Type 2 Diabetes

Understanding the basics of Type 2 Diabetes

Also known as 'non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus' or ‘adult-onset diabetes' Type 2 diabetes is the most commonly found diabetes type, accounting for 90-95% of all diabetic cases. It develops slowly and usually found in the people above 40-55 years of age and about 80 percent of them are overweight. But recent statistics indicate that Type 2 diabetes is now being diagnosed in adolescents and even in children as young as 2 years of age who have a family history of diabetes.

By far, as the most common form of diabtes, type 2 is more prevalent among the African Americans, Latinos, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. And throughout the world about 20% of the population over the age of 65 has diabetes mellitus type 2.

What is type ii diabetes?

In diabetes type two, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal or the body starts resisting the natural actions of insulin in muscles and the liver .

Whatever the reason is, the extremity results the same— an abnormal rise in blood sugar right after a meal (called postprandial hyperglycemia) and the pancreas produces inadequate insulin for the body's increased needs. The cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly and excess glucose builds up in the blood.

Eventually, the cycle of elevated glucose damages nerves and blood vessels leads to damage and function-impairment of many organs, such as eyes, kidneys nerves or heart, erectile function etc . This results in diabetes type 2.

In the progression from normal blood sugar to very high blood sugar (over 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), a life-threatening situation called hyperosmolar state may occur as diabtes ii type complication.

Causes and symptoms of diabetes type 2

Type 2 is a long-term diabetes type that's principally characterized by complex and multifactorial metabolic disorders, pancreatic insufficiency, peripheral insulin resistance, known heredity defects, or certain effects of medications.

Sometimes defined as a lifestyle disease, Type 2 diabetes is also associated with insufficient physical activity, smoking, unhealthy eating and living styles. People who have excess body fat or obese, high blood sugar and high blood pressure, and who have a large percentage of body fat in the abdominal area are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

The most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes are:

• Frequent Urination (specially in night)
• Feeling thirsty often
• Increased appetite
• Losing weight without trying
• Irritation and nausea
• Tiredness
• Having blurry vision
• Feel tingling or numbness in your hands or feet
• Dry or itchy skin
• Infection often in skin, gums, vagina, bladder
• Amputation
• Cuts and sore take lot of time in healing
• Leg pain

An alarming fact is that like type 1 diabetes, symptoms of diabetes type 2 are also not easily observable but experienced so slowly that you may not notice any health-disorder despite having the disease for many years before diagnosis.

In spite of noticing symptoms, usually patients ignore them that makes the condition worst. Therefore, it is always recommended to visit immediately to the doctor if you observe any of the symptoms of type 2.