Diabetes and Drug Treatments

About the consequences of the chronic disease diabetes, its impact on the human body and the regulation of glucose, or blood sugar.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that influences the way a human organism regulates glucose, or blood sugar levels. In general, there are several types of this disease. All of them share similar symptoms, such as wounds that do not heal properly, blurry vision, excessive hunger and thirst, irritability, and frequent urination. Diabetes causes high glucose levels, resulting in numerous health consequences. Thus, diabetes is a life-long disease with a complex pathophysiology and possible complications that have several types and require serious treatment.

Generally, all types of diabetes are similar in the way they affect the human organism. At the same time, they have some differences. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune, insulin-dependent disease that often starts in early childhood. Risks associated with this type of diabetes include the development of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy which it says  of nursing writing services . Treatment of this form of diabetes usually involves insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes is the most widespread and non-insulin-dependent form of this disease. It is characterized by a lack of sensitivity to insulin or insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes can lead to stroke and heart disease. This form of diabetes can be controlled with physical activity, nutrition, weight management, and diabetes medications. Gestational diabetes is triggered by pregnancy (usually diagnosed in late or middle pregnancy). With this form of disease, risks to the mother are much less than risks to the unborn child. Treatment of gestational diabetes involves taking insulin, controlling weight gain, daily exercising, and meal planning. Juvenile diabetes is now known as type 1 diabetes, usually diagnosed in young adults and children. Understanding the types of diabetes allow to treat it effectively.

Metformin is a drug usually prescribed for type 2 diabetes. It lowers glucose levels, and restores organism’s response to insulin. However, this drug is not effective enough on its own. That is why it should be used in combination with a proper exercise and diet program. Usually, the doctors prescribe to take 1000 mg of metformin (1 tablet) 1-3 times a day with meal. While taking this drug, a patient must drink fluids. Patients taking this drug do not have to avoid any food; however, they must avoid using alcohol. In this case, it can cause lactic acidosis. Possible side effects of this medication are diarrhea and nausea. Other injected or oral medications can be added in case if the diet and metformin are not enough to decrease blood sugar levels. Metformin helps control the amount of glucose produced by the liver.

Type 2 diabetes may lead to both short-term and long-term complications in patients. Long-term complications of type 2 diabetes include macrovascular issues, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, and heart failure. Short-term complications of this form of diabetes include HHN syndrome and hypoglycemia. Type 2 diabetes drugs allow the management of glucose levels in the blood. At the same time, possible effects of such treatment may include severe swelling, shortness of breath, vomiting, nausea, low blood pressure, yeast infections (in women), and diarrhea. If treated incorrectly, this form of diabetes may lead to serious health consequences.

To conclude, there are several types of diabetes, such as juvenile, gestational, type 1, and type 2. The former actually refers to type 1 diabetes. All these types differ depending on what caused them as well as the level of complexity. Metformin is one of the most common drugs prescribed for type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, a patient may have lots of short-term and long-term complications as well as numerous side effects of drug treatment.