Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes. The two most common types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. Both types cause an abnormal elevation in blood glucose levels.
In order to understand the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it’s essential first to understand two common terms associated with this disease: insulin and glucose.
Glucose is a type of sugar created by your body after eating. The carbohydrates within your food break down and then form glucose, which enters your bloodstream and provides the energy you need to go about your day.
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin permits glucose to enter your cells. Its purpose is to regulate your body’s glucose levels and to signal the liver to store a portion of that glucose for future use.
Now that you’re familiar with insulin and glucose, it’s time to learn about type 1 and 2 diabetes and their differences.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system attacking and destroying insulin-producing cells. As a result, your pancreas either produces an insufficient amount of insulin or none at all. Without the right amount of insulin, your body cannot regulate glucose levels.
While this type of diabetes can occur at any age, it’s typically diagnosed by age 30, which is why it used to be referred to as “juvenile diabetes.” There’s no way to prevent type 1 diabetes because it is an autoimmune reaction, which means the body is erroneously attacking itself.
People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes treat it by living a healthy lifestyle and managing their blood sugar levels through daily insulin injections or by wearing an insulin pump. People with type 1 diabetes also perform regular blood sugar checks so they can manage the disease and reduce their risk of experiencing symptoms relating to hypoglycemia, which is a drop in glucose levels. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include shaking, dizziness, and sweating, among others.
Type 2 Diabetes
Far more common than type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90-95% of diabetes and tends to develop in older adults and younger people who are overweight or obese. The main risk factors of type 2 diabetes are excess weight and an inactive lifestyle, but it’s essential to know that genetics can play a factor, too.
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body can make insulin, but it’s not making enough, and/or your body’s cells have become resistant to it. If your pancreas produces extra insulin to compensate for the added demand, it will eventually start making less or stop producing insulin altogether. This is problematic because when glucose builds up in the bloodstream, it causes symptoms such as fatigue, increased thirst, and blurred vision, to name a few.
People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can try to eat better, lose weight, and exercise more often. Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes is progressive. While people with type 2 diabetes can take oral diabetes medications or insulin therapy, many complications are known to arise from this type of diabetes; these complications affect the body’s major organs, including the heart, nerves, and blood vessels. Type 2 diabetes is known to cause heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes Care Center
Firelands Regional Medical Center—Center for Coordinated Care is proud to operate a Diabetes Care Center. The diabetes cancer center is comprised of two facets. The first facet includes our diabetes specialty providers, consisting of clinicians, including Donald Cundiff, M.D., nurse practitioners, and a pharmacist, who are highly trained in diabetes management.
Our clinicians believe education empowers diabetes patients to manage their disease, avoid complications associated with it, and help the patient achieve optimal health status. The need for education brings us to the second facet of the center‘s service objectives, the Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program, which clinicians work with closely.
The DSME program was recently recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The ADA believes that Firelands offers high-quality education, an essential component of diabetes management. Firelands DSME program provides information and skills to teach and encourage people with diabetes to prioritize their health by living a healthy and active lifestyle. Patients must be referred by their primary care provider (PCP) or one of the center’s providers to participate in the self-management program.
For more information about the Diabetes Care Center at Firelands Regional Medical Center – Center for Coordinated Care, visit firelands.com/diabetes or call 419-557-6550.
