Capella University
HIM_FPX 4610
Professor Name
November 2024
Health Topic Presentation: Diabetes Mellitus
Hello, my name is _____. Today, I will discuss Diabetes Mellitus, a long-term condition that pertains to the body’s failure to absorb or use blood glucose appropriately. Blood glucose is one of the body’s main sources of energy and is found in food as well as in the form of insulin in the pancreas (Harreiter & Roden, 2023). In diabetes, the body either lacks a sufficient amount of insulin or the cells in the body fail to properly use it. The problem with insulin dysfunction is that blood glucose elevates which creates emergencies also known as hyperglycemia accompanied by severe long-term complications if not properly addressed. Knowledge of this disease is necessary because diabetes affects millions of people and requires constant treatment, dieting, and medication.
Etiology and Types
Diabetes is a genetic, environmental, and lifestyle diseases that take advantage of the molecular process responsible for glucose regulation in the body. There are main categories of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2 diabetes, Gestational diabetes,s, and several other forms (Cloete, 2022). Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic ailment characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing cells in our body cells by our immune system. This type develops during childhood or adolescence; thus, a person with the disease must take insulin throughout their lifetime. Type 2 diabetes affects mainly adults and arises from the problem of insulin insensitivity whereby the body cells resist regular insulin and a decline in insulin synthesis over the years (Ikegami et al., 2022). Gestational Diabetes develops during pregnancy and is often a temporary condition, but it raises the mother’s odds of developing Type 2 diabetes over her lifetime. There are other rare types of diabetes such as MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young), and diabetes that results from other diseases and drugs.
Signs and Symptoms
They depend on the severity of the condition and type but common ones are; polydipsia, polyuria, and frequent infections. Some of the side effects include; The patient may feel very weak due to decreased glucose levels which affects the energy cells in the body. Weight loss may occur without desire because the cells of the body can start to metabolize fat and muscles as sources of energy in dieting Type 1 diabetic patients (Hoogwerf, 2020). Other signs are poor sight, difficulty in wound or infection healing, and Type two diabetes, some feeling loss in the forearms and feet due to nerve deterioration. It is important to note these symptoms so that they can be capitalized on by clinicians as intervention signs.
Complications and Risk Factors
This condition is well known to cause complications if well managed affecting various body organs (Ruze et al., 2023). One of the main sets of complications is cardiovascular disease because high glucose levels are toxic to blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Nephropathy is also recognized as kidney disease and retinopathy is known as eye disease which develops when blood vessels in kidneys and eyes get damaged by excessive glucose (Ceriello et al., 2021). Neuropathy which appears to manifest itself in the hands and feet can cause pain and reduced sensitivity. The factors include; body mass, lack of enough exercise, hypertension, high levels of cholesterol, family history of diabetes, and age over forty years for Type 2 diabetes whereas genes, viral infections, and environmental conditions may cause Type 1 diabetes.
Diagnosis
Though comprehensive control and cure for diabetes is still a dream for medical science today, the Association states that the future is brighter now than ever before. It therefore becomes possible for a patient employing changes in lifestyle diet and other practices together with medications and routine clinic visits to live long healthy lives with little complications of the disease (Shojima et al., 2023). However, the inability to manage blood glucose puts a patient at risk of developing severe complications that over time affect the life span and well-being of a patient. The outcome largely depends on an individual’s willingness to manage the condition and how well treatment removes blood glucose.
Treatment
The treatment plan for diabetes depends on the type of diabetes in addition to other factors that may prevail in a particular patient. Such a condition remains treated through injection of insulin or the use of an insulin pump since the body is unable to develop insulin (Faselis et al., 2020). For Type 2 diabetes, the treatment plan is managed by changes in diet and that includes a balanced diet, exercise, and weight loss, with the possible use of medications like metformin, and sometimes insulin. Gestational diabetes needs constant watch of blood sugar levels, a change of diet,t and at some point, insulin as well, to make sure the woman and her baby do not suffer complications. Teaching and training regarding the same is necessary for each kind, enabling patients to regulate their situation.
Support System
Therefore, this article affirms that there is a great need for support for those people with diabetes to enable them to manage the disease. This includes any providers involved in the treatment of diabetes including but not limited to doctors, dietitians, diabetes educators, and mental health care providers (Malik et al., 2022). People who have been diagnosed with diabetes need someone, who can support them in daily life, and check how they are doing; also the best way to get this support is by talking to other similar patients as those diagnosed with the disease because they will also feel the same way as the diagnosed patient. This is important for motivation, the reduction of stress, and compliance with management plans given by the family.
Preventions
Prevention is mainly used in type 2 diabetes because sometimes onset and progression can be prevented by changing behaviors (Faselis et al., 2020). A non-diabetic lifestyle involves exercising and keeping fit, avoiding obesity, and incorporating in the diet complex carbohydrates from whole grains fresh vegetables, and lean sources of protein. Health promotion activities especially preventive examinations are crucial when there are factors that may cause the disease e.g. family history, obesity, or diabetes.
HIM FPX 4610 Assessment 6 Conclusion
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic, multifactorial, and metabolic disease to which, despite having no cure, it is possible to provide efficient treatment. Knowledge it its cause, signs, predilections, and avoidances is crucial to enhancing prognosis and providing the optimal quality of life for those inflicted with it (Malik et al., 2022). With screening, dietary changes, and encouragement, participants can have a substantial level of control over the progression of the disease and that is why the components of effective treatment and prevention are crucial.
HIM FPX 4610 Assessment 6 References
Cloete L. (2022). Diabetes mellitus: an overview of the types, symptoms, complications and management. Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain): 1987), 37(1), 61–66. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2021.e11709
Ceriello, A., & Prattichizzo, F. (2021). Variability of risk factors and diabetes complications. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 20(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-021-01289-4
Harreiter, J., & Roden, M. (2023). Diabetes mellitus – Definition, Klassifikation, Diagnose, Screening und Prävention (Update 2023) [Diabetes mellitus: definition, classification, diagnosis, screening, and prevention (Update 2023)]. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 135(Suppl 1), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-022-02122-y
Hoogwerf B. J. (2020). Type of diabetes mellitus: Does it matter to the clinician? Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 87(2), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.87a.19020
Ikegami, H., Hiromine, Y., & Noso, S. (2022). Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in older adults: Current status and prospects. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 22(8), 549–553. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.14414
Faselis, C., Katsimardou, A., Imprialos, K., Deligkaris, P., Kallistratos, M., & Dimitriadis, K. (2020). Microvascular complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Current Vascular Pharmacology, 18(2), 117–124. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570161117666190502103733
Malik, A., & Ananthakrishnan, S. (2022). Diabetes physical examination. The Medical Clinics of North America, 106(3), 483–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2021.12.007
Shojima, N., & Yamauchi, T. (2023). Progress in the genetics of type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications. Journal of Diabetes Investigation, 14(4), 503–515. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdi.13970
Ruze, R., Liu, T., Zou, X., Song, J., Chen, Y., Xu, R., Yin, X., & Xu, Q. (2023). Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: connections in epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatments. Frontiers in endocrinology, 14, 1161521. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1161521
