Diabetes - The 6 Points That Will Explain it to You - Diabetes Information And Tips:
"2. Causes of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes is caused by resistance to, or deficient production of, the hormone insulin, which helps glucose move from the blood into the cells.
In type 1 immune mediated diabetes, pancreatic beta cell destruction results in failure to release insulin and ineffective transport of glucose. There is no known cause for idiopathic diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, the beta cells release insulin but, receptors are insulin resistant and glucose transport is variable and inefficient. Some people may have conditions that can cause diabetes, such as Cushing's syndrome, pancreatitis or liver disease."
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Physical examination should include measurement of pulse, blood pressure, and evaluation for signs often associated with obesity, such as hepatomegaly from fatty liver disease and acanthosis nigricans, which is associated with insulin resistance. The examination may detect signs of possible reversible causes of obesity, such as deep purple striae and the "buffalo hump" of Cushing's syndrome ...