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A person with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day to monitor glucose levels. Diabetes type II, also known as adult beginning diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When the cell does not respond to insulin, it is called insulin resistance.

Type 2 Diabetes

When a person is diagnosed with diabetes type II, exercise and weight control as set out measures to help with insulin resistance. If it does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. Risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II, while improving insulin sensitivity while type can not be controlled training program. Diabetes can also cause long-term complications in some people, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, impaired vision and kidney damage. This is connected with Acromegaly, Cushing’s syndrome and several other endocrinological disorders. Children and Teens with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop hypertension or abnormal levels of blood fats. When these problems cluster together in person, doctors call this metabolic syndrome. Continue Reading »

The pancreas is an elongated but tapered glandular organ located in upper abdomen and lies behind the stomach. The pancreas is responsible for producing digestive juices containing enzymes which are essential for proper digestion and hormones like insulin and glucagons which regulate the glucose level in the blood.

The pancreas has two functional components: –

1. The endocrine part which produce and secretes hormones into the blood stream

2. The exocrine part which produce digestive juices

Acinar cells are outward or exocrine cells.

Pancreatitis: – Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. It may be acute or chronic. Both acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis can be severe and even life threatening.

Acute Pancreatitis: – It is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas in which peripancreatic tissue or remote organ systems may also be involved.

Pancreatitis Causes: -

1. Gall Stone

2. Some types of drugs

3. Use of excessive alcohol

4. Chronic hypercalcemia

5. Toxins (e.g. Scorpion venom)

6. Infections such as mumps, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis etc.

7. Abdominal trauma

8. Peptic ulcer or other duodenal disease

9. Cystic fibrosis

10. Pancreatic tumor

11. Ischemia from bye pass surgery

Continue Reading »

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure

What is blood pressure?

When the heart pumps blood through the arteries, then the pressure exerted on their walls is known as blood pressure.

High blood pressure or hypertension is the condition in which the pressure of blood on the walls of arteries is elevated.

Blood pressure of a person may go up when the person gets exited and the blood pressure of the same person comes down when he/she takes rest. Due to anxiety, fear, stress blood pressure is elevated.

When the arteries become narrower and harder due to deposit of cholesterol and other substances then the heart has to pump harder i.e. has to exert much pressure for sending blood through the arteries, in that case also blood pressure is elevated.

There are also many other factors which affect blood pressure.

Normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Here the top number 120 mmHg indicates systolic pressure and the bottom number 80 mmHg indicates diastolic pressure.

During measurement of blood pressure at any instant the systolic blood pressure is the peak pressure of blood on the arteries and the diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure of blood exerted on the arteries.

Categories and range of blood pressure

                                             Systolic Pressure                                Diastolic Pressure

Normal blood pressure:   May vary from 90 to 119 mmHg                60 to 79 mmHg

High blood pressure:
 Stage I                                May vary from 140 to 159 mmHg              90 to 99 mmHg

Stage II  >=                         160 mm Hg                                             100 mmHg or higher

Hypertension or high blood pressure can have devastating effects on our heart, brain, kidneys and eye sight. Symptoms of high blood pressure are also not always clear.

If you have any one of the following symptoms like:-

i) Irregular heart beat
ii) Shortness of breath
iii) Pain in chest
iv) Blurred vision
v) Nose bleeding
vi) Confusion etc. then you may have high blood pressure and you need to consult a doctor immediately.

Causes of high blood pressure

Factors affecting blood pressure: -
i) Diabetes
ii) Tobacco Smoking
iii) Too much alcohol consumption
iv) Kidney disease
v) Obesity
vi) High fat diets
vii) Atherosclerosis
viii) Coarctation of Aorta
ix) Age

Persons who are in hypertension stage I category can reduce their blood pressure by changing sedentary life style, diets and giving up certain bad habits.

Due to physical activities, blood circulation in every parts of our body especially in brain improves which helps to reduce stress, depression, etc.

A person who is overweight can do light physical exercise. Walking or jogging is very good for weight reduction.

Smoking can damage artery walls. Too much alcohol consumption is also very harmful. Cholesterol causes blockage in artery and is responsible for increasing blood pressure so food containing less cholesterol should be taken. Fried foods and foods rich in saturated fat should be avoided.

Prevention

i) Reduce Sodium intake. Take less salt in food.
ii) Take low fat diet and fat free dairy foods.
iii) Avoid food containing saturated fat.
iv) Take food rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium. Eat vegetables and fruits.
v) Discontinue tobacco smoking
vi) Reduce alcohol consumption
vii) Take less sugar in your diet
viii) Reduce your weight if you are over weight.

Author: S.N.Bhattacharya