Diabetes Essay -- Biology Biological Medical Health Essays

Diabetes Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that "occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose to enter the cells of the body and generate the body's energy" (Ebony, 115). Diabetes is a disease that affects approximately 3% of the world' population. In American alone, 10.3 million people report having diabetes, while an estimated 10 million more individuals may have undiagnosed diabetes (Morwessel, 540). The gene for diabetes is located in the HLA region on chromosome 6, and the most probable organization of the responsible gene is on a 19-kb region of INS-IGF2, which affects HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility. Diabetes Mellitus, was first diagnosed in the year 1000 BC, by the father of Indian medicine, Susrata of the Hindus (Knott, 539). The actual term was coined by Apollonius of Memphis in 230 BC. Like other complex gene disorders, diabetes does not have an identifiable inheritance pattern, although the disease seems to cluster within families (Morwessel, 552). Two different forms of diabetes mellitus exist: Type I and Type II. Type I, formerly known as IDDM or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, affects 10% of diabetics. The remaining 90% are induced with Type II, formerly known as NIDDM or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Nelson et al, 227). Type I diabetes is the most common chronic illness during childhood development, and usually evolves in individuals under the age of 15. The formation of Type I diabetes usually shortens the life span by an average of 10-20 years. While Type I diabetes is the more severe form, Type II diabetes is the more common form. It seems to affect individuals from different ethnic backgrounds, mainly Asian, African, Mexican, an... ...etes (Morwessel 550). Works Cited: Abramovitz, Melissa. Taking Control of Diabetes. Current Health 2. Jan 1999. Vol. 25. Issue 5. 19-22. Dahlquist, G. The aetiology of type I diabetes: an epidemiological perspective. ACTA Paediatr Suppl. 1998. Vol. 425. 5-10. Ebony. Diabetes Copin with a Deadly Disease. Mar 1999. Vol. 54. Issue 5. 115-118. Goyder, Elizabeth and Irwig, Les. Screening for Diabetes: What are we Really Doing? British Medical Journal. Dec 1998. Vol. 317. Issue 7173. 1644-1647. Morwessel, Nancy. The Genetic Basis of Diabetes Mellitus. AACN Clinical Issues. Nov 1998. Vol. 9. No. 4. 539-553. Nelson, Robert, and Everhart, James and Knowler, William, and Bennett, Peter. Incidence, Prevalence, and Risk Factors for Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. June 1998. Vol. 15. Number 2. 227-246. Diabetes Essay -- Biology Biological Medical Health Essays Diabetes Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that "occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose to enter the cells of the body and generate the body's energy" (Ebony, 115). Diabetes is a disease that affects approximately 3% of the world' population. In American alone, 10.3 million people report having diabetes, while an estimated 10 million more individuals may have undiagnosed diabetes (Morwessel, 540). The gene for diabetes is located in the HLA region on chromosome 6, and the most probable organization of the responsible gene is on a 19-kb region of INS-IGF2, which affects HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility. Diabetes Mellitus, was first diagnosed in the year 1000 BC, by the father of Indian medicine, Susrata of the Hindus (Knott, 539). The actual term was coined by Apollonius of Memphis in 230 BC. Like other complex gene disorders, diabetes does not have an identifiable inheritance pattern, although the disease seems to cluster within families (Morwessel, 552). Two different forms of diabetes mellitus exist: Type I and Type II. Type I, formerly known as IDDM or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, affects 10% of diabetics. The remaining 90% are induced with Type II, formerly known as NIDDM or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Nelson et al, 227). Type I diabetes is the most common chronic illness during childhood development, and usually evolves in individuals under the age of 15. The formation of Type I diabetes usually shortens the life span by an average of 10-20 years. While Type I diabetes is the more severe form, Type II diabetes is the more common form. It seems to affect individuals from different ethnic backgrounds, mainly Asian, African, Mexican, an... ...etes (Morwessel 550). Works Cited: Abramovitz, Melissa. Taking Control of Diabetes. Current Health 2. Jan 1999. Vol. 25. Issue 5. 19-22. Dahlquist, G. The aetiology of type I diabetes: an epidemiological perspective. ACTA Paediatr Suppl. 1998. Vol. 425. 5-10. Ebony. Diabetes Copin with a Deadly Disease. Mar 1999. Vol. 54. Issue 5. 115-118. Goyder, Elizabeth and Irwig, Les. Screening for Diabetes: What are we Really Doing? British Medical Journal. Dec 1998. Vol. 317. Issue 7173. 1644-1647. Morwessel, Nancy. The Genetic Basis of Diabetes Mellitus. AACN Clinical Issues. Nov 1998. Vol. 9. No. 4. 539-553. Nelson, Robert, and Everhart, James and Knowler, William, and Bennett, Peter. Incidence, Prevalence, and Risk Factors for Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. June 1998. Vol. 15. Number 2. 227-246.