Guide To The Most Common Autoimmune Diseases

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease where a patient has a pancreas that produces too little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is made by the pancreas manages blood sugar by providing a way for glucose to enter the cells from the blood. The most common cause of type 1 diabetes is an abnormal immune system response where antibodies are produced that are inappropriately programmed to destroy islet cells. Islet cells are the cells in the pancreas responsible for the production of insulin. Because their pancreas does not function, a type 1 diabetes patient has to manually manage their blood sugar using their diet, medications, and specialized monitoring equipment. Insulin injections are required to provide the hormone in place of the pancreas. An individual who has type 1 diabetes has to be diligent about managing their blood sugar to ensure they do not experience complications, like heart disease, neuropathy, nephropathy, eye damage, foot damage, and others.

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