Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.  There are three major types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes 

Usually diagnosed in childhood, Type 1 diabetes patients need daily insulin injections because the body makes little or no insulin.

For more common than Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body becomes resistant to the effect of insulin.  

Gestational diabetes 

A type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, Gestational diabetes is when your body is unable to produce the insulin it needs.

Short-term complications of type 1 and type 2 diabetes include hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis.  Potential long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, eye damage, foot damage, neuropathy, nephropathy, skin conditions, and bone and joint problems.

Potential complications for a mother with gestational diabetes include preeclampsia and subsequent gestational diabetes.  Potential complications for a baby due to gestational diabetes include hypoglycemia, jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, increased likelihood of type 2 diabetes in the future and death.

Please review the diagnosis and management guidelines from the Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) below.