Diabetes: Pathophysiology and Treatment

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses diabetes mellitus, an extremely common disease which becomes more prevalent every day in industrialized countries. According to the paper, diabetes is a multifactorial condition that can cause multiple problems with multiple physical systems, that include the cardiovascular, renal and visual systems. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the different types of diabetes, the causes of risk factors for each one, the symptoms of the disease and how the disease is diagnosed. The paper discusses the role of insulin within the treatment of diabetes and also ventures into some of the newer treatments for diabetes, which include new methods of insulin delivery, stem cell treatment and other promising discoveries.

Outline:
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Disease and Pathophysiology
Chapter 2 -Insulin Treatment
Chapter 3 - New Treatment Options
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The development of transgenic mice which express a protein called hepatocyte growth factor holds another possibility as a treatment for diabetes. By encouraging the growth of pancreatic islet cells, this may allow beta cell proliferation, an increase in the total mass of islet cells and ultimately an increase in the production of insulin. To date, the development of HGF has only worked in vitro, but the findings on the transgenic mice in vivo showed a significantly decreased blood glucose level, increased pancreatic insulin levels as compared to controls and an increase in the volume of islet cells.
Probably the most important treatment option on the horizon is the use of stem cells for the treatment of diabetes. Before the issue of stem cell use can be discussed, the pathophysiology of stem cells in the treatment of chronic diseases must be discussed. At its most basic level, a stem cell is defined in two ways. A stem cell can divide indefinitely, producing identical cellular offspring. And stems cells can, under the right physiological circumstances, undergo an asymmetrical division resulting in two dissimilar daughter cells. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Diabetes Association. Position statement: standards of medical care in diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2005; 28(suppl):S4-S36.
• Braunstein SN, White JR. Trends in the management of type 2 diabetes: An emerging role for insulin. J Manag Care Pharm. 2005; 11(suppl):S2-S11.
• Riddle MC. Glycemic management of type 2 diabetes: an emerging strategy with oral agents, insulins, and combinations. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am. 2005; 34:77-98.
• Abramowicz M, ed. Drugs for diabetes. Treatment Guidelines from The Medical Letter. 2005; 3:57-62.
• Schmitz O, Brock B, Rungby J. Amylin agonists: a novel approach in the treatment of diabetes. Diabetes. 2004; 53 (suppl):S233-S238.

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