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| What is type 1 diabetes? |
Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes. An estimated 20.8 million people in the United States—7.0 percent of the population—have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. Of those, 14.6 million have been diagnosed, and 6.2 million have not yet been diagnosed. In 2005, about 1.5 million people aged 20 or older were diagnosed with diabetes. For additional statistics, see the National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet online at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics or call the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse at 1–800–860–8747 to request a copy.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. A person who has type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to live.
At present, scientists do not know exactly what causes the body’s immune system to attack the beta cells, but they believe that autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors, possibly viruses, are involved. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of diagnosed diabetes in the United States. It develops most often in children and young adults but can appear at any age.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person with type 1 diabetes can lapse into a life-threatening diabetic coma, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
Insulin dependent type diabetics will die without insulin. People with all forms of type 1 diabetes are insulin dependent. This means without taking insulin each day they will die. If a persons takes too little or too much insulin they can suffer serious medical complications or even rapid death.
It is CRITICAL for people with insulin dependent diabetes to have enough insulin AND blood glucose testing supplies to manage their care each day. IPump, thanks to our generous donors, is able to provide financial assistance for the purchase of insulin and free diabetes supplies to those in need. Your gifts really do save lives!
This information is an excerpt from NIH Publication No. 06–3873, September 2006, reprinted with permission courtesy of the National Institutes for Health.
What is type 2 diabetes? (also called "adult onset diabetes")
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