Diabetes 2

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and progressive illness that affects all ages. It can affect children, young people and adults. Diabetes mellitus is a term given to a group of conditions in which there is too much glucose in the blood.   Diabetes mellitus is a condition, which affects the body’s ability for proper glucose metabolism. (Nair, 2007) There are three types of diabetes mellitus each with their own cause and treatment. These are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. (Issues in society, 2007) This essay will describe the signs, symptoms, causes, and the pathophysiology of DM and discuss the interventions for treatment such as medication and lifestyle changes.

Diabetes mellitus is a multisystem disease related to abnormal insulin production, impaired insulin utilisation or both. (Brown & Edwards, 2008). The pancreas is elongated organ situated behind the stomach, between the spleen and the duodenum in the body. It is both an endocrine gland, which produces hormones such as insulin and glucagon and an exocrine gland that produces digestive enzymes. In the group of cells named the Illets of Langerhans, Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta (() cells, and glucagon is produced by the alpha (() cells. Insulin is a hormone that aids in cell metabolism it acts as a transport to allow the glucose to enter the body cells for energy. Insulin increases glucose transport into the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue cells. Insulin has a number of functions for different body cells. It not only allows the food components to enter cells but also assists in their storage.
When a person consumes food, insulin secretion increases and moves glucose from the blood into muscle tissues , liver and fat cells. Insulin transports and metabolises glucose for energy, signals the liver to stop producing glucagon, it accelerates the transport of amino acids and inhibits the breakdown of stored glucose protein and fat. The release and utilisation of both insulin and...