Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus Type 2)
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, also known as type 2 diabetes, is a globally common metabolic disorder affecting over two million people in the UK alone. Once called adult-onset diabetes (and also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus – NIDDM), type 2 is now also found in young adults and children.
How does type 2 diabetes occur?
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to meet the body's needs or the insulin is not metabolised effectively. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterised by insulin deficiency, a measure of insulin resistance, and hyperglycaemia.
How serious is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes varies in severity. Following pre-diabetes or metabolic disorder diagnosis, type 2 can develop at an early stage. Type 2 at this level is usually treated through diet and exercise, but if it becomes more serious and resistance to insulin increases, some type 2 diabetics also have to take oral medication or use insulin to keep their blood sugar levels stable.
Type 2 diabetes treatment
Treatment typically includes diet modification and control, regular and appropriate exercise, home blood glucose testing, and in some cases, oral medication and/or insulin. Experts indicate that approximately 40% of people with type 2 diabetes require insulin injections.
Is there an age where I'm more at risk of type 2?
Type 2 diabetes used to primarily be seen in middle-aged adults, and be in contrast to type 1 diabetes which is usually diagnosed at a much earlier stage.
However, in recent years much younger people have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and the disease is becoming more common amongst adolescents and children. This increase has been connected to climbing levels of obesity.
Type 2 diabetes risks
Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes carries the risk of diabetes complications over a long period of time. Ketoacidosis is much rarer amongst type 2 diabetics, but non-ketonic hyperglycaemia is one threat type 2 diabetics need to be aware of. Despite the similarity in complications, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have quite different origins and treatment regimens.
Like many chronic diseases, the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at an early stage is beneficial to treatment. Before type 2 diabetes develops, most patients exhibit pre-diabetic symptoms, and if treatment commences at this stage, diabetes of this type is preventable.
