Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; Diabetes - Type 2
Definition
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic, life-long disease that results when the body's insulin does not work effectively. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas in response to increased levels of blood sugar (glucose) in the blood.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Diabetes is caused by a problem in the way your body makes or uses insulin. Insulin is necessary for glucose to move from the blood to the inside of the cells.
Unless glucose gets into cells, the body cannot use it for energy. Excess glucose remains in the blood, and is then removed by the kidneys. The symptoms inlcude excessive thirst, frequent urination, hunger, and fatigue.
There are several types of diabetes:Diabetes affects up to 6% of the population in the U.S. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of all cases.
A main component of type 2 diabetes is "insulin resistance". This means that the insulin produced by your pancreas cannot connect with fat and muscle cells to let glucose inside and produce energy. This causes hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).
To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin. The cells sense this flood of insulin and become even more resistant, resulting in a vicious cycle of high glucose levels and often high insulin levels.
Type 2 diabetes usually occurs gradually. Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight at the time of diagnosis. However, the disease can also develop in lean people, especially if elderly.
Genetics play a large role in type 2 diabetes and family history is a risk factor. However, low activity level, poor diet, and excess body weight (especially around the waist) significantly increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.
Other risk factors include:
Symptoms
Often, people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at all. If you do have symptoms, they may include:
Signs and tests
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed with the following blood tests:
Treatment
The first goals are to eliminate the symptoms and stabilize your blood glucose levels. The ongoing goals are to prevent long-term complications and prolong your life. The primary treatment for type 2 diabetes is exercise and diet.
LEARN THESE SKILLS
You should learn basic diabetes management skills. They will help prevent complications and the need for medical care. These skills include:
It may take
several months to learn the basic skills. Once your
condition has stabilized, continue to educate
yourself about the disease process, how to control
and live with diabetes, and long-term complications
of the disease. Over time, stay current on new
research and treatment.
SELF-TESTING
Blood sugar testing, or self-monitoring of blood glucose, is done by checking the glucose content of a small drop of blood. Regular testing tells you how well diet, exercise, and medication are working together to control diabetes.
The results of the
test can be used to adjust meals, activity, or
medications to keep blood sugar levels in an
appropriate range. Testing provides valuable
information for the health care provider and
identifies high and low blood sugar levels before
serious problems develop.
When testing blood sugars yourself, a glucometer is
used. A glucometer is a small device that provides
an exact reading of blood glucose. A test strip is
used to collect a small drop of blood, obtained by
pricking the finger with a small, specially-designed
needle (called a lancet).
The strip is then placed in the meter. Results are available within 30 to 45 seconds. A health care provider or diabetes educator will help set up an appropriate testing schedule for you. You will also be taught how to respond to different ranges of glucose values obtained when you self-test.
Tests are usually
done before meals and at bedtime. More frequent
testing may be indicated during illness or stress.
Accurate record keeping of test results will make
them more useful for planning how to best control
your diabetes.
DIET AND WEIGHT CONTROL
Meal planning includes choosing healthy foods, eating the right amount of food, and eating meals at the right time. You should work closely with your health care provider to learn how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you need in your diet. Your specific meal plans need to be tailored to your food habits and preferences. A registered dietitian can be helpful in determining your specific, individual dietary needs.
In type 2
diabetes, weight management and a well-balanced diet
are important. Some people with type 2 diabetes can
stop medications after intentional weight loss,
although the diabetes is still present. Consultation
with a registered dietitian is an invaluable
planning tool.
REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Regular exercise is important for everyone, but especially if you have diabetes. Regular exercise helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. It also helps burn excess calories and fat to achieve optimal weight.
Exercise improves
overall health by improving blood flow and blood
pressure. It naturally decreases insulin resistance
even without weight loss. Exercise also increases
the body's energy level, lowers tension, and
improves your ability to handle stress. Everyone
should obtain medical approval before starting an
exercise program, but this is especially important
if you have diabetes.
The following should be considered:
MEDICATION
When you cannot achieve normal or near-normal blood glucose levels with diet and exercise, medication is added to the treatment plan. Your doctor will start you on oral (by mouth) medicines, such as:
If you continue to have poor blood glucose control despite lifestyle changes and using oral medicines, your doctor will prescribe insulin. Insulin may also be prescribed if you have had a bad reaction to oral medicines. Insulin must be injected under the skin using a syringe and cannot be taken by mouth.
Insulin preparations differ in how fast they start to work and how long they work. The health-care professional will determine the appropriate type of insulin to use and will counsel you on what time of day to use it.
More than one type may be mixed together in an injection to achieve the best control of blood glucose. The injections are needed, in general, from one to four times a day. You will be taught how to give yourself injections by your doctor or a diabetes educator referred by your doctor.
FOOT CARE
People with
diabetes are prone to foot problems because of
complications caused by damage to blood vessels and
nerves and decreased ability to fight infection.
Blood flow to the feet may become compromised and
damage to the nerves may cause an injury to the foot
to go unnoticed until infection develops. Death of
skin and other tissue can occur. If left untreated,
amputation of the affected foot may ultimately be
necessary.
To prevent injury to the feet, diabetics should
adopt a daily routine of checking and caring for the
feet as follows:
CONTINUING CARE
A person with type 2 diabetes should have a visit with a diabetes care provider every three months. A thorough three-month evaluation includes:
The following evaluations should be done at least annually:
Expectations (prognosis)
The risks of long-term complications from diabetes can be reduced. Those with the best control of blood glucose and blood pressure significantly reduce their risk of death, stroke, heart failure, and other complications. Reduction of HbA1c by even one percentage point can decrease your risk for complicatons by 25%.
Complications
Emergency complications include diabetic coma.
Long-term complications include:
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider immediately if you have:
These symptoms can rapidly progress to emergency conditions (such as convulsions, unconsciousness, or hypoglycemic coma).
Prevention
Everyone over 45 should have their blood glucose checked at least every three years. Regular testing of random blood glucose should begin at a younger age and be performed more often if you are at particular risk for diabetes.
Maintain a healthy body weight and keep an active lifestyle to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
(from the National Institute of Health)
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