What is Diabetes Type 2? Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

What is Diabetes Type 2?

Diabetes Type 2 is caused by a malfunction in the way the body controls and uses sugar (glucose) as energy. This long-term (chronic) condition causes an excess of sugar to flow into the bloodstream. When your blood sugar is too high, you develop this disease. Blood glucose is your primary source of energy, and it is derived primarily from the foods you consume. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps in the conversion of glucose into cells for use as energy.

There are 2 main interrelated issues at work in type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, your body either does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin effectively. The result is that too much glucose remains in your blood while not enough reaches your cells.

Diabetes type 2 was consistently referred to as adult-onset diabetes, but both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can begin in childhood as well as adulthood. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults, but an increased number of obese children has caused a rise in type 2 diabetes cases in children.

Type 2 diabetes has no cure, but losing weight, eating well, and exercising can assist you in managing the disease. If diet and exercise aren’t sufficient to maintain your blood sugar under control, you may need diabetes medication or insulin therapy.

The most common type of diabetes is type 2. Type 2 diabetes impacts about 29 million people in the United States. A further 84 million people have pre-diabetes, which means their blood sugar or blood glucose is increased but not high enough to be identified as diabetes.

Who is at an increased chance of developing diabetes Type 2?

Type 2 diabetes can develop at any age, which includes childhood. Type 2 diabetes, on the other side, is more common in middle-aged and older people. If you are 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

Physical inactivity, as well as certain health issues such as high blood pressure, increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes or had gestational diabetes while pregnant, you are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Type 2 in Children and Teenagers

Childhood obesity is on the rise, as are rates of type 2 diabetes in children. Over 75% of children with type 2 diabetes have a close relative who also has the disease. However, it is not always even though families are related; it is also possible that they share certain lifestyles that increase their risk.

Guardians can help avoid or delay type 2 diabetes by making a family plan:

• Drinking more water and less sugary beverages
• Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables
• Making comfort meals more nutritious
• Making physical activity more pleasant
• When everyone appears to work together to make healthy changes, they become more easily ingrained.

Diabetes Type 2 Symptoms

Type 2 diabetes grows slowly. Diabetes type 2 signs and symptoms include:

• Thirst and urination have increased
• Increased hunger tiredness blurred vision
• Tingling or numbness in the feet or hands
• Unexplained weight loss sores that do not heal
• Increasing the percentage of infections

Type 2 diabetes symptoms can occur slowly over many years and be so mild that you may not recognize them. Many people are symptomless. Some people do not realise they have diabetes until they undergo diabetes-related health issues such as blurred vision or heart disease.

Diabetes Type 2 causes

Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas. It assists your cells in the conversion of glucose, a type of sugar, from the food you eat into energy. People with type 2 diabetes occur when the pancreas, but their cells do not utilize it as effectively as they should.

Initially, your pancreas produces more insulin in an attempt to get glucose into your cells. But it can’t keep up forever, and glucose accrues in your blood instead.

Type 2 diabetes is usually caused by a combination of factors. They could include:

• Genes. Scientists have discovered numerous DNA components that influence how your body produces insulin.
• Being overweight or obese can result in insulin resistance, particularly if you carry extra weight around your stomach area.
• The metabolic syndrome Insulin resistance is commonly connected to a variety of conditions, including high blood sugar, extra fat around the waist, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Your liver has developed an excessive amount of glucose. When your blood sugar level drops, your liver produces and excretes glucose. When you eat, your blood sugar increases and your liver usually slows down and stores glucose for later use. However, some people’s livers do not. They keep producing sugar.
• Cells are not interacting well. Cells can send incorrect signals or fail to recognize messages. Diabetes can develop when these issues affect how your cells produce and use insulin or glucose.
• Beta cells have been broken. When the cells that produce insulin release the incorrect amount of insulin at the wrong time, your blood sugar levels fall. High blood sugar levels can also harm these cells.

Risk Factors of Type 2 diabetes

The following factors may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes:

• Weight. Being overweight or obese is an important risk factor.
• Fat storage in your abdomen, rather than your hips and thighs, indicates a higher risk. If you are a man with a waist circumference over 40 inches (101.6 centimetres) or a woman with a measurement greater than 35 inches, your risk of type 2 diabetes increases (88.9 centimeters).
• Inactivity. The less active you are, the more sensitive you are. Physical activity helps you lose weight by burning glucose for energy and trying to make your cells more sensitive to insulin.
• A bloodline. If your parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes, your risk of developing it increases.
• Ethnicity and race Although it is unknown why, people of certain races and ethnicities, including Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islanders, are much more likely than white people to develop type 2 diabetes.
• Lipid levels in the blood. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the “good” cholesterol — and high amounts of triglycerides are linked to an increased risk.
• Age. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes grows with age, especially after the age of 35.
• Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar level is elevated but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Without treatment, prediabetes commonly develops to type 2 diabetes.
• Risks related to pregnancy If you had gestational diabetes while pregnant or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pound, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases (4 kilograms).
• Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common condition marked by irregular menstrual cycles, excessive hair growth, and obesity, increases the risk of diabetes.
• Darkened skin parts are most commonly found in the armpits and neck. This condition is commonly related to insulin resistance.

