Guide To The Most Common Autoimmune Diseases

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease where the patient's pancreas produces too little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that manages blood sugar by providing a way for glucose to enter the cells from the blood. The most common cause of type 1 diabetes is an abnormal immune system response where the antibodies produced are inappropriately programmed to destroy islet cells. Islet cells are the cells in the pancreas responsible for the production of insulin.

As their pancreas does not function, a type 1 diabetes patient must manually manage their blood sugar through medications, diet, and specialized monitoring equipment. Insulin injections are necessary to provide the hormone in place of the pancreas. An individual with type 1 diabetes has to be diligent about managing their blood sugar. The reason is to avoid complications, which include heart disease, neuropathy, nephropathy, eye damage, and foot damage.

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Graves' Disease

In Graves' disease, the patient's immune system produces antibodies that are programmed to command cells in the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms of this condition are related to several different organ systems, as the thyroid hormones regulate numerous glands around the body. They include goiter, palpitations, frequent bowel movements, fatigue, bulging eyes, and erectile dysfunction. Other symptoms are menstrual cycle changes, weight loss, heat sensitivity, tremors, irritability, and anxiety.

This condition is diagnosed through a physical examination, blood testing, radioactive iodine uptake test, ultrasound, CT scans, x-rays, and magnetic resonance imaging. Complications include Graves' dermopathy, which affects the skin, and Graves' ophthalmopathy, which affects the eyes. Treatments for this condition include anti-thyroid medications, beta-blockers, radioactive iodine therapy, corticosteroids, and a thyroidectomy.

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