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When Is Insulin Required for Diabetics?

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood glucose (sugar). 2007 data from the American Diabetes Association indicate that nearly 8% of the U.S. population has diabetes, and 1.6 million new adult cases are diagnosed every year. Each patient differs in his or her requirements for insulin therapy.

  1. History

    • Before the discovery of insulin in 1921, a diagnostic of diabetes was almost synonymous with certain death. The FDA initially approved insulin in 1939. Currently, insulin used for treatment is either synthetic or derived from animal pancreas tissue.

    The Role of Insulin

    • Glucose and other nutrients regulate the secretion of insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas. Insulin is an important hormone because it enables cells to get glucose from the blood to make energy.

    Type 1 Diabetes

    • In type 1 diabetes, a combination of genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors lead to the progressive destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This happens at different rates in different people, but ultimately, a majority of insulin-producing cells are destroyed. As a result, type 1 diabetics require insulin therapy in order to survive.

    Type 2 Diabetes

    • Type 2 diabetics are non-insulin dependent, but the disease sometimes calls for insulin injections to control blood sugar levels. This happens when type 2 diabetics develop insulin resistance or can no longer make enough insulin themselves. Insulin resistance increases with weight gain and occurs when the body stops responding properly to normal insulin levels.

    Gestational Diabetes

    • During pregnancy, some women may develop gestational diabetes and require treatment to control their blood glucose levels. In such cases, insulin is only needed during the pregnancy, since 90 to 95% of gestational diabetes cases are resolved immediately after pregnancy.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Diabetes education is key to proper disease management and prevention. Other important steps include adopting a healthy meal plan, exercising regularly, and losing excess weight.

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