It is estimated that more than 133 million people are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in adults, more than 90 percent. T2DM is characterized by hyperglycaemia, usually due to progressive loss of insulin secretion combined with insulin resistance, resulting in relative insulin deficiency. Many patients are asymptomatic at presentation, with elevated glucose levels and A1c discovered on routine laboratory evaluation. Type 1 diabetes is caused by autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells, leading to insulin deficiency. Type 1 diabetes is approximately 5-10 percent of adult diabetics. DKA may be the initial presentation in around 25 percent of adults with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. In up to 12 percent of adults, the initial presentation is consistent with type 2 diabetes, potentially managed with non-insulin regiments and then an autoimmune-mediated insulin deficiency develops later in the course of disease. This is sometimes referred to as latent autoimmune diabetes of adults or LADA. Classic symptoms of hyperglycaemia are polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), polyphagia (increased hunger), blurred vision, and weight loss. Polyuria occurs when the serum glucose concentration rises significantly above 180 mg/dL, exceeding the exceeding the kidney’s ability to reabsorb glucose, which leads to increased urinary glucose excretion. It is always important to monitor for these symptoms an alert your healthcare provider if they develop.
