Diabetes: The Silent Killer

Diabetes: The Silent Killer

Roughly 25 million Americans have diabetes; it is called the “Silent Killer” because almost half of those 25 million have no idea that they even have the disease; it can strike and kill without warning. I am interested in the disease because both my grandfather and my maternal great grandmother had diabetes. However, both of them had late onset diabetes, or Type II. Diabetes Mellitus is the cause of many serious health complications such as stroke, heart disease, renal failure, and blindness, among others. It can destroy the major organs in your body; untreated it can take your life.

What is Diabetes Mellitus? The official definition is: a condition in which the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin, or cells stop responding to the insulin that is produced, so that glucose in the blood cannot be absorbed into the cells of the body. (Thefreedictionary.com)

There are two types of Diabetes, Type I and Type II. Both types are very different. Type I Diabetes is known as juvenile diabetes because it most commonly diagnosed and begins at adolescence. In this form, little or no insulin is produced by the body. That is also why it is referred to as insulin dependent, because people need to receive daily injections of insulin. In Type II Diabetes, enough insulin is produced by the pancreas, but the cells don’t work effectively because they have become insulin resistant. This form of diabetes is most often diagnosed when a patient is being seen for another concern, which was unknowingly caused by the diabetes.

Each type of diabetes has its own risk factors. In Type I those factors are family history, genetics, geography, viral exposure, vitamin D deficiency, and other dietary factors. In Typ...

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...at a doctor’s visit. She had a wound on her leg that would not heal and she complained to the doctor about how she was constantly thirsty. Her heart was affected and they were going to amputate her leg, but she passed away before they could do so. In the case of my grandfather, it was discovered that he had late onset or Type II Diabetes, which was most likely due to the effects of the war. He was able to control it with diet, but even though it was mild, it did affect his heart and he died of a stroke.

Knowing the early warning signs and symptoms of diabetes is very important so that you can take the appropriate measures to ensure your well-being. Managing diabetes is a group effort between yourself, your doctor, and other healthcare providers on your team. Always make the most of all of your resources and maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent diabetes.