Type 1 diabetes mellitus

DM1 is a chronic disease where the pancreas gland stops producing insulin on its own, as beta cells that synthesize the hormone are destroyed due to erroneous attacks of the immune system.

This is a serious metabolic disorder that can cause acute and chronic complications. In the present type of diabetes, insulin is produced in very small amounts or not at all which leads to marked symptoms of diabetes, which threaten health and life.

The symptoms include:

• Repeated urination, as the body tries to remove excess glucose which has accumulated in the blood;
• Sharp thirst due to the loss of liquid with urine (dehydration);
• Faint, because insulin does not store energy which is not enough for a normal life of the organism;
• A temporary decrement in visual acuity as a result of dehydration and high blood glucose level;
• Weight loss despite increased appetite;
• Sickness and vomiting.

In half of the cases, DM1 occurs in childhood or under the age of ten. Nonetheless, it sometimes may be discovered in adults ( in 5%). If it seems to the doctor or to you that you have SD1, you should test fasting plasma glucose.

The symptoms of diabetes of the 1st type are marked and you can take the test at any time of the day. The level of glucose equal to 11.1 mmol/l or above clearly points to diabetes. If you measure fasting plasma glucose, the level of 7.0 mmol/l or higher, points to the diagnosis of diabetes.

After the diagnosis of DM1, the doctor also takes blood on autoantibodies to beta cells that produce insulin. Its detection is typical of type 1 diabetes. However, it should be noted that these autoantibodies are not detected in all patients with DM1.

Originally published at www.shc.sg.