General Medical Advices

Posts Tagged ‘Blood sugar’

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), more than 23 million Americans have diabetes and nearly a quarter of them are unaware they have the disease. Many believe that diabetes affects only older people, but in 2007 was diagnosed in 1.6 million new cases of diabetes in people over 20 years. Diabetes is a major cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, two thirds of diabetics die of some form of heart disease or blood vessel.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body can not produce or respond properly to the hormone insulin. The body needs insulin to convert glucose ( “blood sugar) into energy. Diabetes does not allow the body properly use the energy of food consumed. Where there is no such energy transfer, the cells are damaged. As the cells can not absorb glucose, increases the amount of glucose in the blood. When blood contains too much glucose, it is said that there are “hyperglycemia” (ie, a high blood sugar) or diabetes.