“I am thrilled to be a part of this endeavor and welcome the challenge.”
Igor Lacik, PhD, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the islet cells of the pancreas to maintain normal blood sugar.
Complications of diabetes are blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, amputation of limbs, heart attack and stroke.
For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease usually appearing in childhood, but can occur at any age. Patients must take insulin to survive.
Type 1 diabetes strikes five to ten percent of all diabetics. Originally named juvenile diabetes, this form predominantly strikes children and young adults. Type 1 develops when the immune system destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas, mistaking these vital cells as invaders. In order to survive, people with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the pancreas does not make enough insulin or use it efficiently.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form for the disease, affecting nearly 90 to 95 percent of all diabetics. This type occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when the cells ignore the insulin. This type is generally associated with obesity. While Type 2 diabetes is primarily seen in adults, its incidence is rising in children. Treatments for type 2 diabetes include exercise, a healthy diet, pills, and insulin injections.
About four percent of pregnant women experience a form of glucose intolerance called gestational diabetes. This occurs when women are not able to make and use as much insulin as they need for pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is most commonly found among obese women, and women with a family history of diabetes. Treatment includes special meal plans, scheduled physical activity and in some cases, insulin injections.
Pre-diabetes almost always precedes Type 2 diabetes. This is diagnosed when blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Research shows that managing blood glucose levels when you have pre-diabetes can either prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
Your contribution will help doctors and scientists all over the world to bring an end to diabetes of all types. Together we can brighten the lives of people across the globe.
