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Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and 2 FAQs

Following are the common questions about Diabetes Type 2 and Diabetes Type 1:
  1. What are the differentiating factors between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?
  2. What are the factors that may lead to type 1 diabetes?
  3. What are the factors that may lead to type 2 diabetes?
  4. What are the signs and symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes?
  5. What are the signs and symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes?
  6. What complications are associated with type 1 diabetes?
  7. What complications are associated with type 2 diabetes?
  8. Can you prevent type 1 diabetes?
  9. Can you prevent type 2 diabetes?
  10. What tests are suggested for diagnosing type 1 diabetes?
  11. What tests are suggested for diagnosing type 2 diabetes?
  12. What are the lab values of tests required for type 1 diabetes?
  13. What are the lab values of tests required for type 2 diabetes?
  14. What are the costs of type 1/ type 2 diabetes tests in India?
  15. What are the different treatment methods for type 1 diabetes?
  16. What are the different treatment methods for type 2 diabetes?

  1. What are the differentiating factors between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?

    Though high level of sugar than normal is always associated with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, there are certain differentiators between the two as mentioned below.

    • Type 1 is usually diagnosed during childhood while Type 2 is usually diagnosed post 30 years of age
    • Excess weight is associated with Type 2 while it is not with Type 1
    • Type 1 is related to diagnosis of high level ketone than normal while Type 2 is related to diagnosis of high level cholesterol or/and blood pressure
    • Type 1 treatment is with insulin pump or insulin injections while Type 2 is without medication initially or with some tablets
    • Controlling Type 1 without insulin is not possible while Type 2 can be controlled with medication

  2. What are the factors that may lead to type 1 diabetes?

    Though the perfect cause that leads to type 1 diabetes is unknown, some aspects that lead to this disease are:

    • A strong link in family
    • Unhealthy lifestyle
    • Damage to insulin producing cells in pancreas

  3. What are the factors that may lead to type 2 diabetes?

    Individuals are affected by type 2 diabetes when their pancreas stops producing adequate insulin for maintaining normal level of blood glucose, or if their body is not able to utilize produced insulin. Some important factors that lead to type 2 diabetes include:

    • Age: People over 40 years of age are usually affected.
    • Weight: Obese or being overweight are aspects that may cause this ailment.
    • Ethnicity: Individuals of Chinese, Black African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin are more likely to develop this disease.
    • Genetics: Individuals with close relatives such as a sister, brother or parent having this disease are usually at risk of being affected.

  4. What are the signs and symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes?

    Signs and symptoms that suggest presence of this disease are:

    • Excessive thirst feeling
    • Frequent urination; especially during nights
    • Tiredness
    • Loss of weight and muscle bulk
    • Skin infections and itching around genitals
    • Blurred vision
    • Cuts healing slowly
    • Dizziness
    • Leg cramps

  5. What are the signs and symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes?

    Symptoms and signs associated with type 2 diabetes cannot be always obvious. These are usually diagnosed during check-ups. The reason for this is that these signs are mostly mild and gradually develop over years. Some signs associated with this disease are:

    • Frequent urination; especially during night
    • Thirst feeling
    • Tiredness
    • Unexplained loss of weight
    • Itchy feeling around vagina or penis
    • Slow healing of wounds or cuts
    • Blurred sight or vision

  6. What complications are associated with type 1 diabetes?

    Some complications associated with this ailment are:

    • Prone to stroke and heart disease: With presence of diabetes, likeliness of stroke or heart disease increases 5 fold.
    • Damage to nerves: High levels of glucose may lead to damaging blood vessels in nerves.
    • Retinopathy: This condition causes retina damage. Blood vessels present in retina may grow haphazardly or become leaky. This condition can damage vision.
    • Kidney disease: Kidneys stop functioning efficiently and for rare cases, kidney failure can occur.
    • Foot issues: Foot nerves are damaged and hence, small cuts remain unnoticed; leading to foot ulcer.
    • Sexual dysfunction: Erectile dysfunction is witnessed in patients who smoke while being infected by diabetes.
    • Stillbirth and miscarriage: Pregnant females with this ailment are at high risk for stillbirth and miscarriage

  7. What complications are associated with type 2 diabetes?

    Increased levels of glucose can be damaging to organs, vessels and nerves. Some complications associated with this ailment include:

    • Increased risk of stroke or heart disease
    • Damage to nerves
    • Retinopathy (Diabetic)
    • Kidney disease
    • Foot issues
    • Erection issues
    • Stillbirth and miscarriage

  8. Can you prevent type 1 diabetes?

    There is no perfect way via which this disease can be prevented. However, following are certain things you can follow to keep this ailment at bay sometimes:

    • Ensuring your body is cared for
    • Following a healthy diet
    • Staying fit physically
    • Always remaining active

  9. Can you prevent type 2 diabetes?

    Though you can be infected with this disease if you have a family history, some lifestyle changes and diet control can help in prevention of this ailment. Some aspects that can keep this disease at bay are:

    • Controlling weight
    • Being active and exercising
    • Including whole grains in your diet
    • Avoiding sugary drinks
    • Opting for good fats and avoiding bad ones
    • Limiting red meat (Choose fish, poultry)
    • Quit smoking
    • Keeping alcohol consumption to moderate level

  10. What tests are suggested for diagnosing type 1 diabetes?

    The following tests are suggested for diagnosis of type 1 diabetes:

  11. What tests are suggested for diagnosing type 2 diabetes?

    Tests suggested for diagnosis of this disease include:

  12. What are the lab values of tests required for type 1 diabetes?

    Lab values of tests required for type 1 diabetes are as follows:

    • HbA1C: 4 – 5.6 percent (Normal) 5.7 – 6.4 percent (Rise in risk) > 6.5 percent (Diabetic)
    • Blood sugar: < or = 100 mg/dl (Fasting) < 140 mg/dl for age 50 or less, < 150mg/dl for age 50 to 60 and < 160 mg/dl for age more than 60 (Post lunch)

  13. What are the lab values of tests required for type 2 diabetes?

    Normal range for tests of this ailment are:

    • HbA1C: 4 – 5.6 percent (Normal) ◦ – 6.4 percent (Rise in risk) > 6.5 percent (Diabetic)
    • Blood sugar: < or = 100 mg/dl (Fasting) < 140 mg/dl for age 50 or less, < 150mg/dl for age 50 to 60 and < 160 mg/dl for age more than 60 (Post lunch)

  14. What are the costs of type 1/ type 2 diabetes tests in India?

    The cost of tests required for type 1/ type 2 diabetes may vary based on your city of residence and the type of diagnostic center or hospital you visit. You can find a comprehensive list of costs for these tests across different cities in India here.

  15. What are the different treatment methods for type 1 diabetes?

    Treatment methods for this disease include:

    • Insulin injections
    • Insulin pump method
    • Blood glucose monitoring
    • Following a healthy diet
    • Regular exercise
    • Controlled weight

  16. What are the different treatment methods for type 2 diabetes?

    Though a perfect cure for this disease type is not known, the following methods can be used for treatment.

    • Eating healthy
    • Exercising
    • Monitoring blood sugar
    • Insulin therapy
    • Medications such as Metformin, Sulfonylureas, Meglitinides, Thiazolidinediones, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors

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