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a) Define the health problem. Diabetes is a disease that impairs the body’s ability to use food. It is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone, which is made in the pancreas that is needed by the body in order to allow glucose to move into our cells and be used as energy. There are 2 main types of diabetes; Type 1 diabetes: In type 1 diabetes the body does not produce insulin. The pancreas produces no insulin because the cells which make insulin have been destroyed by the immune system. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. Therefore people with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels. It usually occurs to people under the age of 30. Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is known to be a lifestyle related condition that can run in families and is preventable. It develops when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin or when the body tissues become resistant to insulin. Insulin lets sugar (glucose) enter body cells, where it is used for energy. It also helps the body store extra sugar in muscle, fat, and liver cells. The stored sugar can be released later and used for energy when needed. Because insulin is not available or is not used properly, the blood sugar level rises above what is safe. In type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels often rise gradually. If blood sugar levels remain high, blood vessels and nerves throughout the body may be damaged, and you may be at increased risk for eye, heart, and kidney disease. The majority of people with diabetes have type 2. b) What are the signs/symptoms associated with this problem? Common symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, unusual weight loss, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, mood swings, slow healing of cuts, extreme fatigue, and irritability. However, in type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels rise so slowly that a person usually does not have symptoms and likely has had the disease for many years before it is diagnosed. A person may discover that he or she has type 2 diabetes during a regular medical check up or during an appointment for another illness or condition, such as high blood pressure, a persistent infection, or a slow-healing wound.
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