Diabetes

Pancreas is the key organ for metabolism as it can be seen by the following diagram.
β-cells release insulin, stimulating glucose utilization and uptake and α-cells release glucagon, increasing the breakdown of glycogen and glucose release.

Normal blood glucose levels are 3.3-6.0mmol/L when fasting and less than 11.1mmol/L when non-fasting. Glucose levels being above 7.0mmol/L is an indication of hypoglyceamia and possibly diabetes mellitus.
There are quite a few types of diabetes. The most common ones are Type 1 - also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)- and Type 2- also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (ΝIDDM). Type 1 is characterised by the destruction of β-cells responsible for producing insulin in the pancreas. It is divided into Type 1A- Autoimmune T cells are responsible for destroying β-cells and Type1B, which is idiopathic. Type 2 is caused by a relative insulin deficiency and/or insulin resistance. Other types of diabetes include genetic defects of β-cell function, genetic defects in insulin action, diseases of the exocrine pancreas, endocrinopathies, drug or chemical induced (e.g. nicotinic acid, glucocorticoids, high dose thiazides, pentamidine, interferon-α), infections, uncommon forms of immune-mediated diabetes, other genetic syndromes sometimes associated with diabetes and gestational diabetes.

The main symptoms of diabetes are polyuria, nocturia and polydipsia due to osmotic diuresis, fatigue due to inability to use glucose, weight loss due to breakdown of protein and fat instead of glucose and blurred vision. Hypoglyceamia, ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemia are diabetic emergencies, whereas cardiovascular disease, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, retinopathy, nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot are complications often associated with diabetes.

Treatment involves diet, exercise, weight control as well as a drug therapy.