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Learn about type 1 diabetes and how to manage daily diabetes care. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Nov 18, 2019 · Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn't make much (or any) insulin. Luckily, type 1 diabetes is a manageable disease—here's what you It's way more than just insulin injections,...
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Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs to use insulin shots to control their blood sugar. When your doctor talks about insulin, they’ll mention three main things: "Onset" is how long it takes to reach...
What are various treatment options for Type 1 diabetes?
Nov 16, 2020 · The cause of type 1 diabetes isn’t really known, but experts are looking into a combination of genes and environmental triggers, such as viruses. Treatments such as the monoclonal antibody drug teplizumab are being investigated for delaying onset of the disease. More research is needed, and type 1 diabetes isn’t preventable at this time.
What to do if you have type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes must be managed with insulin injections. Prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes involves maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, a normal body weight, and avoiding use of tobacco. Type 2 diabetes may be treated with oral antidiabetic medications, with or without insulin.
Is type 1 diabetes a serious disease?
Apr 12, 2022 · Type 1 diabetes, once referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar, or glucose. It occurs when the immune system ...
How do we treat type 1 diabetes?
What is the cause of type 1 diabetes?
What Causes Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, called beta cells. This process can go on for months or years before any symptoms appear.
How to prevent diabetes complications?
Keeping your blood sugar levels as close to target as possible will help you prevent or delay diabetes-related complications. Stress is a part of life, but it can make managing diabetes harder, including managing your blood sugar levels and dealing with daily diabetes care.
How to get diabetes educator?
Whether you just got diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or have had it for some time, meeting with a diabetes educator is a great way to get support and guidance, including how to: 1 Develop and stick to a healthy eating and activity plan 2 Test your blood sugar and keep a record of the results 3 Recognize the signs of high or low blood sugar and what to do about it 4 Give yourself insulin by syringe, pen, or pump 5 Monitor your feet, skin, and eyes to catch problems early 6 Buy diabetes supplies and store them properly 7 Manage stress and deal with daily diabetes care
Why do you need insulin every day?
If you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin shots (or wear an insulin pump) every day to manage your blood sugar levels and get the energy your body needs. Insulin can’t be taken as a pill because the acid in your stomach would destroy it before it could get into your bloodstream.
How long does it take for diabetes to show symptoms?
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can develop in just a few weeks or months. Once symptoms appear, they can be severe. Some type 1 diabetes symptoms are similar to symptoms of other health conditions.
Who manages diabetes?
Unlike many health conditions, diabetes is managed mostly by you, with support from your health care team (including your primary care doctor, foot doctor, dentist, eye doctor, registered dietitian nutritionist, diabetes educator, and pharmacist), family, teachers, and other important people in your life.
What is a DKA?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that can be life-threatening. DKA develops when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into your cells for use as energy. Very high blood sugar and low insulin levels lead to DKA. The two most common causes are illness and missing insulin shots.
How old is a person with type 1 diabetes?
Although type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, it appears at two noticeable peaks. The first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old, and the second is in children between 10 and 14 years old.
Why is type 1 diabetes bad?
Usually, the body's own immune system — which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses — mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet, or islets of Langerhans) cells in the pancreas. Other possible causes include:
What is the name of the condition where the pancreas produces little or no insulin?
Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy. Different factors, including genetics and some viruses, may contribute to type 1 diabetes.
Can diabetes cause blindness?
Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant. Eye damage. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy), potentially causing blindness.
Does diabetes affect vision?
Diabetes also increases the risk of other serious vision conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma. Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications.
What are the risk factors for diabetes?
Some known risk factors for type 1 diabetes include: Family history. Anyone with a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the condition. Genetics. The presence of certain genes indicates an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Geography.
Can diabetes cause amputations?
Skin and mouth conditions. Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to infections of the skin and mouth, including bacterial and fungal infections. Gum disease and dry mouth also are more likely.
How to detect type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is detected through a simple blood test. If you have the disease, your doctor will likely give you some options when it comes to treatment—and a lot of it is managed by you. 1. Take regular insulin shots or a use an insulin pump. People with type 1 diabetes will need to take regular insulin shots or wear an insulin pump ...
How many people have type 1 diabetes?
Only about 5% of those diagnosed with diabetes have type 1, which is why it may seem like this version of the disease seems a little more mysterious than type 2 diabetes—and with good reason: No one knows quite how to prevent type 1 diabetes yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What happens if you don't have insulin?
