Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is characterized by the following symptoms.

1. Polyuria: Excess urination
2. Polydipsia: Excessive thirst, weight loss.
3. Polyphagia: Increased appetite
4. Hyperglycaemla: It is a condition in which the blood sugar increases above the normal level i.e. above 120 mg per l00ml blood. When the blood sugar level exceeds the renal threshold (180 mg per 100 ml), sugar appears in the urine. Lack or diminished secretion of insulin is the main factor which produces hyperglycemia.
5. Glycosuria: It is a condition where the blood glucose level exceeds 180 mg glucose per 100 ml blood, above the normal blood glucose level (60-100 mg glucose per 100 ml blood). At this time the renal tubular cells are not able to re-absorb all the glucose. Some glucose reaches the urinary bladder and glycosuria results.
6. Ketosis: Accumulation of ketone bodies in the blood stream because its utilization is declined due to insulin deficiency.
7. Acidosis: The total body sodium and potassium is depleted along with water as a result of which the urine becomes acidic. The electrolyte and water loss leads to dehydration and hypotension.
8. Coma: Coma in diabetes can be due to acidosis and dehydration. Brain edema is seen in a significant number of patients with diabetic acidosis, which causes coma.

In addition to the above serious symptoms, it is also associated with long term vascular changes. These include both abnormalities of the small blood vessels (micro angiopathy) and accelerated atherosclerosis. The vascular changes lead in turn to increased incidence of stroke, renal failure, autonomic insufficiency, circulatory insufficiency in the leg leading to chronic ulceration and gangrene and to proliferative scarring of the retina (diabetic retinopathy) with loss of visual acuity and blindness.