Diabetes mellitus is usually referred to as diabetes. It is a group of metabolic diseases in which are characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Normally glucose levels in the blood are controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Each form of diabetes mellitus results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The main types of mellitus diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Diabetes Mellitus Definition
The word Mellitus has Latin roots. It means “honey sweet”. The Greek Physician Aretaeus was first to name the condition “diabetes”, which means ‘a flowing through’, as a description of the constant thirst, weight loss, and excessive urination caused by the disease. According to Diabetes.co.uk, the documented history of diabetes have been found to root back all the way back to 1550 BC; it is described on an Egyptian papyrus as a rare disease that causes rapid weight loss and frequent urination. Today diabetes is defined as “A disorder of the metabolism causing excess thirst and the production of large amounts of urine.”
Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms
Diabetes mellitus symptoms are often overlooked. In fact, many people with diabetes don’t get diagnosed until complications of the disease begin to manifest. This is a big problem because early detection is the key to controlling and preventing the complications of the disease. This is why it is so important to know about diabetes mellitus and be able to recognize the symptoms. They are:
- Frequent urination
- Excess thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Excessive weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
Diabetes Mellitus Prevalence
The prevalence of diabetes in the United States was estimated at 25.8 million for all age groups; that accounts for 8.3% of the population. It is stated by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) that 18.8 million people are currently diagnosed, and 7 million people are undiagnosed. Additionally, 79 million people are thought to have pre diabetes and the numbers of diabetics are expected to continue growing at alarming rates.
Diabetes Mellitus Pathophysiology
MedScape.com describes the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus as follows:
“During early pregnancy, increases in estrogens, progestins, and other pregnancy-related hormones lead to lower glucose levels, promotion of fat deposition, delayed gastric emptying, and increased appetite. As gestation progresses, however, postprandial glucose levels steadily increase as insulin sensitivity steadily decreases. For glucose control to be maintained in pregnancy, it is necessary for maternal insulin secretion to increase sufficiently to counteract the fall in insulin sensitivity. GDM occurs when there is insufficient insulin secretion to counteract the pregnancy-related decrease in insulin sensitivity.”
