Diabetes According to America Diabetes

Diabetes

According to America Diabetes Association there have been 25.8 million adults and children that have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United States. There are approximately 2 million new cases of diagnosis that are done each year and close to 79 million are considered to be in the pre-diabetes state. These masses of people have the risk of several alterations which include heart diseases, neuropathy, stroke, kidney failure and even blindness. The paper will look at a comparison between diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus

Pathophysiology of diabetes insipidus

In order for one to clearly understand the pathophysiology of diabetes they should have the basic knowledge of the metabolism of carbohydrates and how insulin functions. When it comes to diabetes insipidus the underlying pathophysiological defect is the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells found in the pancreas. With the beta cells destroyed, an individual is absolutely deficient of insulin and they can no longer produce insulin. This autoimmune destruction is triggered by factors such as environmental events like viral infections. Genetically determined factors for susceptibility might increase of the autoimmune destruction. Due to the inability to produce insulin diabetes mellitus patients totally depend on insulin which is administered exogenously in order for them to survive (Mealey, 2010).

Electrolyte and volume homeostasis is normally a very complex mechanism which creates a balance in the requirements for the blood pressure and electrolytes sodium and potassium. Volume regulation is normally preceded by electrolyte regulation. Diabetes insipidus is related the production of ADH which is produced in the hypothalamus. ADH functions as a regulator of water levels in the body through controlling urine produced within the liver. Those suffering from diabetes insipidus their ADH fails to regulate the level of water in the body thus a lot of urine is produced from the body.

Pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus

The underlying pathophysiological defect in diabetes mellitus is characterized by three main disorders which are; a peripheral resistance to insulin particularly within muscle cells, an increase in glucose production within the liver and an alteration in the secretion of pancreatic insulin. The high levels of blood glucose lead to the production of insulin therefore patients have excessive production of insulin. There is insulin resistance and hence body cells do not respond in an appropriate way in the presence of insulin (Mealey, 2010).

The main difference between diabetes insipidus, and diabetes mellitus, is that in diabetes mellitus insulin resistance is referred to being "post-receptor." This implies that the problem lies with the cells which respond to insulin as opposed to there being a problem in the production of insulin. The onset of diabetes mellitus is slow and the disorder might go undiagnosed for a very long period of time. Diabetes insipidus has an abrupt onset and it might be diagnosed at any age.

Factors affecting diagnosis and treatment prescription of diabetes