When you don’t have insulin, blood sugar can’t get into your cells and builds up in the bloodstream. That causes high blood sugar, which is bad for your body. High blood sugar causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes, like peeing a lot, feeling very thirsty, losing weight without trying, feeling very hungry, having blurry vision, ...
What is the target blood sugar level?
Everyone’s target blood sugar levels are slightly different, but the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that targets usually are between 80 and 130 before you have a meal and below 180 two hours after the start of the meal.
How long does it take for diabetes to develop?
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop over a few weeks or months. And, while it usually starts when someone is a child or young adult, it can technically come on at any age. RELATED: 6 Facts People With Type 1 Diabetes Want You to Know.
Why can't you take insulin as a pill?
Unfortunately, insulin can’t be taken as a pill because the acid in your stomach destroys it before it can reach your bloodstream, the CDC explains.
What happens when blood sugar is too high?
Have strategies in place for when blood sugar levels are off. High blood sugar (aka hyperglycemia) happens when your blood sugar level is higher than your target or 180. This can cause symptoms like feeling really tired, having blurry vision, or needing to pee more often than usual, the NIDDK says.
How to control blood sugar with type 1 diabetes?
Adjust your insulin, food, and activities as necessary. Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs to use insulin shots to control their blood sugar.
What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes?
Blurry vision. Heavy, labored breathing (your doctor may call this Kussmaul respiration) Frequent infections of your skin, urinary tract, or vagina. Crankiness or mood changes. Bedwetting in a child who’s been dry at night. Signs of an emergency with type 1 diabetes include: Shaking and confusion. Rapid breathing.
Why does diabetes cause high blood sugar?
Damage to beta cells from type 1 diabetes throws the process off. Glucose doesn’t move into your cells because insulin isn’t there to do the job. Instead, it builds up in your blood, and your cells starve. This causes high blood sugar, which can lead to: Dehydration. When there’s extra sugar in your blood, you pee more.
What is secondary diabetes?
A condition called secondary diabetes is like type 1, but your beta cells are wiped out by something else, like a disease or an injury to your pancreas, rather than by your immune system. Both of these are different from type 2 diabetes, in which your body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should.
How long does insulin work?
Several types of insulin are available. Rapid-acting starts to work in about 15 minutes. It peaks about 1 hour after you take it and continues to work for 2 to 4 hours. Regular or short-acting gets to work in about 30 minutes. It peaks between 2 and 3 hours and keeps working for 3 to 6 hours.
Can you prevent type 1 diabetes?
There’s no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Doctors don't know all the things that cause it. But they know that your genes play a role. They also know that you can get type 1 diabetes when something around you, like a virus, tells your immune system to go after your pancreas.
What causes blisters on the side of the mouth?
Diabetes can also cause blisters or rashes. Gum disease. A lack of saliva, too much plaque, and poor blood flow can cause mouth problems. Pregnancy problems. Women with type 1 diabetes have a higher risk of early delivery, birth defects, stillbirth, and preeclampsia. Retinopathy.
How to treat type 2 diabetes?
Prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes involves maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, a normal body weight, and avoiding use of tobacco. Type 2 diabetes may be treated with medications such as insulin sensitizers with or without insulin.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
The classic symptoms of untreated diabetes are unintended weight loss, polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), and polyphagia (increased hunger).
What causes diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus: 1 Type 1 diabetes results from failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin due to loss of beta cells. This form was previously referred to as "insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (IDDM) or "juvenile diabetes". The loss of beta cells is caused by an autoimmune response. The cause of this autoimmune response is unknown. 2 Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses, a lack of insulin may also develop. This form was previously referred to as "non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (NIDDM) or "adult-onset diabetes". The most common cause is a combination of excessive body weight and insufficient exercise. 3 Gestational diabetes is the third main form, and occurs when pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes develop high blood sugar levels.
Why is my pancreas not producing enough insulin?
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 diabetes results from failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin due to loss of beta cells.
What does the blue circle mean in diabetes?
Universal blue circle symbol for diabetes. Diabetes mellitus ( DM ), commonly known as just diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased appetite.
Where did the word "diabetes" come from?
