Type I Diabetes

Type I Diabetes

Diabetes Basics

Diabetes is a lifelong disease characterized by high levels of the sugar glucose in the blood. High blood sugar is caused by the body’s inability to make insulin or respond to insulin normally.

Glucose comes from food and is the main energy source for the body.Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that is responsible for telling organs such as the liver, muscle, and fat to remove glucose from the blood. When there is not enough insulin, or these organs can’t respond to insulin, less glucose gets into cells to be stored for energy. As a result, blood glucose levels rise.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas. Development of type 1 diabetes happens over a short period of time and often starts in childhood or adolescence.

The exact causes of type-1 diabetes are unknown, although genetics, viruses, and environmental factors may play a role. Once the islet cells are destroyed, the pancreas makes little or no insulin.


Complications of Type 1 Diabetes:

High blood glucose over many years can lead to:
  • heart disease and stroke
  • nerve disease (neuropathy)
  • kidney disease (nephropathy, kidney failure)
  • eye problems (retinopathy, blindness)
  • foot infections
  • dental problems (gum infection, periodontal disease)
  • limb amputation

Managing Type 1 Diabetes

Control of blood sugar is an important part of managing diabetes. Since type 1 diabetics make little or no insulin, daily injections of insulin are needed to control blood sugar. A healthy lifestyle, diet and routine medical care are also an important part of maintaining good health for type 1 diabetics. Recent advances in the monitoring and care of diabetes is allowing type 1 diabetics to lead longer, healthier lives than in the past.

DiabetOmics Advanced Diabetes Risk Profile

The Advanced Diabetes Risk Profile offers individuals with type 1 diabetes a comprehensive panel of laboratory tests to help them manage their disease. The panel is made up of tests that can be used to identify complications in the main organs of the body affected by diabetes (pancreas, liver, kidneys, and heart). Early detection of health changes allow individuals with type 1 diabetes to make necessary changes to maintain good health.

For more information on diabetes:

American Diabetes Association
diabetes.org

International Diabetes Federation
idf.org

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
diabetes.niddk.nih.gov

Diabetes Risks, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Information eMedicineHealth
eMedicineHealth.com

Division of Laboratory Sciences: Programs & Research: Diabetes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
cdc.gov/nceh/dls/diabetes

CDC’s Diabetes Program – Diabetes and Me National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC)
cdc.gov/diabetes

Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes University of Colorado Denver
uchsc.edu/misc/diabetes/

Joslin Diabetes Center Diabetes Research, Care & Education
joslin.harvard.edu