Osmotic Diuresis & Diabetes

An estimated "12 million people in the United States have diabetes and don't even know it," according to Medicine Net. These unsuspecting individuals need medical attention. You or a loved one may be among them. Learn to recognize major symptoms of this disease.

Sugar Diabetes and Water Diabetes

• Two of the main symptoms of diabetes are excessive thirst and frequent urination. These symptoms are common to diabetes mellitus, also known as sugar diabetes, and diabetes insipidus---or water diabetes. Diabetes insipidus has two classifications.

  A lack of vasopressin in the body results in central diabetes insipidus. Vasopressin is the hormone responsible for reabsorbing water in the body. When water is not properly reabsorbed, excessive urine is produced. An inability of the body to respond to vasopressin results in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

• Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is managed with routine maintenance doses of insulin.

  Diabetes mellitus is caused by either the body's lack of the hormone insulin or inability to respond to insulin and is classified as either type 1 or type 2. Type 1 diabetes is insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or IDDM.

  Insulin controls the amount of glucose or sugar in the blood, so a lack of insulin results in excess of glucose in the blood---or hyperglycemia---yielding the common name "sugar diabetes."

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

• A regular exercise routine is part of the regimen recommended to manage non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

  Type 2 diabetes is non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus---or NIDDM. The body either produces insulin in insufficient amounts or does not respond to insulin. As a result, glucose builds up to excessive levels.

Osmotic Diuresis

• Osmotic diuresis is the process through which glucose and water are eliminated by urination.

  The kidneys normally reabsorb water and glucose into the body and control urination or diuresis, but excessive glucose interferes with normal kidney function. The kidneys cannot reabsorb excesses of glucose; additionally, the excess glucose attracts water by a process caused osmosis. The non-absorbed glucose and the water it attracts exit the body via urination in osmotic diuresis.

Testing for Diabetes

• To determine if you have diabetes insipidus, the health care provider will conduct either a water deprivation test/vasopressin test, hypertonic saline infusion test, or other tests that verify the concentration of particles in your urine" according to Clinical Center National Institute of Health.

  To determine if you have diabetes mellitus, the healthcare provider will conduct either an oral glucose tolerance test or fasting blood glucose test. These tests measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

Treatment for Diabetes

• According to Medicine Net "Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin, exercise, and a diabetic diet. Type 2 diabetes is first treated with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. When these measures fail to control the elevated blood sugars, oral medications are used," and as a last resort "insulin medications are considered."

  "If you are treated for central diabetes insipidus," the Clinical Center National Institute of Health states, "you will sniff a drug called DDAVP (Desmopressin), a derivative of vasopressin" to replace the missing hormone vasopressin.

  "If you have nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, water pills (thiazide diuretics) may be prescribed by your doctor." This may seem counterproductive because thiazide diuretics are substances that stimulate urination, but the Clinical Center National Institute of Health explains, "Thiazide diuretics have been shown to stimulate the production of a hormone that helps your body retain salt. This added amount of salt keeps you from losing too much water."