Diabetes More Fatal For Women Than Men

Type I diabetes is fatal for women than men, says Amy Orciari Herman, in The Lancet diabetes and Endocrinology published on 5th February 2015. The mortality risk in women with Type I diabetes is higher than that of men, reports the researcher, based on meta-analysis involving about 26 studies. About 20,000 people were included in the study, and 15,000 deaths were also taken into account.

Type I diabetes mellitus is common among young children caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin. The insulin required to allow glucose to enter the cells are not produced in sufficient quantity by the pancreas. Genetic factor as well as certain viruses were also observed to cause type I diabetes mellitus.

It was once referred as juvenile diabetes as it was common in children and adolescents, but now the disease is seen in adults as well. There is no cure for this disease found by far, but it can be effectively managed with taking insulin doses as directed by the physician. Monitoring blood sugar frequently, taking in healthy foods and exercises to maintain proper weight help keeping the disease under control.

Men and women with and without type I diabetes were compared for the study by Herman in which the mortality rate for women with diabetes was observed to be 5.8 and that of men was observed to be 3.8. The interpretation of the results showed 37 percent increase in mortality risk in women compared to men, says Herman.

The main cause of mortality in women with type I diabetes mellitus was observed to be coronary heart and cardiovascular diseases, reported the researcher. The speculated reasons for difference in the mortality rate between men and women are disturbances in the hypothalamus- pituitary ovarian axis and poor hyperglycemic control in women than men.

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