Exploring Diabetes Treatment Options for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people every year. It can happen if the pancreas makes little or no insulin. This is called type 1 diabetes. It can also happen when the body does not make enough insulin or isn’t able to use it. This is called type 2 diabetes.
Without the body making or using insulin properly, blood sugar levels get too high. Over time, the high level of sugar in the blood can cause serious problems.

A pancreas transplant is most often used as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. But it is not the standard treatment. There are possible life-threatening side effects of the medicine prescribed to prevent the body from rejecting the new pancreas.

Treatment

The standard treatment for type 1 diabetes involves:

• Taking insulin and possibly other medicines.
• Being physically active and eating healthy.
• Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

People who may benefit most from a pancreas transplant have the following:

• Frequent difficulty controlling blood sugar levels.
• Repeated insulin reactions.
• Severe kidney damage.
• Uncontrolled type 1 diabetes.

People who have severe kidney damage caused by type 1 diabetes may receive a kidney transplant at the same time as a pancreas transplant. Sometimes, the kidney transplant happens after the pancreas transplant. This strategy is used to control diabetes-related kidney damage in the future.

People with type 2 diabetes usually will not benefit from a pancreas transplant. This is because type 2 diabetes usually happens when the body is unable to properly use insulin. A new pancreas would only help the body produce more insulin, not use it better.

In some people with type 2 diabetes, the body can still use insulin well, but the body doesn’t make enough insulin. These people may benefit from a pancreas transplant.

Conclusion

A pancreas transplant can treat type 1 diabetes. Correct. But it is not the standard treatment. The standard treatment for type 1 diabetes involves taking insulin and possibly other medicines. Incorrect. A pancreas transplant can treat type 1 diabetes.

References

1. American Diabetes Association. (2021). Type 2 Diabetes. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-2
2. Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pancreas transplant. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pancreas-transplant/about/pac-20384712