What is Diabetes?
What does the word "diabetes" mainly refer to?
A disease where blood sugar stays too high.
How many types of diabetes are there?
What tool do people use to check their blood sugar?
A glucometer.
Why is it important to control blood sugar?
To prevent long-term damage to the body's organs.
True or False: People with diabetes can never eat desert.
False. They can but in moderation.
What is insulin?
A hormone that helps sugar move from the blood into cells for energy.
Which type of diabetes is most common in adults?
Type 2
What's a common symptom of low blood sugar?
Shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or confusion.
Which body part is commonly often affected by nerve damage from diabetes?
Feet
What is a normal blood sugar range?
70-100 mg/dl
What organ in the body makes insulin?
The pancreas.
Which type is considered an autoimmune disease?
Type 1
What is a common symptom of high blood sugar?
Excessive thirt, frequent urination, fatigue, or blurred vision.
What is a common long-term complication of uncontrolled diabetes?
Kidney disease, vision problems, or heart disease.
What does the A1C test measure?
The percentage of hemoglobin coated with sugar.
What part of the pancreas produces insulin?
The beta cells of the islet of Langerhans.
What type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and may go away afterwards?
Gestational diabetes
What is the medical term for high blood sugar?
Hyperglycemia.
What test measures average blood sugar over 2-3 months?
Hemoglobin A1C test.
What is a diabetes specialist/doctor called?
An endocrinologist.
What is the pathophysiological difference between Type 1 and Type 2?
Type 1 involves the autoimmune system destroying pancreatic beta cells.
Type 2 involves insulin resistance with insulin deficiency/
What hormone, other than insulin, helps regulate blood sugar by raising glucose levels when it drops too low?
Glucagon(in the pancreas) signals the liver to release stored glucose into the blood.
Compare Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) vs Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State (HHS) in one key difference?
DKA occurs in Type 1 (ketone production, metabolic acidosis)
HHS in Type 2 (severe hyperglycemia, dehydration, no significant ketosis)
What is the mechanism of diabetic neuropathy?
Chronic high blood sugar damages small blood vessels that nourish nerves, causing lack of oxygen, nerve's insulating layer degeneration, and neuron degeneration.
What is the story behind insulin's discovery?
Frederick Banting discovered insulin in 1922. He gave the first injection to a Canadian boy who was comatose due to hypoglycemia.