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People with juvenile or type
1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin to combat the glucose build
up in the blood. Glucose build up naturally occurs whenever we eat food
or drink beverages. When everything is working correctly, the insulin
will control the amount of sugar in the blood. If a person has juvenile
diabetes then the sugar will build up until they become hyperglycemic
(too much glucose or sugar in the blood).
If left untreated, high blood
sugar levels can lead to a very serious condition called ketoacidosis.
When a person has this condition, you can usually tell because their
breath smells 'fruity', sort of like the same smell that comes from
a person who has been drinking alcohol. If a person with juvenile diabetes
goes without treatment and has high blood sugars for an extended period
of time, coma and death may follow.
When juvenile diabetes is
left untreated for several years, serious damage to the body's organ
systems can occur. It is these secondary damages that can lead to coma
and death. There would be complications that affect the heart, nerves,
kidneys, eyes, and other parts of the body.
The good news is that careful
monitoring and control of blood sugar levels in people who have juvenile
diabetes can greatly reduce the threat of these serious health complications.
The most important aspect is controlling blood sugar levels. Patients
need to be monitored by a doctor and they also need to monitor their
own condition, including taking readings of their blood sugar levels,
on a regular basis.