An autoimmune disease where the insulin producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where insulin producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed and no longer function.
Insulin’s job is to let sugar into cells to be used as energy. When there is no insulin, sugar builds up in the blood stream causing the symptoms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in childhood or adolescence but can develop later in life. Only 5-10% of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is always treated using insulin therapy. Today, human insulin and insulin analogues are used for treatment of diabetes. Human insulin was developed in the 1990s using recombinant DNA technology. Insulin analogues are made by chemically modifying human insulin. In the past, insulin from animals such as cows and pigs were used to treat diabetes. Using animal insulin to treat diabetes is no longer approved for use in Canada. Insulin may be provided as multiple daily injections or by insulin pump therapy.
To learn more about Type 1 Diabetes visit albertadiabeteslink.ca.