ELDER TIP Because their thirst mechanism functions less effectively, older adults may not report polydipsia, a hallmark of diabetes in younger adults.
In ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, dehydration may cause hypovolemia and shock. Wasting of glucose in the urine usually produces weight loss and hunger in type 1 diabetes, even if the patient eats voraciously.
Long-term effects of diabetes may include retinopathy, nephropathy, atherosclerosis, and peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy usually affects the hands and feet and may cause numbness or pain. Autonomic neuropathy may manifest itself in several ways, including gastroparesis (leading to delayed gastric emptying and a feeling of nausea and fullness after meals), nocturnal diarrhea, impotence, and orthostatic hypotension.
Because hyperglycemia impairs the patient’s resistance to infection, diabetes may result in skin and urinary tract infections (UTIs) and vaginitis. Glucose content of the epidermis and urine encourages bacterial growth.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Diabetic complications during pregnancy:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Indications for diagnostic screening for maternal diabetes mellitus during pregnancy include obesity, excessive weight gain, excessive hunger or thirst, polyuria, recurrent monilial infections, glycosuria, previous delivery of a large neonate, polyhydramnios, maternal hypertension, and a family history of diabetes.
Uncontrolled diabetes in a pregnant female can cause stillbirth, fetal anomalies, premature delivery, and birth of a neonate who’s large or small for gestational age. Such neonates are predisposed to severe episodes of hypoglycemia shortly after birth and may also develop hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Diabetic ketoacidosis:
Signs and Symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Acetone breath, Kussmaul’s respirations, dehydration, weak and thready pulse, nausea, vomiting, altered level of consciousness, dry mucous membranes, serum glucose level of 300 to 1,500 mg/dl
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Hereditary fructose intolerance:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Typically, clinical features of hereditary fructose intolerance appear shortly after dietary introduction of foods containing fructose or sucrose. Symptoms are more severe in infants than in older people and include hypoglycemia, nausea, vomiting, pallor, excessive sweating, cyanosis, and tremor. In neonates and young children, continuous ingestion of foods containing fructose may result in failure to thrive, hypoglycemia, jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, ascites, hepatomegaly, vomiting, dehydration, hypophosphatemia, albuminuria, aminoaciduria, seizures, coma, febrile episodes, substernal pain, and anemia.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Diabetes insipidus:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
The patient’s history typically shows an abrupt onset of extreme polyuria (usually 4 to 16 L/day of dilute urine, but sometimes as much as 30 L/day). As a result, the patient is extremely thirsty and drinks great quantities of water to compensate for the body’s water loss. This disorder may also result in hourly nocturia.
If the patient is unable to obtain adequate quantities of water, features of diabetes insipidus include signs and symptoms of dehydration (poor tissue turgor, dry mucous membranes, constipation, muscle weakness, dizziness, and hypotension). Polyuria usually begins abruptly, commonly appearing within 1 to 2 days after a basal skull fracture, a stroke, or surgery.
Relieving cerebral edema or increased intracranial pressure may cause all of these symptoms to subside just as rapidly as they began.
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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Diabetes mellitus:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Diabetes may begin dramatically with ketoacidosis in type 1 or insidiously. Its most common symptom is fatigue, from energy deficiency and a catabolic state. However, many patients with type 2 diabetes may be asymptomatic.
Insulin deficiency or resistance causes hyperglycemia, which pulls fluid from body tissues, causing osmotic diuresis, polyuria, dehydration, polydipsia, dry mucous membranes, and poor skin turgor. In ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic state, dehydration may cause hypovolemia and shock. Wasting of glucose in the urine usually produces weight loss and hunger in uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, even if the patient eats voraciously.
Long-term effects
In diabetes, long-term effects may include retinopathy, nephropathy, atherosclerosis, and peripheral and autonomic neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy usually affects the hands and feet and may cause numbness or pain. Autonomic neuropathy may manifest itself in several ways, including gastroparesis (leading to delayed gastric emptying and a feeling of nausea and fullness after meals), nocturnal diarrhea, impotence, and postural hypotension.
Because hyperglycemia impairs the patient’s resistance to infection, diabetes may result in skin and urinary tract infections and vaginitis. Glucose content of the epidermis and urine encourages bacterial growth.
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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Diabetic complications during pregnancy:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
All women should receive diagnostic screening for maternal diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. Women at higher risk or with a history of gestational diabetes, fetal or birth problems, may warrant early screening in the second trimester using a formal glucose tolerance test.
Uncontrolled diabetes in a pregnant woman can cause stillbirth, fetal anomalies, premature delivery, and birth of an infant who is large or small for gestational age. Such infants are predisposed to severe episodes of hypoglycemia shortly after birth. These infants may also develop hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome.
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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes:
Diabetes Overview: NIDDK (Excerpt)
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually. They are not as
sudden in onset as in type 1 diabetes. Some people have no symptoms.
Symptoms may include fatigue or nausea, frequent urination, unusual
thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing
of wounds or sores. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes Overview: NIDDK)
Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: NIDDK (Excerpt)
Many people have no signs or symptoms. Symptoms can also be so mild
that you might not even notice them. Five million people in the United
States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Here is what to look
for:
- increased thirst
- increased hunger
- fatigue
- increased urination, especially at night
- weight loss
- blurred vision
- sores that do not heal
Sometimes people have symptoms but do not suspect diabetes. They delay
scheduling a checkup because they do not feel sick. Many people do not
find out they have the disease until they have diabetes complications,
such as blurry vision or heart trouble. It is important to find out early
if you have diabetes because treatment can prevent damage to the body from
diabetes. (Source: excerpt from Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: NIDDK)
Diabetes: NWHIC (Excerpt)
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually and are not as
noticeable as in type 1 diabetes. Symptoms include feeling tired or ill,
frequent urination (especially at night), unusual thirst, weight loss,
blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of sores. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes: NWHIC)
Diabetes: NWHIC (Excerpt)
People with type 2 diabetes often do not have symptoms, but you might
have one or more of these signs:
-
being very thirsty
-
urinating often
-
feeling very hungry or tired
-
losing weight without trying
-
having sores that are slow to heal
-
having dry, itchy skin
-
having tingling or numbness in the feet or hands
-
having blurred vision.
(Source: excerpt from Diabetes: NWHIC)
Dealing With Diabetes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
Some people with diabetes feel "run down" or have symptoms that
may go unrecognized. Others have symptoms such as feeling thirsty,
urinating frequently, losing weight, feeling tired, having blurred
vision, getting skin infections, and having slow healing cuts and
bruises. These problems should be reported to a doctor right
away. (Source: excerpt from Dealing With Diabetes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
Type 2 diabetes as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions
When considering symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, it is also important to consider Type 2 diabetes as a possible cause of other medical conditions.
The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Type 2 diabetes may cause:
- (Source - Diseases Database)
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