Treatments of Diabetes

Question 1

what are the treatments for type 1 ?

Answer 1

• insulin injection/pump
• too much insulin can result in hypoglycemia
• avoid simple carbohydrates such as sugars
• eat at regular intervals
• regular exercise to use up glucose

Question 2

what are the treatments for type 2?

Answer 2

• eat healthily
• lose weight
• regular exercise
• drugs to reduce the amount of glucose replaced
• increases sensitivity to insulin
• produce more insulin

Question 3

what are the two main treatments of type 1?

Answer 3

• genetically modified bacteria
• using stem cells

Question 4

how can genetically modified bacteria be made?

Answer 4

• using human insulin

Question 5

what are the advantages of genetically modified bacteria?

Answer 5

• human insulin means fewer immune reactions
• insulin produced is pure - no contamination
• can be made in larger quantities
• faster
• cheaper

Question 6

what are the disadvantages of genetically modified bacteria?

Answer 6

• uses genetically modified bacteria
• some people have religious or ethical objections

Question 7

how can genetically stem cells be made?

Answer 7

• inject stem cells into the beta cell of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
• uses totipotent embrotonic stem cells
  differentiate into functional beta cells which can produce and secrete insulin

Question 8

what are the advantages of using stem cells?

Answer 8

• patients do not need to inject insulin
• treatments lasts to the lifetime of the patient

Question 9

what are the disadvantages of using stem cells?

Answer 9

• requires use of embryonic stem cells
• some people have religious or ethical objections
• stem cells may develop other type of cells and cause harms e.g tumours/cancers