Pathophysiology of Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition marked by the inability to control the blood glucose level leading to hyperglycemia. The disease is caused by the presence of insulin insufficiency in inefficiency in the body. In diabetes type one, the patient is insulin injections dependent due to the destruction of the pancreas islet cells by immune cells. In type 2 diabetes, there is insufficiency of insulin due to poor insulin receptor activation or due to the production of too little insulin. In type two diabetes, the patient is not insulin dependent and can be managed using oral anti-diabetic agents.

The signs and symptoms of type one diabetes include the presence of wasting due to poor delivery of glucose to tissues. Other signs include polyuria, polyphagia, and hyperglycemia. The patient is also likely to present with acute exacerbations such as DKA as vomiting, nausea, low blood ph, and hyperglycemia. Signs and symptoms of diabetes type two include hyperglycemia, rise in appetite, frequent urination, and increased thirst. Unlike in diabetes type 1, there is no wasting in diabetes type 2.