| The underlying problem
in people with type 1 diabetes, formerly called insulin dependant diabetes,
is that the pancreas does not secrete an adequate amount of the hormone
insulin which is required for the control of blood glucose levels. Thus
the blood glucose levels tend to be high and glucose is lost in the urine.
If not properly controlled, damage to a variety of organs and tissues,including
the heart ,eyes and kidneys occurs in response to persistently elevated
blood glucose levels. Very high glucose levels can be fatal.
While the outlook
for the estimated 800,000 diabetic patients in Australia is quite good,
in the years before 1922, the life expectancy for people with type 1 diabetes
was less than three years from the initial diagnosis - a worse prognosis
than for AIDS patients today.
|
 |
