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Colorado Diabetes
Prevention and Control Program
What is
Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not produce or
properly use insulin. Insulin helps glucose (sugar) leave the blood
and go into the body's cells. If not treated, the sugar that builds up
in your blood can damage your heart, eyes, kidneys and blood vessels.
Type 1 Diabetes: In type 1 diabetes, the body destroys the cells in
the pancreas that produce insulin. People with this type of diabetes
must take insulin shots to live. It is also called "insulin-dependent
diabetes". Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young
adults but can develop at any age. Warning Signs of Type
1 Diabetes:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme tiredness
- Irritability
- Blurry Vision
- Fruity breath odor
(Source: American
Diabetes Association)
Type 2 Diabetes: In type 2 diabetes, the body can't properly use
the insulin it produces (insulin resistance). The body may lose its
ability to produce enough insulin. Type 2 is also called "non-insulin
dependent diabetes" because some people who have it do not have to
take insulin to stay alive. However, there are people who do need
insulin shots to control blood glucose levels. This is the most common
type of diabetes, 90 percent - 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2.
Risk factors for diabetes include:
- Overweight or Obese (BMI calculator)
- Age (45 years or older)
- Family history of diabetes
- Personal history of gestational diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Lack of physical activity
- Race/Ethnicity (African American, Hispanic/Latino, American
Indian and some Asian American and Native Hawaiians or Pacific
Islander)
Warning Signs of Type 2 Diabetes:
- Any symptom of type 1 diabetes
- Frequent infections of the skin, gum or bladder
- Blurred vision
- Cuts or bruises that are slow to heal
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
(Source: American Diabetes Association)
Gestational Diabetes: Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose
levels first diagnosed when pregnant.
- It occurs more often in African American, Hispanic/Latino and
American Indian women.
- During pregnancy treatment is required to normalize blood glucose
levels.
- After pregnancy, most women's blood glucose levels return to
normal.
- Women who had gestational diabetes (or gave birth to baby
weighing over 9 pounds) are more likely to develop diabetes during
their life.
Prediabetes - Prediabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher
than normal but are not high enough to be
classified as diabetes. People with prediabetes are at increased risk
of developing diabetes during their life.
- People with prediabetes have Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) or
Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT). Some people may have both IFG and
IGT.
- IFG is when fasting blood glucose level is elevated after no food
for more than 8 hours. IFG= 100-125 mg/dl
- IGT is when the blood glucose level is elevated after a 2-hour
glucose tolerance test . IGT = 140-199 mg/dl
- Progression from prediabetes to diabetes is not certain. Weight
loss and increased physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and
may return blood glucose levels to normal.
(See Awareness and Prevention)
- People with prediabetes are at increased risk for heart disease
and stroke.
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