Juvenile Diabetes College Essay

Diabetes
Diabetes is a life-long disease with no known cure or vaccine, which is caused by the absence of insulin production, a decreased production level or the inability to use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and secreted by the cells located in the beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans. While the beta cells of the pancreas secrete insulin, glucagon is secreted by the alpha cells. Insulin regulates blood glucose levels to prevent an increased or an abnormally decreased amount of glucose in the body. The beta cells in the pancreas are very sensitive to glucose and check for elevated levels of the hormone every few seconds and when they sense an elevation, insulin is secreted. In a healthy
These symptoms can include: increased urination, increased thirst, unintentional weight loss despite an increase in appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and an absence in female menstruation. Type I, once referred to as Juvenile diabetes, can be diagnosed with the following blood tests, such as; the Ketone test, GAD autoantibodies test, and the C-peptide test. Diabetes can have numerous complications, ranging from acute to chronic health problems. When the body cannot properly level out the glucose in the blood, this leads to hyperglycemia, a short-term complication, and this can force the excess glucose to spill into the urine. On the other hand, if glucose levels in the blood have decreased to an abnormally low amount, this leads to hypoglycemia, another short-term complication. Long-term complications of type I usually develop gradually but can be more serious and require immediate medical attention when noticed. People with type I diabetes have a higher risk of having other autoimmune diseases, such as: Celiac Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Addison’s disease, and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease. The American Diabetes Association has documented the complications to include nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy and amputation of the limbs. It is said that within twenty years of diagnosis, nearly all of the patients experience some range of
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