What are the complications of Type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes type 2 affects countless major organs, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Besides that, risk factors for diabetes are risk factors for other serious chronic diseases. Diabetes management and blood sugar control can reduce your risk of these complications or coexisting conditions (comorbidities).

Diabetes complications and common chronic conditions include:

Heart and vascular disease Diabetes is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and blood vessel narrowing (atherosclerosis).

Nerve damage in the limbs (neuropathy). Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage or destroy nerves, causing tingling, numbness, burning, pain, or eventual loss of feeling, which usually starts at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upward.

Other types of nerve damage Injury to the heart’s nerves can contribute to irregular heartbeats. Impairment to the digestive system’s nerves can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation. Erectile dysfunction in men can be caused by nerve damage.

Kidney failure. Diabetes can cause chronic kidney disease or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Eye pain. Diabetes raises the risk of serious eye diseases including cataracts and glaucoma, and it can harm the blood vessels in the retina, potentially leading to blindness.

Skin problems. Diabetes can make you more prone to skin problems such as bacterial and fungal infections.

Healing takes time. Cuts and blisters, if left untreated, can develop into serious infections that heal slowly. Severe damage may also lead diabetes foot ulcer.

Impaired hearing. Diabetes patients are more likely to have hearing problems.

Sleep disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea is common in type 2 diabetes patients. Obesity may be the primary cause of both conditions. It is unknown whether treating sleep apnea improves blood glucose control.

Dementia. Type 2 diabetes seems to raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other diagnosis disorders. Poor blood sugar control has been linked to a more rapid decline in memory and other thinking skills.

How is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?

The following blood tests can help your doctor diagnose diabetes:

A fasting plasma glucose test is used to determine your blood glucose level. This test is best performed in the office after an eight-hour fast (nothing to eat or drink except sips of water).

Random plasma glucose test: This lab test can be performed at any time without fasting.

A1c testing measures your average blood sugar levels over a three-month period.

Oral glucose tolerance testing measures your blood sugar levels before and after consuming a sweet beverage. The test determines your body’s ability to handle glucose.

How to manage Type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes has no known cure. However, you can manage the condition by following a healthy diet and, if essential, taking medication. Manage you’re: in collaborative efforts with your healthcare provider

A blood glucose sensor or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) can assist you in reaching your blood sugar target. Regular A1c tests, oral medications (pills), insulin therapy, or injectable non-insulin diabetes medications may also be preferred by your healthcare provider.

Blood pressure: Avoid smoking, exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet to lower your blood pressure. Your doctor may advise you to take blood pressure medication such as beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors.

Cholesterol: Eat a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, salt, and sugar. Your doctor may advise you to take statins, which are cholesterol-lowering drugs.

What is the Treatment For Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes treatment requires controlling your blood sugar levels. Many people can fulfill this by maintaining a healthy diet. Some people may also require medication.

A healthy lifestyle includes eating properly and exercising on a regular basis. activity. You must learn to balance what you eat and drink with physical activity and, if essential, diabetes medication.

Diabetes medications include oral medications, insulin, and other injectable medications. Some people will need to take more than one type of medication to regulate their diabetes over time.

You will need to check your blood sugar levels on a regular basis. Your doctor will advise you on how regularly you should do it.

It’s also critical to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels within the distance prescribed by your doctor. Make sure you get your screening tests on a regular basis.

Medication Treatment

If lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough to get you to your target blood sugar levels, you may need to take medication. Among the most common causes of type 2 diabetes are:

• Metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet) (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet). This is the first medication that is usually used to treat type 2 diabetes. It reduces the amount of glucose produced by your liver and enhances your body’s response to the insulin produced.
• Sulfonylureas. This class of medications aids your body’s production of insulin. Glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol, Metaglip), and glyburide are among them (DiaBeta, Micronase).
• Meglitinides. They assist your body in producing more insulin and work faster than sulfonylureas. Nateglinide (Starlix) or repaglinide may be prescribed (Prandin).
• Thiazolidinediones. They, like metformin, increase insulin sensitivity. You could be prescribed pioglitazone (Actos) or rosiglitazone (Avandia). They do, however, increase your risk of heart problems, so they aren’t usually the first choice for treatment.
• Inhibitors of DPP-4. These medications, linagliptin (Tradjenta), saxagliptin (Onglyza), and sitagliptin (Januvia), help lower blood sugar levels but can cause joint pain and pancreas inflammation.
• Agonists of the GLP-1 These medications are administered via needle to slow digestion and lower blood sugar levels. Exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon), liraglutide (Victoza), and semaglutide are three of the most commonly used (Ozempic).
• Inhibitors of SGLT2. These assist your kidneys in sorting out more glucose. Canagliflozin (Invokana), dapagliflozin (Farxiga), or empagliflozin may be prescribed (Jardiance). Empagliflozin has also been shown to reduce the risk of hospital treatment or death due to heart failure.
• Agonist of GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is the first drug of its kind to activate both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, resulting in better blood sugar control.
• Insulin. Long-lasting shots, such as insulin detemir (Levemir) or insulin glargine, may be administered at night (Lantus).

Even if you modify your lifestyle and take your medication as prescribed, your blood sugar levels may worsen over time. That doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Diabetes progresses, and many people eventually require more than one medication.

Combination therapy refers to the use of more than one drug to control diabetes Type 2.

You and your doctor should work collaboratively to find the best combination for you. Typically, you will continue to take metformin and add something else.

What that is will depend on your situation. Some medications, for example, control blood sugar spikes (hyperglycemia) that happen directly after meals. Others are more effective at preventing blood sugar drops (hypoglycemia) between meals. Some may aid in weight loss, cholesterol reduction, and diabetes management.

You and your doctor should discuss any potential side effects. Cost may also be an issue. If you take medication for another reason, that must be considered as well. When you begin taking a new drug combination, you will need to see your doctor more regularly.

You may discover that adding a second medication does not control your blood sugar. Or the combination of two drugs may only be effective for a short period of time. If this occurs, your doctor may recommend a third noninsulin drug or begin insulin therapy.

Prevention

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help prevent type 2 diabetes, even if you have blood relatives who have the disease. If you have impaired glucose tolerance, lifestyle changes can help to slow or stop the progression of diabetes.

A healthy way of life includes:

Consuming nutritious foods. Choose foods that are low in fat and calories while being high in fiber. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should be prioritized.

Taking action. Aim for 150 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking, bicycling, running, or swimming.

Weight loss. Losing a small amount of weight and maintaining it can postpone the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, losing 7% to 10% of your body weight can reduce your chances of developing diabetes.

Avoiding prolonged periods of inactivity. Sitting for long periods of time can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Get up and move around for at least a few minutes every 30 minutes.

To reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes, metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza, and others), an oral diabetes medication, may be prescribed. This is typically prescribed for obese older adults who are unable to lower blood sugar levels through lifestyle changes.

Frequently Asked Question

What is Diabetes Type 2?

Diabetes type 2 is caused by high blood sugar levels (Glucose). Glucose is your primary energy source. It is obtained from the foods you eat. Insulin, a hormone, aids in the transport of glucose into your cells, where it provides energy. Diabetes occurs when your body does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin effectively. The glucose remains in your blood, and not enough enters your cells.

Having too much glucose in your blood can lead to health problems over time. However, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and try to avoid these health issues.

What health problems can diabetics experience?

Following a good diabetes care plan can help protect you from a variety of diabetes-related health issues. Diabetes, on the other hand, can cause complications such as

• Stroke and heart disease
• Damage to the nerves
• Kidney disorder
• Foot issues
• The disease of the eyes
• Gum disease, as well as other dental issues
• Sexual and bladder issues

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects a large number of people with type 2 diabetes (NAFLD). Losing weight if you are overweight or obese can help your NAFLD. Diabetes is also linked to a variety of other health issues, including sleep apnea, depression, certain types of cancer, and dementia.

How do medical professionals identify Type 2 diabetes?

Blood tests can be used by your doctor to diagnose type 2 diabetes.

How can I avoid developing Type 2 diabetes?

You can avoid or delay Type 2 diabetes

• Eating a nutritious diet.
• Exercising.
• Weight loss

Routine checkups and screenings with your health professional can also help you in controlling your blood sugar.

What are the prospects for Type 2 diabetes?

If you have Type 2 diabetes, your prognosis is determined by how well you control your blood glucose levels. Untreated Type 2 diabetes can cause a variety of life-threatening health problems. Diabetes requires lifelong care.

What causes Type 2 diabetes?

If you are not physically active and are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Extra weight can lead to insulin resistance, which is common in people with type 2 diabetes. The circulation of body fat is also important.

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

The first difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is that type 1 is a genetic disease that often occurs early in life, while type 2 is mainly lifestyle-related and develops slowly. When you have type 1 diabetes, your immune system threats and damages insulin-producing cells in your pancreas.