TYPE 2 Diabetes MELLITUS

Type 2 diabetes is indeed the most common form of diabetes, and it is characterized by high blood sugar levels. This condition occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or when the insulin it produces doesn’t work effectively, a condition known as Insulin Resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels by allowing cells to take in glucose for energy.

Management and treatment of type 2 diabetes typically involve a combination of lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medications.

Here are some key points to consider:

Lifestyle Changes: Eating a balanced diet and increasing physical activity are essential for managing type 2 diabetes. A well-balanced diet should include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Regular physical activity helps the body use insulin more effectively and can improve blood sugar control.
Medications: In some cases, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to control blood sugar levels. Medications may be prescribed to help lower blood sugar.
Monitoring: Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels is crucial for people with type 2 diabetes. This helps in understanding how diet, exercise, and medications are affecting blood sugar and allows for adjustments as needed.
Complications: Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to various complications, including heart disease, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye issues.
Risk Factors: Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include family history, being overweight or obese, a sedentary lifestyle, and certain ethnic backgrounds.
Remission: Some people with type 2 diabetes can achieve remission by making significant lifestyle changes, particularly by losing a substantial amount of weight. Remission doesn’t mean a cure; it means that blood sugar levels are well-controlled without the need for medications.

Diabetic Complications

If symptoms are left untreated there can be severe complications, some of them can occur at any time and are called Acute complications and there are ones that happen over a prolonged period of time and are called Chronic complications.

Chronic Complications

Eye Damage: High blood glucose levels can lead to severe damage to retina known as Retinopathy which can affect the eyesight

Kidney Problems: Diabetes can lead to damage to your kidneys (nephropathy) which will ultimately affect clearance of toxic wastes from your body.

Nerve Damage: Diabetes might result in nerve damage (neuropathy) that will cause burning, numbness and pain in extremities specially in the feet (peripheral neuropathy).

Heart attack and Stroke: Uncontrolled diabetes can result Heart attack and Stroke that is mainly due to damage to the large blood vessels (Diabetic macro vascular disease)

Infections: poorly controlled diabetes will always lead to Fungal as well as Gum disease.

Sexual problem: Men and women having type 2 diabetes always suffer from sexual related problem that are mainly due to poor blood circulation.

Acute Complications

Hyperglycemia: Excessively high blood glucose levels

Hypoglycemia: When the blood glucose levels are too low

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic state (HHS): It’s a life threatening state which results in severe dehydration because of intracellular water depletion and subsequent osmotic diuresis.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): Prolonged high levels of glucose result in increased buildup of ketones in patient muscle and adipose tissue that ultimately results in blood becoming acidic. It’s a life threatening condition in which the patient needs to be admitted in the hospital.