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What is Diabetes?

By: John Richmond

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Diabetes, without qualification, usually refers to diabetes mellitus, but there are several rarer conditions also named diabetes. The disease is often detected when a person suffers a problem frequently caused by it, such as a heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, poor wound healing or a foot ulcer, certain eye problems, certain fungal infections, or delivering a baby with macrosomia or hypoglycemia.

Of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes, an estimated 5-10% have type 1. Of Americans who are diagnosed, most have type 2. Unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed because its symptoms seem so harmless.

A condition called pre-diabetes occurs when a patients blood glucose levels are abnormally high but not quite enough for a type 2 diagnosis. This condition is also referred to as impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance. Body cells become more insulin resistant or the required amount of insulin is not being produced by the pancreas. Depending on the test used for diagnosis it is also called impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). According to new estimates provided by the according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Pre-diabetes is becoming more common in the United States.

In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). With the FPG test, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl signals pre-diabetes. In the OGTT test, a person's blood glucose level is measured after a fast and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage.

Diabetes testing is needed for individuals with any of the many risk factors, as well as for many at different age groups. However, keep in mind that maintaining your blood sugar at a proper level now can help to minimize the risk of diabetes complications later in life.

Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors (such as not smoking and keeping a healthy body weight), may improve the risk profile of most of its complications.

Keeping blood pressure under control and curbing bad habits such as smoking, not getting enough exercise and becoming over weight are extremely important in the avoidance of serious diabetes complications.

While a serious disease, it is controllable. Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. Diabetes may be difficult to manage, but you don't have to do it alone.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

John Richmond is an avid researcher who specializes in information about diseases and is a contributor to YourDiabetesInfo.com. John has thoroughly researched the topic of diabetes and hopes you find his writings to be educational.

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