Diabetes (5)

Question 1

What is diabetes?

Answer 1

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood.

Question 2

In South Africa about __ million people suffer from this disease. Of these __% are adults and __% are children.

Answer 2

Six
90%
10%

Question 3

There are several forms of diabetes but Type _ and Type _ are the most common.

Answer 3

1

2

Question 4

When does Type 1 diabetes usually start?

Answer 4

Type 1 diabetes usually starts in childhood and accounts for 5 to 10% of all diagnosed cases.

Question 5

What are the initial symptoms? (3)

Answer 5

• tiredness
• production of large quantities of dilute urine containing glucose. The kidneys cannot reabsorb all the extra glucose from the renal tubules.
• great thirst due to loss of so much liquid.

Question 6

What causes Type 1 diabetes?

Answer 6

This is an auto-immune disease as the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result the pancreas does not make insulin. Glucose therefore remains in the blood instead of moving into the cells. This condition is known as hyperglaecemia.

Question 7

How can Type 1 diabetes be treated? (2)

Answer 7

It is a life-long disease for which, as yet, there is no cure. If, however, the patient is highly disciplined and responsible, with proper diabetic management and regular exercise, the disease can be controlled.

• As little or no insulin is being produced, the most important treatment is following a routine of daily injections of insulin.
• It is important for the diabetic to test his / her blood sugar levels frequently with a finger-prick test so that the correct amount of insulin can be injected.

Question 8

What are the short term effects of not taking regular treatment? (5)

Answer 8

• extreme thirst
• nausea, vomiting
• dehydration
• dizziness
• a coma

Question 9

What are the long-term goals of treatment? (3)

Answer 9

The long-term goals of treatment are to

• prolong life
• reduce symptoms
• prevent diabetes-related complications such as blindness, kidney failure, amputation of limbs and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Question 10

What do future cures for type 1 diabetes include? (2)

Answer 10

Future cures on the horizon include

• pancreatic transplants
• use of stem cells to produce new functional beta cells.

Question 11

How does type 2 diabetes occur?

Answer 11

Type 2 diabetes usually starts in adulthood and is directly influenced by lifestyle. However it is becoming more common in children. It is much more common than Type 1, accounting for 90 to 95% of all diabetes cases.

Question 12

What causes Type 2 diabetes?

Answer 12

Type diabetes develops when the body produces less insulin or is not able to use the insulin correctly. This may be due to faulty insulin receptors on the cells that normally aid in the transport of glucose into body cells - a condition known as insulin resistance.

Question 13

What are the warning signs for the onset of diabetes? (6)

Answer 13

Symptoms tend to develop more gradually than in Type 1. Therefore many people are unaware of having the disease.  
-Increased thirst
-frequent urination
-blurred vision
-tingling or numbness in hands or feet
-frequent infections
-slow-healing wounds 
are common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes.

Question 14

As South Africa has a very high level of diabetes it is important for everyone to be aware of these symptoms. Obese women are developing diabetes than obese men. With __% of the female population classified as obese or more prone to be ____, the prediction that every second or third woman in South Africa will suffer from diabetes by ____ is not unrealistic.

Answer 14

40%
Overweight
2025

Question 15

What factors increase the chance of developing Type 2? (3)

Answer 15

The following all play a role in developing insulin resistance and increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes:

• a diet high in carbohydrates (starches and sugars), fast foods (junk foods’) and over processed food leading to overweight and obesity. This is the cause of 87% of Type 2 diabetes.
• lack of exercise
• increasing age

Question 16

How can Type 2 be treated? (3)

Answer 16

• There is a lot of evidence that following a diet that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates can vastly improve and possibly even reverse this condition. Out with junk food!
• Losing weight and regular exercise are also very important.
• In some cases, oral drugs or insulin are given.

Question 17

Note: There is global concern amongst health care workers that more and more children and teenagers are being diagnosed with the disease. This is probably due to a ____ lifestyle and poor eating habits, causing the young to become ____.

Answer 17

sedentary

overweight