Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Alternate Names : Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, IDDM, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
What can be done to prevent the disease?
Recently, scientists have begun looking into promising new
ways to prevent type 1 diabetes in certain people that are at a very
high risk. This is possible because scientists are now able to predict
a person's risk for developing type 1 diabetes with greater accuracy.
What are the long-term effects of the disease?
Some of the long-term effects of type 1 diabetes include:
atherosclerosis,
also known as hardening of the arteries, which can lead to
heart attacks
and strokes
autonomic neuropathy, which may cause digestion problems,
erectile dysfunction
in males, and low blood pressure
bacterial infections of the skin
diabetic retinopathy,
damage to the retina of the eye that can cause blindness
increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease,
known as CHD
diabetic nephropathy,
damage to the kidneys that can lead to kidney failure
fungal infections like ringworm and athlete's foot
peripheral neuropathy,
or damage to nerves in the limbs, which can cause serious infections that may
require amputation
urinary tract infections
vaginal yeast infections,
because high levels of blood glucose encourage the growth of yeast
Coma
or death may occur as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis.
In addition, smoking
greatly increases the risk of getting many of these long-term effects. People with
diabetes who smoke are a much higher risk for heart attacks,
strokes,
infections, and problems with circulation.
What are the risks to others?
Diabetes is not catching and poses no risk to others. Type
1 diabetes can sometimes run in families.
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