Abstract
This paper examines research studies that were conducted in the field of diabetes. It is composed of four articles that offer information on the various types of diabetes, predisposing factors, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Each of these articles offers a detailed analysis of the challenge posed by diabetes in the modern world. From the articles, it can be noticed that there is a steady increase in the cases of diabetics. Statistics reveal that the victims of diabetes may be close to half a billion worldwide before the close of 2035. The articles offer available diagnostic measures for handling diabetics as well as the signs and symptoms of the problem. From all the articles, it can be observed that diet has been discussed as a major contributing factor in the increasing cases of diabetics in the modern society and especially among the young people. All the articles reiterate on the need of increasing public awareness on diabetes and its predisposing factors. It is prudent that the information on diabetics that is available to the public is minimal. This has resulted into increased cases of late diagnosis and deaths related to diabetics.
Background and Discussion
This paper provides a review and analysis of four medical research papers conducted on diabetes. The information presented in the articles offers an insight in the diagnosis of diabetes among various groups of persons and the related preventive and treatment measures.
The first article researched by Rewers et al (2008) analyses diabetes among the youth in the United States. The researchers carried out several studies to determine the predictors and commonness of diabetic Ketoacidosis among the American youth during the diagnosis stage. The research was conducted between 2002 and 2004. The patients used in this study were under 20 years of age. The research was based on a diabetes registry of young individuals who were diagnosed with diabetes before attaining twenty years of age. The study identified 3666 cases of initial stages of diabetes that were within the age bracket of the sample population (Rewers et al., 2008).
The medical charts for 2824 patients who took part in the survey were reviewed by the researchers. These were done with the aim of ascertaining the existence of diabetic Ketoacidosis during diagnosis. The standards used to define diabetic Ketoacidosis were <15mmol/L of blood bicarbonate and <7.25 venous pH. These standards were based on the international classification of diseases listings.
More than half of the study population was in critical stages of diabetes and had been hospitalized immediately after being diagnosed with the disease. 93% of all the patients with diabetic Ketoacidosis were among the newly hospitalized diabetic patients. The study population had a diabetic Ketoacidosis prevalence of 25.5%. However, these values decreased with the age of the individuals. As such, children recorded the lowest levels of diabetic Ketoacidosis. Moreover, the prevalence of diabetic Ketoacidosis was more pronounced among patients with type 1 diabetes (Rewers et al., 2008).
The research went further to analyze the causative agent of diabetic Ketoacidosis. Several factors such as family history, gender, ethnicity, age, and the type of diabetes were analyzed. The findings indicated that individuals from poor backgrounds recorded the highest prevalence level of diabetic Ketoacidosis. The study found out that in every four youths diagnosed with diabetes, one had diabetic Ketoacidosis. In addition, they were more likely to be hospitalized. Lack of public awareness on this disease accounted for the high levels of diabetic Ketoacidosis (Rewers et al., 2008).
The second article entitled “Risk of development of diabetes mellitus after diagnosis of gestational diabetes” by Feig et al (2008) offers information on the risk of the development of type 2 diabetes because of exposure to gestational diabetes. The authors acknowledge the lack of information that links the two types of diabetes. However, the research tries to link the two incidences with the aim of bridging the gap. The study was carried out in the province of Ontario. The study used a population database from hospitals in identifying all deliveries in this province between 1995 and 2002. The researchers further analyzed the records in order to identify the mothers who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The nine years medical records of the identified mothers were scrutinized in order to determine the development and prevalence of diabetes mellitus based on the adopted definitions of the condition.
The data collected identified 659164 pregnant women who were non-diabetic. Gestational diabetes was prevalent among 3.3 percent of women who were taken through the diagnosis process. The prevalence of gestational diabetes increased from 1995 to 2004, with 2004 recording the highest level of gestational diabetes. According to the study, the possibility of type 2 diabetes developing because of gestational diabetes was 3.7% within the first nine months after delivery. This value rose to about 18.9% within a period of nine years after delivery. The study further analyzed the results by incorporating factors such as age, residence, number of pregnancies, hypertension factor, income, and prenatal care. The most significant causative agent of type 2 diabetes amongst these women was the availability of gestational diabetes, with the risk percentage being at about 37.3%. Poor income, emergence of substandard settlements in urban setups and age bracket of an individual are major predisposing factors. Women who delivered in the late 1990s had a higher prevalence of diabetes compared to those who delivered in the early 1990s.
The study concluded by linking gestational diabetes with the type-2 diabetes. The researchers further identified increased incidences if diabetes in the current years compared to the past with the prevalence of about 20%. The study recommended the use of the data collected in the provision of the necessary guidance and counseling among pregnant women. The research further recommended on policy makers’ need of targeting pregnant women for screening in order to curb the increasing levels of diabetes among the women in the population.
The third research conducted by Riaz, (2009) analyzes diabetes mellitus. In this article, diabetes mellitus is defined as a disorder in which the body has problems with the manufacture and use of insulin (a hormone produced in the pancreas). The research identified the core causes of diabetes mellitus (DM). These were metabolism related to type two diabetes, and gestational diabetes. The author identifies unhealthy lifestyles as being the metabolic cause of diabetes mellitus. This results into the inability of the body to synthesize or use insulin. However, genetics play a major role in this case. The highest prevalence of diabetes in the US is associated with type-two diabetes, according to the study. The article acknowledges the increased instances of type 2 diabetes among the young generation in the U.S. It is associated with increased cases of childhood obesity. Gestational diabetes is also a causative agent for diabetes. This is attributed to hormonal imbalances during and after pregnancy. The latter might trigger diabetes if not well monitored.
