Enzyme kinetics is an important tool that helps us understand diseases at a tiny level. Let’s break down some key points:

1. How Reactions Work:

   • Enzyme kinetics looks at how fast reactions happen based on how much of a substance (called a substrate) is present.
   • A common model used is the Michaelis-Menten model. This model explains enzyme activity with a simple formula:

   $v = \frac{V_{max} [S]}{K_m + [S]}$

   Here:

   • (v) is the speed of the reaction.
   • ([S]) is the amount of substrate.
   • (V_{max}) is the highest reaction speed possible.
   • (K_m) is a value that shows how well an enzyme works.

2. How Enzymes and Diseases are Linked:

   • When enzymes don’t work right, it can cause diseases.
   • For instance, in Type 2 Diabetes, if the enzymes that help process glucose are less active, it can lead to higher blood sugar levels.
   • About 90-95% of diabetes cases are Type 2, which often happens when the body doesn’t respond well to insulin because of changes in enzyme activity.

3. Creating New Medicines:

   • Knowing how enzymes work helps in making new drugs, especially those that block enzymes (called enzyme inhibitors).
   • Did you know that around 60% of medicines aim to affect enzymes? This shows how crucial enzyme speed is for drug effectiveness.
   • Research shows that by improving how enzymes work, we can make treatments better, sometimes reducing the amount needed for effectiveness by up to 50%.

By understanding how enzymes act when diseases are present, scientists can create better treatments and help patients feel better.