Insulin and Diabetes: Why Insulin is Necessary

Nearly all diabetics will have to use insulin to control their diabetes at some point in their life. A lucky few who catch the disease in its extremely early stages and follow a regimen of diet and exercise may be able to stave off the effects of the disease, but for most people with diabetes, insulin will become a part of their lives. Insulin provides the body a means to use glucose for fuel and helps keep glucose levels normal. High glucose levels can damage eyesight, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels and low glucose levels can lead to irregular heartbeats, cold sweats, coma and even death.

Type 1 diabetes is the less common of the two types of diabetes. It can develop at any age, but is more common in children and adolescents. With Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. It is suspected that the body’s own immune system kills off the cells responsible for producing insulin. Type1 diabetes can occur in older people through destruction of the pancreas due to alcohol consumption or anything else which can lead to destruction of the pancreas or its removal.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body’s inability to use the insulin that the pancreas produces and is sometimes called insulin resistant diabetes. The pancreas is forced to produce larger and larger amounts insulin, eventually leading to the pancreas not being able to produce insulin at all. Insulin injections are required to supply the body with what it can no longer manufacture for itself. This type of diabetes is by far the more common of the two. Since there are no symptoms until the body stops making insulin, many people don’t even know they have the disease.

Insulin comes in vials available by prescription from your pharmacy and a small syringe is used to inject the fluid, usually into the upper arm. Some new syringes are available that come with insulin already in the syringe. This type of syringe is clear and has measurements on the side to denote dosage amounts. Many diabetics find this method more convenient than traditional methods since the syringe fits neatly into a pocket or purse and can be carried easily wherever you go. Researchers are currently working to improve a method of delivering insulin orally, which would completely eliminate the need for painful injections except in the most extreme emergencies. Insulin pills are available, but their effectiveness is not truly comparable to the injection method, requiring larger doses and inducing nausea.

One recently approved method of insulin delivery is through an inhaler. Much like an asthma inhaler, insulin is delivered directly to the lungs and is spread through the body like oxygen. One potential problem has already been identified with insulin inhalers, though, which could prove a significant hurdle for this method. A small decline in oxygen transport through the lungs could prove to be a serious problem, if the symptom increases with more use of the inhaler.

Insulin, in whatever form it’s taken, is essential to a diabetics continued health. Without regular doses, glucose levels would raise high enough to damage the body, or drop significantly enough to cause coma and death.

[tags]diabetes,Insulin[/tags]

Hypoglycemia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Hypoglycemia literally means "under-sweet blood". It is a condition caused by a severe drop in blood glucose levels and can stem from different causes. Many people suffer from one of the two forms of hypoglycemia and its effects can be frightening if you don’t know what’s happening. Hypoglycemia can be dangerous, especially when driving. Impaired vision and judgment can be symptoms of a severe drop in blood sugar.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia are dizziness, shaking and tremors, sweating and a feeling of hot or cold, heart palpitations and anxiety. Not all symptoms appear in everyone suffering from hypoglycemia and the symptoms do not appear in any specific order. Symptoms may also vary by age. If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, tell your doctor. A simple fasting blood sugar test will be performed to determine if you have hypoglycemia or diabetes.

The superficial cause of hypoglycemia is a drop in blood sugar. This drop can be caused by many different things, including binge drinking, medicines, diabetes treatment and diabetes itself. Many people suffer from hypoglycemia, but, thankfully, treatment is pretty easy. If your doctor diagnoses hypoglycemia you may be referred to a dietician, but more frequently, the doctor will have you follow a few simple rules.

People suffering from hypoglycemia are recommended to follow the diet rules that apply to diabetics. Eating six times a day will help maintain steady blood sugar levels and avoid the unpleasant symptoms caused by a drop in those levels. Eating habits will probably need to be changed, but breakfast, a midmorning snack, lunch followed by an afternoon snack, and dinner followed by an evening snack will go a long way towards preventing symptoms. If you find yourself unable to eat at the recommended times, carry snacks with you in the car, your purse or wherever is handy. Snack as often as needed to maintain blood sugar levels. Choose healthy snacks like fruit and low sugar products, though you’ll need to carry a supply of quick fix foods as well, hard candy, candy bars and the like.

Glucose tablets, apples, oranges, granola bars, bananas and other healthy foods are ideal as snack foods for a hypoglycemic. They’re easily carried, require no prep tools and can be stored easily in a purse, car, or desk drawer. To avoid unwanted weight gain, choose healthy snacks and moderate exercise. Exercising will also help your body maintain blood sugar levels. A healthy snack after exercising is digested more quickly and the glucose is absorbed more readily into the blood stream.

If properly treated, hypoglycemia doesn’t have to be debilitating. With the proper diet and moderate exercise the symptoms almost completely disappear, but don’t mistake this for a cure; the symptoms will return if you don’t follow the meal guide or if you miss snacks.

Hypoglycemia can turn into diabetes, but not usually. If hypoglycemia is properly managed, the fear of diabetes can be put away except in a few rare cases. Snack often, eat right, get exercise and regular checkups from your doctor and hypoglycemia can be easily managed.

Glucometers: The Basics

If you’re diabetic, or know someone who is, chances are that you’ve at least seen a glucometer. If you don’t know what one is, they’re a necessary tool used with diabetes to check blood sugar levels at certain times of day. They’re manufactured by many different companies and come in different styles and with different options. Glucometers test blood samples from patients to determine the level of blood sugar; this allows the diabetic to monitor their blood sugar level and administer sugar or insulin as needed.

A lancet is used to puncture the skin, usually on a finger tip, and obtain the blood sample. This sample is the placed on a test strip which is placed into the glucometer. The small computer inside the machine then calculates the level of sugar present in the sample and displays this as a number on the built in screen. Levels between 80 and 100 are normal, while above indicates the need for insulin and below indicates the need for a source of sugar. Normally, these sources of sugar should be small and contain refined sugars, like a piece of candy or chocolate.

With the aid of a glucometer, patients can avoid debilitating conditions like diabetic comas. A diabetic coma results from both extremes in blood sugar levels. These comas are frightening and can be life threatening, but with the aid of a glucometer, medication and a healthy diet, the risks of these can be greatly lowered.

All glucometers work on the same principle; a blood sample is analyzed for sugar levels. Glucometers differ mainly in size, placement of test strip and the location where blood samples can be obtained. Most have to have a sample from a finger tip, but this can be a painful experience, especially when the tests must be performed multiple times in a day. Newer glucometer models allow for samples taken from the inside of the forearm and other areas, though these glucometers tend to cost a little more than older styles.

Some glucometers require the test strip to be inserted after placing the sample on it, though these are older models and are becoming increasingly rare. Newer models require the test strip to be placed into the top of the glucometer, with the absorbent strip facing out, toward the patient. The sample is then touched to the top edge of the test strip, which wicks the sample into the strip itself and is then tested by the computer, and results displayed for the patient’s information.

Glucometers are battery powered for portability, though some have rechargeable batteries like a cell phone. Most work on simple AA batteries, though. Many diabetics carry a small, preloaded syringe of insulin with them and keep a glucometer for home use and one in their vehicle or on their person. A glucometer must be used with the correct test strips, or the sample will be analyzed improperly, or not at all. To determine which test strips are right for a certain glucometer, read the information in the User’s Manual that comes with all new glucometers. This will give specifics like brand of test strip recommended and style needed.

Next Page »