Although it is most often referred to by the name diabetes, diabetes mellitus is a treatable, chronic metabolic disorder, affecting the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates. Whether it is due to the body's inability to produce insulin to disperse the sugar from the blood stream or the inability of the produced insulin to do so is what determines which stage of diabetes mellitus from which a person suffers. Type I diabetes mellitus is when the body cannot produce insulin due to the destruction of the cells that produce insulin while Type 2 is when the body's tissues offer a resistance to the insulin being produced. A third type, gestational diabetes, typically has its onset during pregnancy. Although considered Type I, 2 and 3 diabetes mellitus, it is not really three separate diseases, but different stages of pancreatic failure. Failure to properly treat diabetes mellitus can lead to other major health issues, including damage to small blood vessels. Consistently high levels of glucose in the blood will damage the smaller vessels, especially in the retina. The common occurrence of vision loss among those with diabetes mellitus makes it one of the most common causes of blindness among non-elderly in the country. Complications Compounded If Left Untreated There are serious life-threatening complications involved with diabetes mellitus, especially if left untreated, or even under treated, as cardiovascular problems such as coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease can develop. The disease can also cause damage to the kidneys, leading to renal failure and stroke. Strokes suffered by those with diabetes mellitus are typically the ischemic type, during which brain cells die due to being oxygen starved, even for a short period of time. Depending on their location in the brain and primary function, there may be no noticeable impairment caused by ischemic stroke. An ischemic chain involves one minor stroke following another, not always in linear order, and some may be in circular motions. This can be diagnoses through the use of MRI examination. While the complications involved with diabetes mellitus have rendered the illness incurable at this point, it is treatable and many people live a normal lifestyle by taking the necessary precautions so as not to exacerbate their symptoms. Knowing that an increase in blood sugar can lead to a hypoglycemic episode and spark additional health problems, people with diabetes mellitus usually stick with their diet and new lifestyle.
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