Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition that is diagnosed in individuals whose blood sugar levels are found to be significantly higher than normal. With the increasing number of patients diagnosed with diabetes, it has become crucial to study the causes of this disease, which will assist medical experts in identifying a cure. As a result of studies conducted worldwide, diabetes has been classified into two main types: Type 1 and Type 2, each of which has a different set of causes and requires a different treatment approach.

Characteristics & Development of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease; a condition that occurs when the body’s immunity system attacks certain cells in the body, mistaking them for being harmful. In the case of Type 1 diabetes, antibodies attack the beta cells that generate insulin in the body, and hence insulin injections are inevitable for patients diagnosed with this condition. It is often diagnosed in children and is generally not associated with an increase in the weight of the patients.

Characteristics & Development of Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, beta cells do generate insulin, yet the body finds it difficult to respond to its presence, leading to insulin resistance. As a result, beta cells work to produce more insulin. This eventually destroys these beta cells due to excessive production. Type 2 diabetes typically occurs in people suffering from obesity. Pharmaceutical intervention is not always needed. Instead, a balanced, healthy diet with sufficient exercise can be used to treat this condition. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can be treated with insulin therapy and certain types of medication. It is often diagnosed in patients who are older than 40.

References

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/difference-between-type1-and-type2-diabetes.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1671/table/A580/