Autoimmune response also accounts for the development of diabetes mellitus. The body cells that destroy the insulin manufacturing cells can trigger the disease. However, the author argues that in most cases, it results due to unhealthy diets and genetic factors. The author further analyses the contributing factors on the development of other diseases because of being diabetic. These diseases include kidney failures, vascular disease such as stroke and heart conditions, nerve damage, eye diseases, impaired thinking, wounds, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, pregnancy complications, emotional difficulties, insulin shock, and diabetic Ketoacidosis. Patients who are diagnosed with these diseases have the highest probability of being diabetic.
The article also highlights the trends of diabetes. It indicates that diabetes is on a steady increase. Metabolic diabetes has been on the rise in the recent past according to the study. The number has been rising steadily. It was 30 million in 1985. The number rose to 246 million in 2007. About 70% of Americans are diabetic. It is ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
The paper identifies five major types of diabetes with information on the differences between the given types. These include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, secondary diabetes, autoimmune polygranduler, and wolfram syndrome.
The author offers detailed information on the symptoms that can be used in the diagnosis of diabetes. Some of these factors include polydipsia, dehydration, polyuria, polyphagia, weight loss, vision problems, mood swings, skin problems, and fainting. The article analyses several clinical diagnostic methods that are used in the diagnosis of diabetes. These methods are glucose tests, C-peptide tests, autoantibody tests, genetic tests and thyroid blood tests. All these tests are carried out concurrently in order to ascertain the type of diabetes and the level of the infection.
The article concludes by analyzing the available prevention and treatment methods for the syndrome. Dieting and exercise are the requirements for effective management of DM apart from the oral medications and injections available for control of the problem. Control measures of diabetes are limited to the type. Autoimmune diabetes is unpreventable. However, these other forms of diabetes can be controlled by avoiding the risk factors. The article concludes by appreciating current scientific advancements in the management of diabetes.
The fourth article analyses the medical nutritional treatment as a probable way of managing diabetes (Morris & Rosett, 2010). These articles begin by recognizing the link between diet and increased levels of diabetes. The authors admit that diet management is prudent in controlling the increasing rate of diabetic victims worldwide. The use of diet that is medically proven has the potential of producing better results in diabetes management compared to the traditional medical interventions as stated in the study. The article provides detailed evidence that links diabetes management to effective dieting. The information in the article addresses how physicians can be used in the management of diabetes with minimal application of medicines.
From the article, it is obvious that there is a close link between personal diet and the development of diabetes. Hence, diabetes can be managed in advance because it is a lifestyle disease. The research study establishes the importance of the primary care physicians in diabetes management as the patients fully depend on them for advice on the management of the condition. According to the article studies reveals that medical practitioners avoid giving advices to the patients on issues such as diet and weight loss. Furthermore, the article reiterates on the relevance of correct diet advice on management and treatment of diabetes by physicians.
The article highlights the American Diabetes Associations (ADA) regulations of 2009, which advocates for individualized Medical Nutrition Therapy for pre and post-diabetic patients. This will enhance the effectiveness of diabetes management. More so, the ADA emphasizes on the need of effective ways of managing diabetes such as exercising and dieting. The paper concludes by advocating for the application of the procedures in the management of the complication in an effort of reducing the prevalence of the condition. Consequently, the costs of managing the condition will reduce if public awareness about the condition is increased.
In summing up, it is vital to emphasize that the four articles offer detailed information about diabetes. Information on the prevalence and management of diabetes among young Americans is analyzed in the first article. This article offers comprehensive information on the reasons to why the recent years have witnessed increased cases of diabetes (Rewers et al., 2008). The most pronounced reason being increased predisposing factors such as obesity and poor diet. The authors use the information obtained from the study to provide advice on the necessary clinical action that can be taken in dealing with predisposing factors that exposes individuals to diabetes at a very early age. This paper is a rich source that can be used by medical practitioners in handling cases of diabetes among the youth.
This research examines gestational diabetes and the risks of developing diabetes (Feig et al., 2008). It is a rich source of information that can be used to minimize cases of diabetic outbreak among the female population. The realization of increased cases of d9iabetics in the recent years calls for further research to ascertain the reasons and provide amicable solutions to the epidemic.
References
Feig, D. S., Zinman, B., Wang, X., & Hux, J. E. (2008). Risk of development of diabetes mellitus after diagnosis of gestational diabetes. CMAJ, 179(3), 229-234.
Morris, S. F. & Rosett, J. W. (2010). Medical Nutrition Therapy: A Key to Diabetes Management and Prevention. Clinical Diabetes, 28(1), 12-18.
Rewers, A., Klingensmith, G., Davis, C., Petitti, D. B., Pihoker, C., Rodriguez, B., Schwartz, D., Imperatore, G., Williams, D., Dolan, L. M. & Dabelea, D. (2008). Presence of Diabetic Ketoacidosis at Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in Youth: The Search for Diabetes in Youth Study. Pediatrics, 121(5), 1258-1266.
Riaz, S. (2009). Diabetes Mellitus. Scientific Research and Essay, 4 (5), 367-373.