Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease which comes in two major types or categories: Type 1 and Type 2.  Type 1 is also termed as insulin dependent DM or juvenile onset DM.  In type 1, the pancreas went through an autoimmune attack by one’s body, which results to its inability to make insulin.  There are abnormal antibodies which are found in most who have Type 1 DM.  Patients who have the Type 1 category need to rely on insulation medication for them to survive. 

Autoimmune disease like Type 1 diabetes would result to the erroneous production of antibodies and inflammatory cells in the body which can damage a suffering patient’s own tissues and organs.  In Type 1 DM, it is the pancreas that is affected by the body’s misdirected immune system.  This condition is partly attributed to genetics, though the dynamics are not yet fully understood.  

There are certain viral infections and environmental toxins which can trigger abnormal responses of the antibodies which can damage the cells of the pancreas, that could lead to the impaired production of insulin.  Some of these antibodies would be anti-insulin, anti-islet cell, and anti-glumatic decarboxylase.  These can be measured in most patients which can help determine if a person would have the risk of developing Type 1 DM.

Screening in high risk persons, like those who have relatives of first degree who have type 1 diabetes, is encouraged.  This type can occur even in young and lean individuals, and usually before one turns 30 years old.  Older patients occasionally manifest this type of metabolic disorder.