What are the key features of type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that keeps your body from using insulin the way it should. People with type 2 diabetes are said to have insulin resistance. Show
People who are middle-aged or older are most likely to get this kind of diabetes. It used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But type 2 diabetes also affects kids and teens, mainly because of childhood obesity. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. There are about 29 million people in the U.S. with type 2. Another 84 million have prediabetes, meaning their blood sugar (or blood glucose) is high but not high enough to be diabetes yet. Signs and Symptoms of Type 2 DiabetesThe symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that you don't notice them. About 8 million people who have it don't know it. Symptoms include:
If you have dark rashes around your neck or armpits, see your doctor. These are called acanthosis nigricans, and they can be signs that your body is becoming resistant to insulin. Causes of Type 2 DiabetesYour pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. It helps your cells turn glucose, a type of sugar, from the food you eat into energy. People with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their cells don't use it as well as they should. At first, your pancreas makes more insulin to try to get glucose into your cells. But eventually, it can't keep up, and the glucose builds up in your blood instead. Usually, a combination of things causes type 2 diabetes. They might include:
Certain things make it more likely that you’ll get type 2 diabetes. The more of these that apply to you, the higher your chances of getting it are. Some things are related to who you are: Risk factors related to your health and medical history include:
Other things that raise your risk of diabetes have to do with your daily habits and lifestyle. These are the ones you can do something about:
Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis and TestsYour doctor can test your blood for signs of type 2 diabetes. Usually, they’ll test you on 2 days to confirm the diagnosis. But if your blood glucose is very high or you have many symptoms, one test may be all you need.
Type 2 Diabetes TreatmentManaging type 2 diabetes includes a mix of lifestyle changes and medication. Lifestyle changes You may be able to reach your target blood sugar levels with diet and exercise alone.
Medication If lifestyle changes don’t get you to your target blood sugar levels, you may need medication. Some of the most common for type 2 diabetes include: Even if you change your lifestyle and take your medicine as directed, your blood sugar may still get worse over time. That doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. Diabetes is progressive, and many people eventually need more than one drug. When you take more than one drug to control your type 2 diabetes, that’s called combination therapy. You and your doctor should work together to find the best mix for you. Usually, you'll keep taking metformin and add something else. What that is may depend on your situation. Some drugs control blood sugar spikes (your doctor may call this hyperglycemia) that come right after meals, for instance. Others are more effective at stopping drops in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) between meals. Some may help with weight loss or cholesterol, as well as your diabetes. You and your doctor should talk about any possible side effects. Cost may be an issue as well. If you take medication for something else, that will need to be factored into any decision. You’ll need to see your doctor more often when you start taking a new combination of drugs. You might find that adding a second drug doesn’t bring your blood sugar under control. Or the combination of two drugs might work only for a short time. If that happens, your doctor might consider a third noninsulin drug, or you may start insulin therapy. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help you lower your risk of diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar can damage and cause problems with your: The best way to avoid these complications is to manage your type 2 diabetes well. There are many medical professionals who can help you live well with diabetes, including:
10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About DiabetesIf you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, ask your doctor these questions at your next visit.
SOURCES: American Diabetes Association: "Statistics About Diabetes," "Type 1 Diabetes," "Type 2," "Diagnosing Diabetes and Learning About Prediabetes," “Anatomy of a Test Strip.” U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Diabetes in Children and Teens." Cleveland Clinic: "Diabetes Learning Module," "Preventing Diabetes Complications." National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Causes of Diabetes." International Diabetes Federation: "Prevention," "Complications of Diabetes." Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Tips for Older Adults With Diabetes.” |