A scientist who comes up with an effective cure for diabetes is likely to be awarded the Nobel Prize. This disease has been known since the 2nd century BC, but doctors still cannot eliminate its causes. However, medicine has long been giving patients the opportunity to live long and full lives with diabetes mellitus. How to achieve this, says endocrinologist, candidate of medical sciences Nikolai Aleksandrovich Matsievsky.
— They say that diabetes mellitus is already a non-infectious pandemic. What does it mean?
— A pandemic is an epidemic of a very large scale, when the disease spreads throughout the country, and sometimes to many regions of the world. Since the late 1980s and early 1990s, in 10 years, the number of patients with diabetes in the world has more than doubled, both in developed and developing countries. Therefore, diabetes began to be spoken of as a non-communicable pandemic. Today, every 10th adult over 25 is already sick with it, and this figure is increasing from year to year. Global trends in the incidence of diabetes mellitus are also valid in the US, where diabetes mellitus is one of the key health problems.
The increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus, paradoxically, is associated with the fact that people began to live longer, and their number is constantly growing. At the same time, many people do not monitor the quality of their nutrition, overeat and do not exercise enough, and this leads to excess weight and obesity — the main reasons for the development of type 2 diabetes.
Today, every 10th adult over 25 is already sick with diabetes
— How do type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ from each other?
— Diabetes mellitus type 1 most often occurs before the age of 40. This is an autoimmune disease — the body itself begins to produce antibodies that destroy the cells of the pancreas that are responsible for the synthesis of insulin. As a result, the human body practically ceases to produce its own insulin. And then constant injections of this substance are required.
But 90% of patients with diabetes have type 2. The main factor in its development is age. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in people over the age of 45-50. Aging of the body disrupts the functioning of the so-called beta cells, which produce insulin. The assimilation of this substance at the tissue level also deteriorates — insulin resistance. Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes is getting younger, and this is inextricably linked to another global non-infectious pandemic — obesity, which also affects children.
The causes, mechanism of development, clinical course and treatment characteristics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus vary greatly. The endocrinologist’s task is to correctly diagnose the type and prescribe the necessary treatment.
Diabetes is getting younger, and this is inextricably linked to another global non-infectious pandemic — obesity.
— Who is at risk for diabetes?
— Diabetes is characterized by a genetic predisposition. However, the probability of inheriting type 1 diabetes through the mother is only 1–2%, and through the father, 3–6%. If a brother or sister is sick, then the probability of inheritance from another child is about 6%.
A completely different picture with type 2 diabetes. It is inherited with a 40% probability on both the maternal and paternal lines. If both parents are sick, the probability of its manifestation in children approaches 100%, but, as a rule, in adulthood. Unfortunately, the primary genetic defect that triggers the development of type 2 diabetes is not yet fully understood. Perhaps this is a combination of genetic factors.
The hereditary predisposition will manifest itself more quickly, the more other risk factors a person has — obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, arterial hypertension.
— When does a person start to feel the symptoms of diabetes?
— It all depends on the type of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops gradually, the patient may not even know for a long time that he has high blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs more quickly. Sometimes, almost immediately, glycemic indicators jump to critical levels and a diabetic coma develops.