Diabetes, type 1
What will happen to me?
If you have type 1 diabetes, you should be able to lead a fairly normal life. But you may need to:
- Have insulin injections regularly
- Watch what you eat
- Exercise regularly
- Check your blood glucose (sugar) level throughout the day.
When you have type 1 diabetes, you have to keep a balance between having too much glucose in your blood, and not having enough.
Too much glucose is caused by having diabetes. It's called hyperglycemia. Too little glucose is usually a side effect of taking insulin to treat diabetes. It's called hypoglycemia.
You'll need to recognise the signs of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, as well as checking your blood glucose regularly. Most
people with diabetes can manage hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia and keep their blood glucose at about the right level. But
if your blood glucose gets very high, or very low, it can be dangerous. For more information about having too much glucose,
see Hyperglycemia. For more about information about having too little glucose, see Hypoglycemia.
When you've had diabetes for a long time, you're likely to get some extra health problems. Your eyes,
kidneys, feet and heart are the parts of your body most likely to be affected.
kidney
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.
Doctors call these extra problems complications. Not everyone with diabetes gets them. Some people have diabetes for 40 to 50 years without getting complications.
1
Source:
Watkins PJ.
ABC of Diabetes.
5th edition. BMJ Books, London, UK; 2002.
Watkins PJ.
ABC of Diabetes.
5th edition. BMJ Books, London, UK; 2002.
We know for sure that if you carefully control your blood glucose (sugar) level, you are more likely to stay healthy. The
closer it is to normal, the less likely you are to get complications.
2
3
Source:
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group.
The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
NEJM. 1993; 329: 977-986.
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group.
The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
NEJM. 1993; 329: 977-986.
Source:
UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group.
Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 33).
Lancet. 1998; 352: 837-853.
UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group.
Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 33).
Lancet. 1998; 352: 837-853.
The best way to keep your blood glucose close to normal may be by having intensive treatment. To find out more, see Intensive treatment programs. The longer your blood glucose level stays above normal, the more damage it causes.
Doctors and scientists don't know for sure how complications happen. They know that having lots of glucose in your blood can
harm certain parts of your body. But your
genes also play a part.
1 This means that your chance of getting complications depends partly on the genes passed to you from your parents. It also
may depend on other things, such as your blood pressure or your cholesterol level.
genes
Your genes are the parts of your cells that contain instructions for how your body works. Genes are housed on chromosomes, structures that sit in the nucleus at the middle of each of your cells. You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal cells, each of which has thousands of genes. You get one set of chromosomes, and all of the genes that are on them, from each of your parents.
Your genes are the parts of your cells that contain instructions for how your body works. Genes are housed on chromosomes, structures that sit in the nucleus at the middle of each of your cells. You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal cells, each of which has thousands of genes. You get one set of chromosomes, and all of the genes that are on them, from each of your parents.
Source:
Watkins PJ.
ABC of Diabetes.
5th edition. BMJ Books, London, UK; 2002.
Watkins PJ.
ABC of Diabetes.
5th edition. BMJ Books, London, UK; 2002.
Having high levels of glucose in your blood over many years can damage large blood vessels called
arteries, making them more narrow inside. It can also damage some of your small blood vessels, making them leaky.
arteries
Arteries are the blood vessels that take blood that is rich in oxygen and food away from your heart. The arteries carry this blood to all the tissues in your body.
Arteries are the blood vessels that take blood that is rich in oxygen and food away from your heart. The arteries carry this blood to all the tissues in your body.
Complications can affect several parts of your body. Changes to your large blood vessels can lead to complications in your
heart. Changes to your small blood vessels can lead to complications in your eyes,
kidneys and nerves. These problems might leave you feeling depressed and unable to cope.
kidney
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.
Click on the links below to find out more about complications:
- Eye problems
- Kidney problems
- Nerve damage (and problems with your feet)
- Heart and circulation problems
- Infections
- Psychological problems.
Scientists are looking at ways to cure type 1 diabetes. They are trying to take cells that make
insulin from healthy people and put them into people with diabetes. This is called islet cell transplantation. It might work in the short term. But most people who have islet cell transplantation need insulin again by the end of two
years.
4
insulin
Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use glucose, a type of sugar that gives you energy. Insulin keeps your levels of glucose steady. It also helps glucose get into your cells from your blood. People who have diabetes do not have enough insulin or do not react to insulin strongly enough. This leads to too much glucose in their blood.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use glucose, a type of sugar that gives you energy. Insulin keeps your levels of glucose steady. It also helps glucose get into your cells from your blood. People who have diabetes do not have enough insulin or do not react to insulin strongly enough. This leads to too much glucose in their blood.
Source:
Shapiro AMJ, Ricordi C, Hering BJ, et al.
International trial of the Edmonton protocol for islet transplantation.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2006; 355: 1318-1330.
Shapiro AMJ, Ricordi C, Hering BJ, et al.
International trial of the Edmonton protocol for islet transplantation.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2006; 355: 1318-1330.
It might also be possible to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers have found that some treatments have worked in animals.
This is encouraging, but they might not work in people.
5
Source:
Powers AC.
Diabetes mellitus.
In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al (editors). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York, U.S.A.; 2001.
Powers AC.
Diabetes mellitus.
In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al (editors). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York, U.S.A.; 2001.
And in the future, people at risk for diabetes might be able to be vaccinated with insulin to stop them from getting the disease.
The idea is that the vaccine could stop your
immune system from attacking your
pancreas.
5
immune system
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.
pancreas
Your pancreas is an organ that's behind your stomach. It makes several different chemicals. Some of the chemicals help your body digest food. Your pancreas also makes a chemical called insulin, which helps your body use the sugar in your blood.
Your pancreas is an organ that's behind your stomach. It makes several different chemicals. Some of the chemicals help your body digest food. Your pancreas also makes a chemical called insulin, which helps your body use the sugar in your blood.
Source:
Powers AC.
Diabetes mellitus.
In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al (editors). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York, U.S.A.; 2001.
Powers AC.
Diabetes mellitus.
In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al (editors). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York, U.S.A.; 2001.
Sources for the information on this page:
- Watkins PJ.ABC of Diabetes.5th edition. BMJ Books, London, UK; 2002.
- Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group.The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.NEJM. 1993; 329: 977-986.
- UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group.Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 33).Lancet. 1998; 352: 837-853.
- Shapiro AMJ, Ricordi C, Hering BJ, et al.International trial of the Edmonton protocol for islet transplantation.New England Journal of Medicine. 2006; 355: 1318-1330.
- Powers AC.Diabetes mellitus.In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al (editors). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York, U.S.A.; 2001.
This information was last updated on Jan 07, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
The information on ConsumerReportsHealth.org should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional.
The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.
Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
Source: ConsumerReportsHealth.org Copyright © 2005-2008 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
Find a condition
Search
Condition name not found!
