Pancreas disorders

Insulin is a peptide hormone, secreted by the pancreas, that regulates glucose metabolism in the body. Insufficient production of insulin or failure of insulin to stimulate target sites in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue leads to the serious metabolic disorder known as diabetes mellitus. Diabetes afflicts millions of people worldwide. Diabetic individuals typically exhibit high levels of glucose in the blood, but insulin injection therapy allows diabetic individuals to maintain normal levels of blood glucose. 

Selenium-75 is used in the diagnosis of disorders related to the pancreas. How many... 

Diabetes mellitus is a complicated, chronic disorder characterized by either insufficient insulin production by the beta cells of die pancreas or by cellular resistance to insulin. Insulin insufficiency results in elevated blood glucose levels, or hyperglycemia As a result of the disease, individuals with diabetes are at greater risk for a number of disorders, including myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident (stroke), blindness, kidney disease, and lower limb amputations. 

Uncommon causes of diabetes (1% to 2% of cases) include endocrine disorders (e.g., acromegaly, Cushing s syndrome), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), diseases of the exocrine pancreas (e.g., pancreatitis), and medications (e.g., glucocorticoids, pentamidine, niacin, and a-interferon). 

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas characterized by severe pain in the upper abdomen and increased serum concentrations of pancreatic lipase and amylase. 

An excess of zinc will cause problems in humans. Excessive doses can lead to biochemical control system damage, while doses slightly higher than optimal can cause disorders in iron and copper metabolism, resulting in incurable anemia, decrease in activity of zinc protein enzymes, and pancreas and kidney damage (Boularbah et ah, 1999 Seiler et ah, 1994). Increased levels of zinc have been observed in nuclei of neoplastic cells and in cases of acute dental caries, however its role in these diseases has not been explained. 

Managing the Complications of Diabetes. Diabetes is more than just a disorder of elevated glucose it is a systemic disease that affects many organ systems. In addition to the metabolic problems there are numerous neurological, circulatory, and renal complications, even when the blood glucose level is properly controlled. The main reason is the unnatural administration of insulin by injection, instead of the constant secretion by the pancreas in response to changing blood glucose levels. Diabetics have a predisposition of atherosclerosis, with an increased risk for heart attacks and stroke. 

Chronic iron toxicity (iron overload), also known as hemochromatosis, results when excess iron is deposited in the heart, liver, pancreas, and other organs. It can lead to organ failure and death. It most commonly occurs in patients with inherited hemochromatosis, a disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption, and in patients who receive many red cell transfusions over a long period of time (eg, patients with thalassemia major). 

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is an example of a metabolic disease under active consideration for inducible gene therapy strategies. In this disorder, inflammatory cytokines have been shown to activate apoptosis in pancreatic beta cells. Experimental studies indicate that expression of insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) can prevent the cytokine-mediated destruction of beta cells of the pancreas (Giannoukakis et al., 2001). Regulated expression of IGF-1 in human pancreatic islets, to preserve beta cell function, may be a useful approach in the treatment of certain types of diabetes (Demeterco and Levine, 2001). 

Fluorouracil Adrucil Carcinoma of colon, rectum, stomach, and pancreas Gl distress (loss of appetite, nausea] blood disorders (anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia] skin disorders (rash, hair loss]... 

Gemcitabine Gemzar Carcinoma of the pancreas nonsmall cell lung cancer Blood disorders (anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia] dyspnea edema fever skin rash hematuria Gl distress (nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea]... 

Mitomycin Mutamycin Carcinoma of stomach and pancreas chronic myelocytic leukemia Blood disorders [leukopenia, thrombocytopenia] Gl distress [nausea, vomiting, Gl irritation and ulceration] nephrotoxicity pulmonary toxicity... 

Insulin is an endogenous hormone produced by fi-cells of islets of Langerhans of the pancreas, which consist of two chains of amino acids. It is required to be administered by a parenteral routes as it is destroyed when given orally. Insulin is used for the control of IDDM and in the emergency management of diabetic ketoacidosis.30 Insulin promotes the intracellular uptake of potassium and is used in hyperkalemia. Baker et al.31 have used insulin and glucagon in the treatment of liver disorders. Recent evidence indicates that the effects of insulin with glucose and potassium in ischemic heart disease have proved beneficial.32 It also is used in acute myocardial infarction.32... 

Today, animal products such as insulin (extracted from the pancreas of cows and pigs) are still being used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and other disorders. 

For the first time in history there was clear, unambiguous clinical evidence, in humans, that symptoms of diabetes mellitus could be controlled with the exogenous administration of the active factor of the pancreas—insulin. Thus, replacement therapy with the newly discovered hormone, insulin, had arrested what was clearly an otherwise fatal metabolic disorder. From that point forward, diabetes mellitus (type 1) became a manageable disease by pharmacological intervention. 

Type 1 diabetes is a polygenic disease (different genes contribute to its expression) it can be dominant, recessive or intermediate. The gene IDDMl, located in the MHC class II region on chromosome 6, is believed to be responsible for the histocompatibility disorder characteristic of type 1 diabetes. Insulin-producing pancreas cells (/8-cefls) display improper antigens to T-ceUs,... 

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