Symptoms And Treatment Of Diabetes Essay

Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Insulin is needed for proper storage and use of carbohydrates. Without it, blood sugar levels can become too high or too low, resulting in a diabetic emergency. It affects about 7.8% of the population. The incidence of diabetes is known to increase with age. It’s the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the US, and is the primary cause of blindness and foot and leg amputation. It is known to cause neuropathy in up to 70% of diabetic patients. Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

The most common symptoms are fatigue, having to urinate more than feeling thirsty, distorted vision, and dry mouth. Type 1 diabetes symptoms are rapidly noticed with more severe symptoms verses type 2 diabetes, which have symptoms that usually are not as noticeable and develop at a slower rate.

The American Diabetes Association (2004) defines diabetes as a subset of metabolic diseases associated with hyperglycemia secondary to insulin failing to release, act, or both. Complications related to chronic diabetes can be detrimental to one’s health including but not limited to: heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, amputations, blindness, and other optical diseases. Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes is rising at an astronomical rate within the United States as well as internationally. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016) an estimated 29 million people suffer with diabetes and 86 million are prediabetic within the United States (US). Without major interventions from the healthcare community,

People often do not realize how deadly and complicated diabetes is. When first diagnosed with diabetes patients may often be confused by how their lifestyle will have to change. Some patients may not even know how serious the complications may be. This information is to help not only the people who are affected by diabetes but also to inform everyone on how to help prevent the onset of diabetes.

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of developing primarily vascular complications that contribute to morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients. Poor glycaemic control leads to vascular complications that affect large (macrovascular), small (microvascular) vessels or both. Macrovascular complications include coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke. Microvascular complications contribute to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (kidney disease) and retinopathy (eye disease).

In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes. Of the 29.1 million, 21.0 million were diagnosed, and 8.1 million were undiagnosed. "In 1996 diabetes contributed to more than 162,000 deaths"(Lewis 1367). According to, well known, diabetes researcher McCance "Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but a group of disorders with glucose intolerance in common" (674). Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar) and results from defective insulin production, secretion, and utilization. How can us Americans reduce the wide spread of this disease? The first step is to be informed on its complications, and signs so you can avoid accidentally bringing it upon yourself.

Diabetic patients are at risk for numerous comorbidities, including infections of the feet that could lead to amputation. In the U.S. diabetes effects more than 29 million people and is the leading cause for lower limb amputations (“Center for Disease Control and Prevention”, 2016). In addition, approximately 20% need some type of amputation after getting an infected foot ulcer (Wu, Driver, Wrobel, &Armstrong, 2007). Moreover, when a patient has a surgical procedure they require various elements in their healthcare experience in order to receive what they perceive as quality care. In diabetic adults undergoing an amputation of the toe or forefoot, what is the effect of involving patients in their treatment plan, while maintaining adequate pain relief for the patient, on the patient’s perception of quality care compared with patients who are uninvolved in their treatment plan and pain relief is not achieved?

One morning I went to work i was assigned to be Mr. C nurse. Mr. C was admitted in the med-surg/ telemetry unit two days before I was assigned to care for him. He was a 52 year old male with a new diagnosed of type II diabetes. He had history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. He was admitted for ketoacidosis. As per the emergency room report, his blood glucose was more than 450 mg/dl when he came there. He was placed on intravenous fluid normal saline at 125 ml/hour. He was also placed on long acting and short acting insulin coverage. His blood sugar remained in the400’s mg/dl and, despite medical intervention his blood sugar remained elevated.

As America’s 7th leading cause of death, Diabetes is steadily rising as a consequential result to the contagious sedentary lifestyle involving a very poor diet lacking in nutritional value and an increase in sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Many contributing risk factors are prevalent and attribute to the expanding number of the population who acquire diabetes. Signs and symptoms of Type I and Type II diabetes can be a distinguishing factor of the disease. Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia can be compared and contrast in many different manners as can the differences of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma (HHNKA). Thankfully, with medical technological advances, diabetic sufferers have many medications and treatments available to help control the symptoms. Complications may arise with this disease if the patient isn’t compliant in adhering with the nursing care plan given. Being diagnosed with diabetes is the first step into the right direction of a long-term care plan.

Another way a person could manage or prevent diabetes is by exercise and diet. With the right diet and the amount of exercise, a person who has the traits of a prediabetic, can nearly diminsh the chances for them getting type one or type 2 diabetes. According to The American Diabetes Association, ''prospective studies have demonstrated that lifestyle modification in the form of diet and regular moderate exercise sharply decreases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals who have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose.''3 Becuase in some peoples cases, obestisty and blood pressure are factors that may cause diabetes, a change in what people eat and the amount of physical activity they get, can ultametly change their medical standing. People who already have type 2 diabetes and choose to manage it with diet and exercise, also have to take insulin shots but, they may argue that it's healthier to live irght and take insulin. When a person who already has diabetes exercises and eats healthier, this can actually reverse or slow down the natual course of the disesase. 3

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that "occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose to enter the cells of the body and generate the body's energy" (Ebony, 115). Diabetes is a disease that affects approximately 3% of the world' population. In American alone, 10.3 million people report having diabetes, while an estimated 10 million more individuals may have undiagnosed diabetes (Morwessel, 540). The gene for diabetes is located in the HLA region on chromosome 6, and the most probable organization of the responsible gene is on a 19-kb region of INS-IGF2, which affects HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility. Diabetes Mellitus, was first diagnosed in the year 1000 BC, by the

Family History: The patient’s mother has diabetes and is still alive, his father medical and past history is unknown, and he has no siblings.

– Four: reflux into the renal pelvis with clubbing of renal calyces, significant dilation and tortuosity

     Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body produces too little insulin (Type One Diabetes) or can’t use available insulin efficiently ( Type Two Diabetes). Insulin is a hormone vital to helping the body use digested food for growth and energy.

Diabetes has been out for thousands of years and still no cure. researchers and scientist have been searching and searching for ways to overcome this disease but nothing yet. Everyone goals are to either improve, prevent, or cure this disease. Diabetes became very known around the seventeenth century because of a high percentage of people was found with sugar in their urine and blood. Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases that affects our society worldwide. The average person in this world does not know anything about this disease. The diabetes association said “In 2013 the estimate of 328 million people had diabetes throughout the world”. Society today need to be aware of what we are up against with this disease.