Learn the factors that distinguish type 1 and type 2 diabetes and why targeted screening is essential for diagnosis and treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 38.4 million people, amounting to 11.6 percent of the U.S. population, suffer from diabetes. Diabetes affects 352,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20. And as many as 304,000 of them have type 1 diabetes.
Insulin’s role in diabetes
So how does type 1 diabetes differ from type 2 diabetes? To start with some basics, diabetes is related to the lack of a hormone called insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas. Insulin helps your body lower its sugar levels by increasing uptake of glucose by the body tissues. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas do not make enough insulin. This is because the cells that produce the hormone are targeted by autoantibodies against them. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreatic production of insulin could be normal but the body tissues are more resistant to the effects of insulin. Both types are marked by high sugar levels in the blood.
Type 1 diabetes is associated with symptoms like excessive thirst, excessive hunger, excessive urine production, and weight loss. In contrast, type 2 diabetes is more gradual in its onset and can often lack symptoms. We see type 2 diabetes as more often associated with an increase in body weight. Patients with type 1 diabetes always need insulin while those with type 2 diabetes can respond to non-insulin medications and lifestyle changes.
Type 1 diabetes typically presents earlier in life, though the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in younger patients is rising. Differentiating between the two types of diabetes is primarily through a combination of age at presentation, symptoms, and labs looking for various autoantibodies.
Screening reduces diabetes risk
Despite the estimated burden of diabetes, around 8.7 million of them do not know of their diagnosis. Targeted glucose screening can help more patients learn about their diagnosis and provide them with a chance to alter the course of disease. Primary.Health partners with communities, public health entities, and other large groups to offer health screenings and vaccinations at local venues. Talk to our provider team today to get started.
Disclaimer: This blog content and linked materials are not intended as individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered as such. Any readers with medical concerns should contact a licensed healthcare provider. This blog is provided for informational purposes only.
