Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that results in abnormally high levels of sugar within the blood. An estimated 24 million people in the United States have some form of diabetes, according to health officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). There are three different classifications of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Type 1
Type 1 diabetes--formerly referred to as juvenile-onset diabetes--occurs when the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body break down sugar into energy that is used by your cells, tissues and organs. Though this condition can occur at any age, the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed during early adolescence, explains the State of Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include increased thirst or hunger, weight loss, blurred vision or fatigue. Patients with type 1 diabetes can control blood sugar levels through the administration of daily insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump.
Type 2
The most common classification of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, which accounts for an estimated 90 percent of all diabetes cases, explain HHS health officials. Patients with this condition either do not produce enough insulin or are unable to effectively utilize insulin to generate the energy needed by the body. Type 2 diabetes most commonly occurs in patients over the age of 30 but can also occur during childhood. Symptoms of type 2 and type 1 diabetes are similar and can include fatigue; increased urination, thirst or hunger; recurrent infections; or tingling within the hands and feet. Factors that influence your risk of developing type 2 diabetes include body weight, family history, and ethnicity. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle alterations, including diet and exercise changes, or medication to help manage your blood sugar levels if you have type 2 diabetes.
Gestational
Gestational diabetes is a classification of diabetes that only occurs in pregnant women who do not have a preexisting form diabetes. During pregnancy, normal hormone levels can fluctuate radically, which may affect how a woman's body responds to insulin. If a woman's body does not produce enough insulin during pregnancy, she can develop gestational diabetes. The HHS estimates that gestational diabetes occurs in approximately 1 in 20 pregnant women, the majority of whom do not experience symptoms. Gestational diabetes can be problematic and may increase a woman's risk of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy. This condition can also lead to a high infant birth weight or low infant blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) following delivery. Gestational diabetes resolves after pregnancy, but women with this condition are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
