The Spectrum of Diabetes Types Diabetes encompasses a range of conditions unified by hyperglycemia, with two primary types: Type 1 and Type 2. In Type 1 diabetes, autoimmune destruction leads to severe insulin deficiency due to damaged pancreatic beta cells. Conversely, in early-stage Type 2 diabetes, insulin production may be normal or elevated but tissues resist its effects. Other forms include gestational diabetes during pregnancy (involving both reduced insulin production and resistance), latent autoimmune diabetes in adults resembling late-onset type one cases, and maturity onset diabetes appearing like type two but at younger ages.
Secondary Causes of Diabetes Beyond the classic types are secondary causes where external factors induce chronic hyperglycemia. Drug-induced examples include prolonged use of beta blockers impairing pancreatic function or diuretics affecting glucose metabolism. Endocrine disorders such as Cushing syndrome elevate cortisol levels leading to increased gluconeogenesis in the liver while breaking down proteins and lipids into glucose precursors—resulting in persistent high blood sugar levels.
Global Impact of the Diabetic Monster Diabetes is a global health crisis impacting over half a billion people worldwide with significant morbidity and mortality rates; every five seconds someone dies from it globally amounting up to seven million deaths annually. The disease's core issues lie either in insufficient insulin production or ineffective tissue response—or sometimes both—making it an insidious 'diabetic monster.' Its burden underscores urgent need for awareness about various subtypes including their unique mechanisms contributing collectively towards this epidemic scale problem.