Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus is the Latin name for diabetes. Type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin to absorb blood sugar.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is much more common, occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin.
Gestational diabetes mellitus occurs when pregnant women have high blood sugar levels due to pregnancy, and may lead to development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Rare types of diabetes mellitus
There are also other, more rare types of diabetes mellitus such as MODY, LADA and secondary diabetes mellitus caused by pancreatic disease, drug side effects, or endocrine disorders.
In the past, diabetes mellitus was divided into two types: insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was type 1 diabetes, whilst type 2 diabetes was called non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
However, because some people with type 2 diabetes mellitus now require insulin to manage their condition, these labels are no longer accurate.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus also used to be called adult-onset diabetes. However, more and more young people and children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, making this label inaccurate.
Diabetes Mellitus Type 1
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is much rarer that type 2. Approximately 15% of people with diabetes mellitus have type 1. Type 1 diabetes mellitus usually develops at a young age, but can occur at any time. People with type 1 diabetes mellitus have to have daily insulin injections to manage their condition.
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects around 85% (some studies put the figure closer to 90%) of people with diabetes, and is usually diagnosed at a later age than type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Type 2 diabetes is often, but not always, associated with excess body weight and lack of exercise. Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects people of different ethnicities to a different degree.
For instance, people of South Asian, Polynesian, African, African-Caribbean, Middle-Eastern and American-Indian ancestry may face a greater risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
At an early stage, type 2 diabetes mellitus is controlled using diet and exercise, but many people with type 2 diabetes mellitus eventually require insulin.
Risk factors for Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus affects a variety of people of all races, ages and nations. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus are greater for some ethnicities, as mentioned before. Furthermore, those people who have a family history of diabetes mellitus, who are obese or inactive also face a greater risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is often preceded by pre-diabetes (also called metabolic syndrome). Genetic factors and environmental factors are thought to be the risk for type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes mellitus and mortality
Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus face the risk of blindness, end-stage renal disease and in some cases premature death. If a person with diabetes can avoid complications for an initial period following diagnosis, they may live in good health. Some 60% of patients with type 1 diabetes are in good health. As well as managing diabetes mellitus, patients also have to control blood pressure, lipids and weight.
Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus face a three times higher level of mortality than the general population. 75% of people with diabetes die of heart disease, whilst 15% die of stroke.
Mortality rates from cardiovascular disease are five times higher amongst those with diabetes. HbA1c level (average blood glucose level) radically influences risk of death, with every 1% increase adding 21% to mortality.
