Diabetes Mellitus

Description
Diabetes mellitus refers to the condition of excess blood glucose. There are
three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Causes
Excess blood glucose is normally cleared by the action of insulin, secreted by
the pancreas. In Type 1 diabetes the immune system attacks and destroys
the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, resulting in insulin deficiency. In
Type 2 diabetes, cells throughout the body become resistant to to the action
of insulin. The pancreas is unable to make enough insulin to overcome the
resistance, leading to excess glucose in the blood stream. Excess abdominal
fat and inactivity seem to be common factors in Type 2 diabetes. Gestational
diabetes presents during pregnancy because the body produces hormones to
sustain the pregnancy which make the cells more resistant to insulin.
Complications
After developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy, the likelihood of
developing Type 2 diabetes later in life increases. Studies have also shown
that other risks for type 2 diabetes include mothers who deliver babies
weighing more than nine pounds and women with polycystic ovary syndrome.