Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results
when the body's system for fighting infection (the immune
system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the
immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in
the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces
little or no insulin. A person who has type 1
diabetes must take insulin daily to live.
At present,
scientists do not know exactly what causes the body's immune
system to attack the beta cells, but they believe that autoimmune,
genetic, and environmental factors, possibly viruses, are
involved. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10 percent
of diagnosed diabetes in the United States. It develops
most often in children and young adults, but can appear
at any age.
Symptoms
of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period,
although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier.
Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant
hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue.
If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person with
type 1 diabetes can lapse into a life-threatening diabetic
coma, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
What
are the types of diabetes?
The three main types of diabetes are:
Type
1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes
More
Diabetes Information:
American
Diabetes Association
What is Diabetes Management