Facts About Type 2 Diabetes

Hi Ladies, Here are some diabetes facts and information for newly diagnosed diabetics and those of you with pre-diabetes. I've learned there are also many of you who have been warned by your doctor that you are at risk for diabetes.

Here is a discussion providing facts about type 2 diabetes, which applies to those of us in the over 40 crowd.....

Facts You Should Know About Type 2 Diabetes:

Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot properly process glucose (sugar) in the blood. Glucose provides energy for all of the body's cells. Normally, glucose enters these cells with help from the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.

When you don't have enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, leading to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). In type 2 diabetes, affecting 90% to 95% of people with diabetes, the pancreas produces some, but not enough insulin, and the body doesn't properly use the insulin it has. (this is known as insulin resistance).

More than 20 million people in the United States have diabetes. Of those, more than 14 million are diagnosed and about 6.2 million have the disease but don't know it.

TREATMENT TARGETS

(HbA1c is a compound created in your body when excess blood sugar sticks to a protein in your red blood cells called hemoglobin (Hb). The higher your blood sugar, the higher your HbA1c value.)

What are the signs and symptoms?

Type 2 diabetes develops slowly. The first signs are usually excessive thirst and frequent urination. Some people also experience a flu-like illness, weight gain or loss, blurred vision, fatigue, frequent infections or slow-healing sores, nerve damage, and/or swollen gums.

In many individuals however, diabetes may be present without any signs or symptoms.

How is it treated?

The first goal is to control your blood glucose level, which means that you must measure it regularly. This may be as infrequently as twice a week or, if you take insulin, as frequently as four times a day.

The first step in treatment is to lose weight through diet and exercise (unless you already happen to be slim and fit). A registered dietitian can help you plan meals, which should include foods that are high in nutritive value and low in fat and calories. Regular aerobic exercise (for 30 minutes on most days of the week) is also important.

Who is at risk?

Those who are most at risk are over age 45, have a family history of diabetes, are overweight (80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight), are inactive, or are of African-American, Hispanic, or American-Indian descent.

What if diet and exercise aren't enough?

Your doctor may prescribe medication: Insulin is administered under the skin with a syringe, pen injector, or pump device. Pills may be prescribed in some cases.

How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?

It's diagnosed with a blood test: If your fasting blood glucose level is at least 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood on more than one occasion, your doctor will most likely diagnose diabetes.

What are the long-term effects of type 2 diabetes?

Uncontrolled hyperglycemia--failure to control your blood sugar level, can damage your eyes (retinopathy), which can lead to blindness; your nerves (neuropathy), which can cause numbness; and your kidneys (nephropathy), which can result in kidney failure.

It also increases the risk for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) in the heart, brain, and/or legs. If you have numbness in your feet (peripheral neuropathy) and/or poor circulation in your legs due to atherosclerosis (peripheral arterial disease), you are at great risk for developing foot ulcers and infections.

These can ultimately lead to gangrene and amputation.

What is the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease?

Control of blood sugar is critical. But there's more problems--the increased frequency of heart attack and stroke in people with diabetes. It is crucial to also pay close attention to all cardiovascular risk factors, particularly abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and the use of aspirin.

Heart attack and stroke are now recognized as the leading causes of illness and death in people with diabetes; therefore, control of these risk factors is as important as control of blood sugar.

IN CLOSING

Although diabetes is a chronic, lifelong condition, you can maintain good health by controlling your blood glucose level. This means checking it on a regular basis, sticking to your diet and exercise program, and taking your prescribed medication.

These efforts may prevent the complications associated with diabetes or, at the very least, delay their onset and slow their progression.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN

Source: American Diabetes Association, 2006.

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