WHAT IS DIABETES?

Dec 23rd, 2010 Posted in Diabetes | no comment »
Definition : According to International Expert Committee working under the sponsorship of American Diabetes Association (ADA) 1997, Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, action or both. The chronic hyperglycaemia of diabetes is associated with long term damage, dysfunction of various organs specially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.
For easy understanding: Diabetes is a state of high blood glucose (blood sugar) due to lack or relative lack of hormone insulin.
Whether Blood Glucose or Blood Sugar : So far, you have noticed that I have used the word blood glucose whereas you have heard the doctors, nurses and patients in the clinics talking about ‘Blood sugar’. Scientifically speaking, it is more correct to use glucose since there are many types of sugar of which glucose is just one (the simplest).
Fructose, often used as sweetening agent in diabetic food is another sugar which differs from glucose but easily changes into it.
Table sugar (sucrose) is a more complicated substance, although it easily changes into glucose in the body. Having said this, one must admit that most doctors talk about blood sugar instead of blood glucose and I shall use the terms ‘blood glucose’ and ‘blood sugar’ interchangeably.
Insulin : Insulin is an important polypeptide, anabolic hormone secreted by Beta Cells of pancreatic gland situated in abdomen just behind the stomach.
Body fuel (Glucose) and Energy ; Every body needs energy to do work. If we think of the human body, it needs glucose as body fuel while a car needs petrol as fuel and a train engine needs coal as fuel.
When we compare a human body with a car, which converts fuel into energy, the car burns petrol to produce energy which turns the wheels, recharges the batteries and keep the inside warm while our bodies burn glucose to power the muscles, heart and brain and keeps the body warm by maintaining a constant body temperature. Both the car and human body
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WHAT IS DIABETES?Definition : According to International Expert Committee working under the sponsorship of American Diabetes Association (ADA) 1997, Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, action or both. The chronic hyperglycaemia of diabetes is associated with long term damage, dysfunction of various organs specially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.For easy understanding: Diabetes is a state of high blood glucose (blood sugar) due to lack or relative lack of hormone insulin.Whether Blood Glucose or Blood Sugar : So far, you have noticed that I have used the word blood glucose whereas you have heard the doctors, nurses and patients in the clinics talking about ‘Blood sugar’. Scientifically speaking, it is more correct to use glucose since there are many types of sugar of which glucose is just one (the simplest).Fructose, often used as sweetening agent in diabetic food is another sugar which differs from glucose but easily changes into it.Table sugar (sucrose) is a more complicated substance, although it easily changes into glucose in the body. Having said this, one must admit that most doctors talk about blood sugar instead of blood glucose and I shall use the terms ‘blood glucose’ and ‘blood sugar’ interchangeably.Insulin : Insulin is an important polypeptide, anabolic hormone secreted by Beta Cells of pancreatic gland situated in abdomen just behind the stomach. Body fuel (Glucose) and Energy ; Every body needs energy to do work. If we think of the human body, it needs glucose as body fuel while a car needs petrol as fuel and a train engine needs coal as fuel.When we compare a human body with a car, which converts fuel into energy, the car burns petrol to produce energy which turns the wheels, recharges the batteries and keep the inside warm while our bodies burn glucose to power the muscles, heart and brain and keeps the body warm by maintaining a constant body temperature. Both the car and human body*4\329\8*

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