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Diabetes
Check
About 2% of the population of Ireland are diagnosed
diabetics. It is accepted that a further 2-3% have
got it or have early signs of it but don’t
realise it yet. The
blood glucose check takes about 5 minutes and
requires a small finger prick of blood that is
then analysed on our monitor .If you have symptoms,
e.g. obesity, thirst, frequent urination, fatigue
etc Get tested
The two major forms of diabetes are type 1, previously
called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
or juvenile-onset diabetes, and type 2, previously
called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
(NIDDM) or maturity-onset diabetes.
Insulin
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes share one central
feature: elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels
due to absolute or relative insufficiencies of
insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin
is a key regulator of the body's metabolism. It
works in the following way:
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During
and immediately after a meal the process of
digestion breaks carbohydrates down into sugar
molecules (of which glucose is one)
and proteins into amino acids.
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Right
after the meal, glucose and amino acids are
absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and
blood glucose levels rise sharply. (Glucose
levels after a meal are called postprandial
levels.)
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The
rise in blood glucose levels signals important
cells in the pancreas, called beta cells,
to secrete insulin, which pours into the bloodstream.
Within 20 minutes after a meal insulin rises
to its peak level.
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Insulin
enables glucose and amino acids to enter cells
in the body, particularly muscle and liver
cells. Here, insulin and other hormones direct
whether these nutrients will be burned for
energy or stored for future use. (It should
be noted that the brain and nervous system
are not dependent on insulin; they regulate
their glucose needs through other mechanisms.)
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When
insulin levels are high, the liver stops producing
glucose and stores it in other forms until
the body needs it again
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As
blood glucose levels reach their peak, the
pancreas reduces the production of insulin.
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About 2 to 4
hours after a meal both blood glucose and
insulin are at low levels, with insulin being
slightly higher. The blood glucose levels
are then referred to as fasting blood
glucose concentrations. |
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