DIABETES

More than one million people in the United States have type 1diabetes mellitus, according to the Nation institute of Diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases (NIDDK)
BACK GROUND
This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile –onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, develops when the pancreas does not produce enough of the hormone insulin. Insulin helps transport sugar to the body’s cell; without it, dangerously high levels of sugar remain in the bloodstream, and cells are starved of energy. To control their disease, Type 1 diabetics typically test their blood-sugar levels and inject insulin once or twice a day. Even with this treatment, however, many diabetics develop blindness and suffer vascular damage that results in amputations, and thousands more die each year from other complications of the disease such as kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
A 10- year study conducted by the NIDDK has shown that diabetics can significantly reduce their risk of long-term complications by monitoring their blood sugar and injection insulin more frequently. The study compared the conventional treatment method with an ‘intensive’ program in which patients received three to four insulin injections a day doses were adjusted according to a patient’s daily diet, exercise, and blood sugar, which was tested at least four times a day.
Among the study’s 1, 4441 participants, those who followed the intensive protocol showed greatly improved control of their blood sugar. As a result, diabetic eye disease decreased by 76 percent, and the progression of eye disease in patients who were already afflicted was slowed.
However, patients following the intensive protocol were also more likely to suffer episodes of low blood sugar if they failed to comply with recommendation, concerning diet and exercise. Most experts agree that full compliance would eliminate the increased risk of hypoglycemia. According to Phillip Gorden, M.D., director of the NIDDK, the intensive treatment program might be appropriate for Type 11 diabetics as well. Although the cause of this ‘adult onset’ diabetes is unknown, about a third of the 13 million Americans who have it also take insulin.