The word diabetes ( / ˌdaɪ.əˈbiːtiːz / or / ˌdaɪ.əˈbiːtɪs /) comes from Latin diabētēs, which in turn comes from Ancient Greek διαβήτης ( diabētēs ), which literally means "a passer through; a siphon ". Ancient Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia ( fl. 1st century CE) used that word, with the intended meaning "excessive discharge of urine", as the name for the disease. Ultimately, the word comes from Greek διαβαίνειν ( diabainein ), meaning "to pass through," which is composed of δια- ( dia -), meaning "through" and βαίνειν ( bainein ), meaning "to go". The word "diabetes" is first recorded in English, in the form diabete, in a medical text written around 1425.
Why do beta cells die?
The loss of beta cells is caused by an autoimmune response. The cause of this autoimmune response is unknown. Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses, a lack of insulin may also develop.
Diagnosis
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Coping and Support
Specialist to consult
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Diagnostic tests include: 1. Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test.This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin). The higher your bl…
Overview
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Symptoms
- Careful management of type 1 diabetes can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications. Consider these tips: 1. Make a commitment to manage your diabetes.Take your medications as recommended. Learn all you can about type 1 diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Establish a relationship with a diabetes educator, and …
Causes
- Diabetes can affect your emotions both directly and indirectly. Poorly controlled blood sugar can directly affect your emotions by causing behavior changes, such as irritability. There may be times you feel resentful about your diabetes. People with diabetes have an increased risk of depression and diabetes-related distress, which may be why many diabetes specialists regularly include a s…
Risk Factors
- If you suspect that you or your child might have type 1 diabetes, get evaluated immediately. A simple blood test can let your doctor know if you need further evaluation and treatment. After diagnosis, you'll need close medical follow-up until your blood sugar level stabilizes. A doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders (endocrinologist) generally coordinates diabetes care. Your h…
Complications
- Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy. Different factors, including genetics and some viruses, may contribute to type 1 diabetes. Although type 1 ...
Prevention
- Type 1 diabetes signs and symptoms can appear relatively suddenly and may include: 1. Increased thirst 2. Frequent urination 3. Bed-wetting in children who previously didn't wet the bed during the night 4. Extreme hunger 5. Unintended weight loss 6. Irritability and other mood changes 7. Fatigue and weakness 8. Blurred vision
Overview
- The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. Usually, the body's own immune system — which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses — mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet, or islets of Langerhans) cells in the pancreas. Other possible causes include: 1. Genetics 2. Exposure to viruses and other environmental factors
Signs and symptoms
- Some known risk factors for type 1 diabetes include: 1. Family history.Anyone with a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the condition. 2. Genetics.The presence of certain genes indicates an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes. 3. Geography.The incidence of type 1 diabetes tends to increase as you travel away from the eq…
Causes
- Over time, type 1 diabetes complications can affect major organs in your body, including heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Maintaining a normal blood sugar level can dramatically reduce the risk of many complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. 1. Heart and blood vessel disease.Diabetes dramatically increases your ris…
Pathophysiology
- There's no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes. But researchers are working on preventing the disease or further destruction of the islet cells in people who are newly diagnosed. Ask your doctor if you might be eligible for one of these clinical trials, but carefully weigh the risks and benefits of any treatment available in a trial.
Diagnosis
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased appetite. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many health complications. Acute complications can include diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, s…
Prevention
The classic symptoms of untreated diabetes are unintended weight loss, polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), and polyphagia (increased hunger). Symptoms may develop rapidly (weeks or months) in type 1 diabetes, while they usually develop much more slowly and may be subtle or absent in type 2 diabetes.
Several other signs and symptoms can mark the onset of diabetes although they are not specificto …
Management
Diabetes mellitus is classified into six categories: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, hybrid forms of diabetes, hyperglycemia first detected during pregnancy, "unclassified diabetes", and "other specific types". The "hybrid forms of diabetes" contains slowly evolving, immune-mediated diabetes of adults and ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes. The "hyperglycemia first detected during pregnancy" contains gestational diabetes mellitusand diabetes mellitus in pregnancy (type 1 or t…
Epidemiology
Insulin is the principal hormone that regulates the uptake of glucose from the blood into most cells of the body, especially liver, adipose tissue and muscle, except smooth muscle, in which insulin acts via the IGF-1. Therefore, deficiency of insulin or the insensitivity of its receptors play a central role in all forms of diabetes mellitus.
The body obtains glucose from three main sources: the intestinal absorption of food; the breakd…