Diabetes mellitus or more commonly known as diabetes is a condition where a person has a high level of blood sugar. There are two possible reasons for this. The person may have a condition where the body does not produce insulin. Another reason is that the person’s body is producing insulin but the cells do not respond to it. There are three main types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the failure of the body to produce insulin. This is due to the loss of insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas that leads to insulin deficiency. This type of diabetes has two sub-types, the immune mediated and the idiopathic. Immune mediated type comprises most type 1 diabetes. There is still no known preventive measure for this type which affects about ten percent of all diabetes patients. Type 1 is used to be called juvenile diabetes because majority of the patients affected were children.

Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type, is characterized by resistance to insulin in combination with a reduction of insulin production. In this type, the body does not respond to insulin and involves the insulin receptor. But still, the real cause is still unknown. During the early stages, there is a reduction in insulin sensitivity and hyperglycemia can be corrected through medications that reduce the liver’s production of glucose or improve sensitivity to insulin. As it progresses, insulin secretion is impaired and there will be a necessity for therapeutic replacement of insulin.

Another type is the Gestational diabetes. This occurs during pregnancy and disappears after delivery but it may also later develop into Type 2 diabetes. This is a combination of poor insulin responsiveness and secretion. This is a treatable disease but needs medical supervision throughout pregnancy. Although this condition is temporary, it can still have risks to the health of both mother and the baby. Baby’s risks include macrosomia, congenital cardiac and central nervous system anomalies, and skeletal muscle malformations. A cesarean section may also be performed when there is high fetal distress during delivery.

Early detection of diabetes is very important and there are different products in the market that help detect high levels of blood sugar. The easiest and fastest way is through the use of a glucose monitoring device such as the Accu Check Compact Plus. The Accu Check Compact Plus is a small portable easy to use device that can be used anytime and anywhere. Simply put a small amount of blood on the glucose test strip, put it in the digital meter and within seconds it will show the result. Monitoring glucose blood level is very important for early detection of diabetes to prevent complications and even if you feel healthy, you should regularly check your blood sugar level.

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