Diabetes

Diabetes Overview

Diabetes is a chronic disease caused when a person’s blood sugar is too high and their body cannot lower the amount of blood sugar properly. Diabetes is common, and over 1 in 4 people over the age of 65 have diabetes.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that there are multiple types of diabetes.  

In the case of type-1 diabetes, a person’s body does not produce any or enough insulin. This hormone is required to process sugar, and does this by helping glucose get from the food consumed to the cells. Type-1 diabetes is usually diagnosed at a young age, but can develop at any age.

Type-2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, making up around 90 to 95 percent of cases of diabetes in adults. In the case of type-2 diabetes, a person develops resistance to insulin. This type of diabetes can develop at any age, but most commonly develops in middle age or later in life.

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It can sometimes go away after a person gives birth, but it does increase a person’s risk for developing type-2 diabetes.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases goes on to explain that there are other forms of diabetes that are less common, including monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. 

Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetes can include:

• increased thirst and hunger
• increased urination
• fatigue
• blurred vision
• numbness or tingling in feet and hands
• sores that do not heal
• unexplained weight loss

These symptoms can develop quite quickly in the case of type-1 diabetes, whereas in the case of type-2, they may develop very slowly. Some people with type-2 diabetes may not experience symptoms. 

Causes

The causes of type-1 diabetes are not entirely known, but experts believe that the condition is caused by genetics and environmental factors. One such possible factor is viruses, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Endocrine Web says that both genetics and lifestyle play a role in the development of type-2 diabetes. A combination of these factors can lead to a person’s body becoming resistant to insulin. 

Treatment

Type-1 diabetes patients need to take insulin every day to survive because their bodies do not produce it (or do not produce enough of it) naturally. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter a person’s cells, causing the blood sugar levels to rise above normal.

In the case of type-2 diabetes, though genetics can make a person susceptible to diabetes, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle can lower your risk for the condition and can help you manage the disease. Some type-2 diabetes patients use drugs to lower their blood sugar levels.

Diabetes Complications 

An inability to regulate blood sugar can lead to a range of health problems. These can include:

• heart disease and stroke
• low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia)
• nerve damage
• kidney disease
• foot problems cause by nerve damage and poor blood flow
• eye disease
• gum disease
• dental problems
• erectile dysfunction
• loss of interest in sex
• incontinence
• urine retention

Lawsuits Filed

Unfortunately, research suggests some drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may increase a person’s risk for amputation, says WebMD. These drugs are called sodium-glucose co-transporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. 

Confusingly, one of the symptoms of diabetes is an increased risk of amputation due to nerve damage. Diabetes drugs aim to help prevent or treat symptoms like this, but some drugs may actually increase this risk.

Additionally, this type of drug may also increase patients’ risk of developing an infection from a flesh-eating bacteria, says USA Today. SGLT2 drugs cause excess sugar to be excreted in the urine, providing an environment from bacteria. Though the occurrence is rare, some of this bacteria may be dangerous and may kill the tissue. 

Drug companies have a responsibility to warn patients if the drugs they produce have dangerous side effects. It may be possible that the makers of these drugs did not sufficiently warn about the dangerous side effects. If this is the case, patients who were affected may be able to hold drug companies accountable through a diabetes drug lawsuit.