Health@Heart
Diabetes ravages the body
In a previous column, we stated that the rapid growth in the incidence of diabetes mellitus was a metabolic time bomb that was waiting to explode, brought on by, among others, "super-sizing" of America (and obviously, the Philippines too), where 90% of Type II diabetics were (are) overweight.
Actually, 2 out of 3 (66.6%) adult Americans, and 15% of the children, are overweight. In the United States alone, there are about 17 million diabetics. Five to 10% have Type I (juvenile), and the rest, Type II (adult onset) diabetes. Before insulin was discovered in the early 1920s, type 1 diabetes had 100% mortality. In the past 10 years, there has been a 33% increased in the number of diabetic patients. It is indeed scary.
The other grim statistics that confirm the developing epidemic of diabetes include the following:
1.An infant born in the USA in year 2000 has 1 in 3 chances (33%) to get the disease;
2.Shortening the life span by 10-15 years, diabetes is now the 6th leading cause of death, killing 210,000 people a year in the United States alone;
3.Diabetes is also the major cause of heart and kidney diseases, leg amputation and blindness;
4.The incidence of clinical depression is 3 times more among diabetics;
5.An additional 16 million Americans are in a "pre-diabetic" stage;
6.By year 2050, about 29 million Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes;
7.The United States is spending $132 billion a year in direct healthcare cost and in lost of productivity; and,
8.Worldwide, there are about 150 million Type II diabetics and 18 million Type I.
During our parents' time, diabetes was a disease of old people; today, physicians are seeing patients as young as 4 with diabetes. Over-eating and obesity are blamed for this and for the rising number of cases of adult-onset diabetes in general, worldwide. In this regard, Type II diabetes is, to a great extent, preventable. The question is, are we willing to discipline ourselves, do some sacrifices, control our appetite and weight through healthy lifestyle changes, including daily exercises, abstinence from tobacco and alcohol abuse to prevent this terrible disease?
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes Mellitus is a syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), glycosuria (sweet urine) and is caused by an impairment in insulin secretion/and or insulin action. Insulin is a hormone that transforms glucose to energy. When the insulin production is diminished or halted, leading to the body's inability to metabolize glucose, Diabetes Mellitus develops.
There are more than 300,000 Filipinos who suffer from Diabetes Mellitus. In the United States, there are about 18.2 million diabetics (9.3 million are women), about 1.3 million new cases a year ago, and 5.2 million undiagnosed or unaware.
Is Diabetes hereditary?
Yes, as suggested by a strong association that exists between type I Diabetes diagnosed among patients younger than 30 years old and specific HLA-D phenotypes. One or more genes that convey susceptibility to type I Diabetes are believed to be located in chromosome 6.
Do oral contraceptives cause Type II Diabetes?
Recent evidence has shown that women who developed Gestational Diabetes while pregnant, and used oral contraceptives shortly after birth of the child for six months or more, significantly increases their risk of developing Type II diabetes. The pill with greatest risk was the "progestin-only" variety. The ones reported causing the least risk were combination pills with low doses of progestin. This reinforces the danger of taking oral contraceptives without physician supervision.
What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?
Persons with diabetes usually have excessive thirst and hunger. There is also frequent and excessive urination and weight loss. The blood sugar is elevated and abnormal amount of sugar is found in the urine. The "sweet" urine attracts ants. Absence of symptoms does not mean one does not have diabetes. Only a urine or blood test can confirm the diagnosis.
Does Diabetes cause impotence?
Male erectile dysfunction, the inability of men to have adequate erection and maintain it for a successful sexual intercourse, is common among diabetics. Among women, its vaginal dryness. Other possible complications of diabetes are blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and damage to the nerves of the feet, etc.
What is an Insulin Pump?
The state-of-the-art method of administering insulin to insulin dependent diabetic patients is by the use of a refillable implantable insulin pump. The small device is implanted under the skin and the catheter connected to it is inserted into a vein. The computerized pump contains insulin in its chamber and delivers a precise dose of insulin at a preset time schedule. This pump replaces the needle injection as a method of giving insulin.
How about cell transplant?
Experimental works on embryonic stem cell transplant to help Type I diabetes are showing great promise, but progress here is being hampered by the controversy over stem cell research as a whole.