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Diabetes Mellitus, Common Name Essay

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Diabetes Mellitus, common name also known as Diabetes, is a disease or disorder of hyperglycemia (also known as high blood sugar) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, leading to abnormalities in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism (American Diabetes Association, 2006). This disease occurs within the body when your blood glucose becomes too high. Glucose is necessary to keep the cells in the body healthy. In order for glucose or as some people know it by sugar to be used as energy, it must be transported by insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the beta cells of the Pancreas. For example, “Your car has an empty gas tank (the cell body), the gas is in a large tank under the ground (glucose in the blood stream), to put gas from the ground into your car, you must use the gas pump (insulin)”. Diabetes Mellitus is known to be the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. It is also a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure which lead to dialysis and the need for a kidney transplant.
Diabetes effects over 29 million people in the US, and 380 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, by 2030 people living with diabetes will more than likely double. Claiming the life of 1 American every 3 minutes, Diabetes takes more lives than AIDS and breast cancer combined (Diabetes Research Institution). Different people of many ethnic groups are likely to develop this disease, however American

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