen from an individual’s lungs to other cells within the body. When sugar is elevated it will attach to hemoglobin and the higher concentration noted in the blood cells results in decreased control and the individual is said to have and a greater risk of severe health complications (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013).

Diabetes continues to be a growing problem for the United States population especially type 2 diabetes, which “accounts for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes”(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014). Type 2 diabetes, formally known as adult onset diabetes, is defined as a “disorder of insulin resistance in which the cells primarily within the muscle, liver, and fat tissue do not use insulin properly. As the need for insulin rises the cells in the pancreas gradually lose the ability to produce enough hormone”(CDC, 2014). Diabetes as a whole affects about “9.3% of the US population or 29.1 million people” (American Diabetes Association (ADA), 2014; CDC, 2014). Despite the high prevalence of the disease, it is only going to continue to grow if nothing is done to correct the problem. The “United States spent an estimated $245 billion on diabetes in 2012” (ADA, 2014; CDC, 2014). This outrageous number and the drastic impact diabetes has on health should emphasis the need to reduce the diabetic population in the future.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a condition in the body that is related to a faulty metabolism. It means that the body’s metabolism is not functioning properly, which leads to adverse effects in the health. The food we ingest, gets broken down into blood sugar (glucose), which is what fuels our body in the form of energy. This converted glucose needs to enter our cells so that it can be used for energy and growth. And in order for the glucose to enter our cells, there needs to be insulin present, which the beta cells of the pancreas is responsible for producing. This hormone is responsible for maintaining glucose level in the blood. It allows the body cells to use glucose as a main

Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a measure of glycated haemoglobin. The HbA1c shows the amount of glucose that is stuck onto haemoglobin (Thomas & Institute, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes, 2013). To measure HbA1c can be used to confirm whether the patient has diabetes, also to monitor long-term glycemic control then adjust therapy and assess the quality of diabetes treatment (Little & Sacks, 2009)

Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a threatening disease which occurs as a result of loss of uptake of glucose by cell thus increasing its concentration in the blood(Walker and Colledge 2013). Glucose, normally referred to as blood sugar is mainly present in blood and acts to provide energy to the body. It can be thought of a syndrome of hyperglycemic condition where disorders in metabolism occur(Tierney, Saint et al. 2002). It can be termed as metabolic sickness portrayed by hyperglycemia which result due to deformities in insulin discharge, its activity or both of these(Alberti and Zimmet 1998, American Diabetes 2010). The chronic state of disease is that in which hyperglycemia can lead to disorders affecting organs such as kidneys, heart ,eyes and blood vessels etc.(American Diabetes 2010).Diabetes occurs usually when the release of

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycemia associated with diabetes results in failure of various organs including eyes, kidneys, heart, and blood vessels (American Diabetes Association, 2016). Possible complications of diabetes include heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, leg amputation, vision loss, nerve damage, and premature death (World Health Organization, 2016).

Also termed hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c. it is a test to monitor the control of the diabetic patient over the previous 2 to 3 months. It measures the percentage of hemoglobin bound to glucose.

Haemoglobin determination, or haemoglobinometry, is the measurement of the concentration of haemoglobin in the blood. Haemoglobin's main function in the body is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and to assist in transporting carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. The formation of haemoglobin takes place in the developing red cells located in bone marrow. Haemoglobin values are affected by age, sex, pregnancy, disease, and altitude.

One of the most common illnesses in the world, diabetes is characterized as hyperglycemia due to insulin resistance or lack of insulin production (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Normally, insulin produced by the pancreas is transported from bloodstream to the body cells or stored by the liver in the form of glycogen in order to balance blood glucose level. In people with type II diabetes, blood glucose remains in the blood due to insulin resistance, thereby resulting in hyperglycemia. Type II diabetes consists of about 90-95% of all the diabetic population in the US (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). High cases of type II diabetes are common in people over the age of 45 ("Diagnoses of diabetes," 2012).

The hemoglobin is determined using a non-cyanide analytical method from a dilution of whole blood.

The conversion of Hb to azidmethaemoglobin, this is achieved through the addition of sodium azide and sodium nitrate, again following appropriate measurement. Hb concentrations can be determined by measuring Hb as oxyhaemoglobin or measured as haematin which is produced in alkaline conditions. More modern measurements of haemoglobin include new instruments that can directly measure Hb concentrations, such as HemoCue and HB SCAN (HemoWave AB, Sweden) which are portable haemoglobinometers. (Bain

Glucose is a key source of energy for much of the cells, tissues and organs within the body. The result of either a low or high blood glucose level can have catastrophic effects on the body. For instance, a low blood glucose level; known as hypoglycaemia, can lead to a person suffering from seizures, loss of consciousness and at extreme cases death (Szablewski, 2011). Similarly, prolonged instances of high blood glucose levels; known as

Diabetes Mellitus is “a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. It is a disease which is caused by the insufficient insulin secretion or decrease in the peripheral effects of insulin. It is a serious problem in terms of morbidity and mortality. The hyperglycemia is associated with long term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels. It’s associated with many complications which includes blindness of the eyes and amputations of the extremities. It is also associated with neuropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular diseases which lead to mortalities.

Unused glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver. Between meals, when blood glucose is at minimal levels, tissues continue to require an energy source to function properly. Stored glycogen, via glucagon, is converted to glucose by a pathway known as glycogenolysis. Gluconeogenesis is the production of glucose in the liver from noncarbohydrate precursors such as glycogenic amino acids. Elevated glucose levels result in the formation of sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) via the aldose reductase pathway. Since sorbitol cannot readily diffuse through cell membranes, cell edema and changes in function can ensue. With respect to the eye, this contributes to the evolution of premature cataractogenesis (nuclear sclerotic, senile and snowflake posterior subcapsular cataracts) and sight threatening diabetic retinopathy (compromising the pericytes that line capillary walls). An additional complication of hyperglycemia is nonenzymatic glycosylation. Nonenzymatic glycosylation is the binding of excess glucose to the amino group of proteins in the tissues. As a possible result, at the level of the capillary membranes, altered cell function may lead to the development of microaneurysms, vascular loops, and vessel dilation, allowing blood leakage. Platelet aggregation secondary to these changes initiates tissue hypoxia. These changes result in the system wide accumulation of edema and in the eye, increase the potential for retinal sequelae. Glycemic control over the course of the disease

The relevance of diet in glycaemic control and the factors which influences the change in glycaemic level in a diabetic patient.