What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are both conditions in which hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) occurs, but the cause of the hyperglycemia is different in the two diseases. In both, the underlying problem involves the hormone insulin, which is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin helps cells take up glucose (sugar), removing it from the blood. In type 1 diabetes, insulin is in short supply because the beta cells are destroyed by an unknown process (that is thought to involve an attack by the immune system). Type 1 diabetes occurs most often in children and is not related to obesity. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is still able to secrete insulin. However, the tissues in the body, especially the muscles, do not take up glucose in response to the insulin. This causes the pancreas to secrete more insulin, which forces the tissues to take up the glucose in the blood. As the body becomes more and more resistant to the effects of insulin, however, the pancreas can not keep up.
