Differences between Diabetes mellitus and Diabetes insipidus

 

DIABETES

Diabetes is caused due to some disorders in the metabolism, causing excessive thirst and production of a large volume of urine or elimination of sugar in the urine. Two commonly known diabetic diseases are diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. But the term 'Diabetes' more commonly refers to diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus :

The term 'Diabetes Mellitus' has been derived from the Greek word diabainein means to pass through” and the Latin word Mellitus means "sweetened with honey." It is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism in which the sugar in the body is not oxidised to produce energy and instead, it gets accumulated and this is due to lack of the pancreatic hormone insulin. 

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone, synthesized in the beta cells of the islets .of Langerhans of the pancreas and is required for the normal utilization of glucose by most cells in the body. In persons suffering from diabetes mellitus, the normal ability of the body cells to use glucose is inhibited and thereby causing an increase in the glucose level in the blood (a condition called hyperglycemia). As more glucose accumulates in the blood, the excess amount of glucose is passed out along with urine (the condition called glycosuria). The disease caused to children appears to be more severe than that beginning in middle or old age. It can also be inherited. 

Types of Diabetes Mellitus :

There are two types of diabetes mellitus such as 

(1) Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) 

(2) non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). 

In the first type (IDDM), insulin is not secreted by the pancreas and therefore insulin must be taken by injection. But the second type (NIDDM), also called adult-onset diabetes, is caused due to low rate of secretion of insulin and tissue resistance to the secreted insulin. This type can be controlled by dietary restrictions. Although both types of diabetes mellitus can occur in any age group, still NIDDM is of common occurrence in about 90% of cases of diabetes mellitus.

Symptoms :

The symptoms of diabetes are as follows:

1. There is excessive urination and sugar may be eliminated in urine.

2. Sugar level in the blood becomes high.

3. There is increased appetite and thirst.

4. Weight of the body gets reduced and the person becomes weak.

5. Itching sensation may develop.

6. Chronic diabetic patients develop defects in vision and heart and kidney problems.

Treatment:

Recovery from diabetes without treatment is normally not possible, although it is known that gestational diabetes inherited by the newborn baby from the mother may be cured some days after delivery even without any specific treatment. However, treatment aimed at controlling diabetes is quite successful. 

The different methods of treatment are as follows:

1. Injection of insulin (best result can be achieved by injecting three or more doses of soluble insulin before breakfast and dinner as recommended by the physician). Insulin used for the treatment of diabetes in man is prepared synthetically or is extracted from the pancreas of pigs, sheep and oxen. But in addition to this, human insulin based on recombinant DNA technology became available for use in the 1980s.

2. Intake of carbohydrates and fats should be avoided. All patients must be kept on restrictive diets that may help them to maintain normal body weight.

3. Oral antidiabetic drugs such as sulfonylurea (a sulphonamide derivative) and biguanides (a guanidine derivative) can be used.

4. Patients must do regular exercise, which enhances the movement of glucose to muscle cells and prevent their accumulation in the blood.

Differences between Diabetes mellitus and Diabetes insipidus: 

• Why diabetic patients feel hungry?

• Why is insulin not administered orally to a diabetic patient?