Contents:
- Medical Video: Recognizing Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
- Difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- What is double diabetes?
- How can double diabetes occur?
- What is the impact if I get diabetes double?
- Handling double diabetes
Medical Video: Recognizing Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. Based on the course of the disease, this condition can be divided into two types; type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In 1991, it was found that someone could get type 1 and type 2 diabetes at the same time. This condition is known as double diabetes. What are the conditions and how are they? Learn more in the following explanation.
Difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Before discussing double diabetes, keep in mind that type 1 and type 2 diabetes have fundamental differences.
Type 1 diabetes is a congenital autoimmune disease that has existed since young. Yes, even children can get type 1 diabetes. When a person has type 1 diabetes, his body mistakenly attacks healthy cells that produce insulin, causing insulin deficiency.
In fact, insulin is needed in breaking down sugar. This causes the condition of hyperglycemia (blood sugar is too high) and triggers the appearance of symptoms of diabetes.
While type 2 diabetes or what is known as diabetes or diabetes is diabetes that is very closely related to lifestyle and obesity conditions. The problem is, if someone is obese, the body becomes more immune to the workings of insulin. This condition is known as insulin resistance.
As a result, in the long term a person is obese, insulin cannot work properly to break down sugar so that diabetes occurs.
The point is this, in type 1 diabetes the body produces very little insulin or doesn't even produce it at all. While in type 2 diabetes, insulin is still produced. It's just that insulin can't work properly.
What is double diabetes?
Double diabetes is an advanced disease experienced by someone who has type 1 diabetes with a characteristic type 2 diabetes that is insulin resistance. When the body of a person with type 1 diabetes cannot produce the hormone insulin, their body cannot use it optimally due to resistance to these hormones.
The condition of resistance in people who have double diabetes does not necessarily make symptoms of type 1 diabetes lighter. In fact, insulin resistance will make it more difficult to treat symptoms of type 1 diabetes.
How can double diabetes occur?
Although the condition of type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with obesity, it is still possible that type 1 diabetics are obese. This can cause the emergence of insulin resistance in people with type 1 diabetes. In addition, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can also cause the emergence of insulin resistance.
Double diabetes can also be affected by hereditary factors. If your parents or family members have type 2 diabetes, then there is a higher risk for people with type 1 diabetes experiencing insulin resistance.
Double diabetes can easily be recognized when a person with type 1 diabetes has a hyperglycemia condition even though he has been using high-dose insulin injections. Double diabetes can occur in anyone who has type 1 diabetes, both young and old.
Although obesity is closely related to insulin resistance, it is still possible that the condition occurs and develops slowly in people with type 1 diabetes whose body weight is ideal.
What is the impact if I get diabetes double?
Just like type 2 diabetes in general, double diabetes also increases the risk of damage to the heart and blood vessels. Conditions for insulin resistance and hyperglycemia make you more susceptible to heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Moreover, in double diabetics, maintaining an ideal body weight becomes more difficult to do.
In addition, the condition of insulin resistance also complicates the treatment process and fulfills insulin requirements.
Increased use of the hormone insulin is the main impact of the emergence of double diabetes. The condition of insulin resistance in people with type 1 diabetes causes the body to need a higher dose of insulin to respond. The use of insulin can also cause weight gain, and at the same time weight gain also causes the condition of insulin resistance to become more serious so that the insulin dose also needs to be increased.
Handling double diabetes
People who get double diabetes still need to use insulin injections because the symptoms of type 1 diabetes still exist and need to be addressed. Insulin resistance needs to be overcome by lifestyle changes to overcome the obesity condition and re-increase insulin sensitivity which is continued by slowly reducing the insulin dose.
Adjusting the portion of food by reducing carbohydrate and fat intake is also important. Not to forget, doing physical activity as a routine can also improve insulin sensitivity and overall health conditions of the patient.
