Type 2 diabetes is a disease characterized by too high a level of glucose (= sugar) in the blood. To be precise, the diagnosis is made when the sugar level (= glycemia) is greater than 1,26 g / l (7 mmol / l) after a fast of 8 hours, and this during two analyzes carried out separately.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, which occurs in childhood or adolescence, type 2 diabetes usually starts after the age of 40. It is linked to several simultaneous factors:

• The body no longer secretes enough insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood sugar levels after a meal.
• The body is less sensitive to insulin, which is therefore less effective: we speak of insulin resistance.
• The liver makes too much glucose, which helps raise blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes, like high blood pressure, are dreadful diseases because they are silent… No symptoms are felt until a complication occurs, usually after several years. It is therefore difficult to realize that you are “sick” and that it is important to follow your treatment scrupulously.

Learn as much as possible about diabetes to understand the risks, the principle of treatment and to know the actions to take to be active in the management of your disease.