16.4 - Diabetes And Its Control

Question 1

What is diabetes

Answer 1

A metabolic disorder caused by an inability to control blood glucose concentration due to a lack of the hormone insulin or a loss of responsiveness to insulin.

Question 2

What are the forms of diabetes

Answer 2

• Type I (insulin dependent)
• Type 2 (insulin independent)

Question 3

Describe type 1 diabetes

Answer 3

• It’s due to the body being unable to produce insulin.
• It normally begins in childhood.
• It may be the result of an autoimmune response whereby the body’s immune system attacks its own cells, in this case the B cells of the islets of Langerhans.
• Type I diabetes develops quickly, usually over a few weeks, and the signs and symptoms are normally obvious.

Question 4

What are the signs of diabetes

Answer 4

Signs of diabetes:
- high blood glucose concentration
- presence of glucose in urine
- need to urinate excessively
- genital itching or regular episodes of thrush
- weight loss
- blurred vision

Question 5

What are the symptoms of diabetes

Answer 5

Symptoms of diabetes:
- tiredness
- increased thirst and hunger

Question 6

Describe type II diabetes

Answer 6

• is normally due to glycoprotein receptors on body cells being lost or losing their reponsiveness to insulin.
• However, it may also be due to an inadequate supply of insulin from the pancreas.
• Type Il diabetes usually develops in people over the age of 40 years.
• There is, however, an increasing number of cases of obesity and poor diet leading to type Il diabetes in adolescents.
• It develops slowly, and the symptoms are normally less severe and may go unnoticed.
• People who are overweight are particularly likely to develop type II diabetes. About 90% of people with diabetes have type II.

Question 7

How is type 1 diabetes controlled

Answer 7

• controlled by injections of insulin.
• This cannot be taken by mouth because, being a protein, it would be digested in the alimentary canal.
• It is therefore injected, typically either two or four times a day.
• The dose of insulin must be matched exactly to the glucose intake.
• If a person with diabetes takes too much insulin, he or she will experience a low blood glucose concentration that can result in unconsciousness.
• To ensure the correct dose, blood glucose concentration is monitored using biosensors.
• By injecting insulin and managing their carbohydrate intake and exercise carefully, people with diabetes can lead normal lives

Question 8

How is type II diabetes controlled

Answer 8

• controlled by regulating the intake of carbohydrate in the diet and matching this to the amount of exercise taken.
• In some cases, this may be supplemented by injections of insulin or by the use of drugs that stimulate insulin production.
• Other drugs can slow down the rate at which the body absorbs glucose from the intestine.