Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes most often affects children and young adults before age of 30 but it is very rare. Despite the widespread of diabetes in such proportions worldwide that it is often referred as an epidemic, Type 1 diabetes represents only 10% of all diabetes cases. However, Type 1 diabetes is the most severe form of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when beta cells in the pancreas stops producing insulin. Without insulin which controls the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood the body cells can not absorb glucose from the blood what results high blood sugar levels, condition which is known as hyperglycemia. Its symptoms are very similar than in Type 2 diabetes but they occur and develop very rapidly and severely. When the symptoms occur Type 1 diabetes requires immediate medical assistance and regular insulin injections for lifetime otherwise it results death.

Most of people that are affected with Type 1 diabetes are otherwise healthy when the disease breaks out. Most frequent causes for Type 1 diabetes are genetic predispositions, while experts believe that besides genetic factors Type 1 diabetes is also triggered by unknown environmental factors but there has been also some indications that it might be linked to a viral infection.

There is no cure for diabetes including Type 1 diabetes and the patient have to live with it whole their lives but despite that it can be successfully managed with regular insulin injections, proper diet and regular exercise. Thus people with Type 1 diabetes can still live their lives fully and healthy. Living with Type 1 diabetes does not significantly affect daily activities and does not hinder a patient in any matter as long as they take care for regular insulin injections. Insulin injecting is usually uncomfortable at the beginning but eventually the majority of people gets used to it. After all, at the moment there is no alternative to insulin injections which are vital for people with Type 1 diabetes.