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How the disease develops in humans
Diabetes can occur not only because of heredity, but also due to lifestyle. The disease occurs when the body stops producing enough insulin, or decreases sensitivity to it.
Type 2 diabetes occurs in people who inherited poor insulin sensitivity from their parents. It is also often found in those who eat a lot and move little.
Signs of the disease can appear late, so people with diabetes often learn about their disease by accidentally donating blood for a test. Because of this, type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed only when excess glucose in the blood has done its job: provoked hypertension, atherosclerosis, or coronary heart disease.
Therefore, if an adult suddenly begins to experience itching and unusual thirst, if he is regularly sleepy, he quickly gets tired at work, often gets sick or feels tingling in his legs, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. The sooner diabetes is detected, the easier it is to control it later.
Stages of development of type 2 diabetes
There are several classifications for the severity of diabetes.
Easy form
The mild form of type XNUMX diabetes is characterized by the possibility of compensating for the disease only with a diet or a diet in combination with taking one tablet of a hypoglycemic drug. The likelihood of developing angiopathy (blood vessel damage) is low.
Moderate severity
With moderate severity of type 2 diabetes, compensation of metabolic disorders is required – you need to take 2-3 tablets of hypoglycemic drugs. Perhaps a combination with the functional stage of vascular complications.
Severe illness
In severe type 2 diabetes mellitus, compensation is achieved by the combined intake of hypoglycemic tablets and insulin, or only by insulin therapy. At this stage, severe manifestations of vascular complications are already noted – the organic stage of the development of retinopathy, nephropathy, angiopathy of the lower extremities, encephalopathy, severe manifestations of neuropathy can also be diagnosed.
Popular questions and answers
Comments Aisylu Latypova, an endocrinologist, dietitian, and nutritionist:
What are the causes of type 2 diabetes?
1. Violation of the secretion (excretion) of the hormone insulin β cells of the pancreas;
2. Insulin resistance – a violation of the sensitivity of the hormone insulin to glucose in organs such as the liver, adipose tissue and muscles;
3. Decrease in the effects of hormones of the gastrointestinal tract – incritins;
4. Violation of the secretion (excretion) of glucagon – a hormone that is formed in the alpha cells of the pancreas;
5. Increased reabsorption (reabsorption) of glucose in the kidneys;
6. In recent years, the role of immunity, chronic inflammation, changes in the intestinal microbiota has been discussed.
The doctor notes that the risk factors for type XNUMX diabetes are:
● age 45+;
● overweight and obesity;
● heredity;
● lack of physical activity;
● sestational diabetes mellitus (diabetes that develops during pregnancy);
● violation of fat metabolism – high cholesterol and blood triglycerides;
● polycystic ovary syndrome;
● the presence of cardiovascular disease.
What are the mandatory components of the treatment of type 2 diabetes?
1. First of all, diet therapy, the exclusion of easily digestible carbohydrates and the reduction of the quota of saturated (animal) fats.
2. Individual selection of hypoglycemic drugs, there are a lot of them on the market now.
3. Constant lifelong observation by an endocrinologist, ophthalmologist.
4. Self-monitoring of blood glucose.
5. Lifestyle changes (weight loss, increased physical activity, smoking cessation).
6. Surgical treatment – bariatric therapy, it is used in overweight patients, if there is no effect from lifestyle changes and drugs, – comments Aisylu Latypova.
What are the complications of type 2 diabetes?
1. Hypoglycemia – a decrease in blood sugar below normal against the background of taking hypoglycemic drugs;
2. Diabetic nephropathy – damage to the vessels of the kidneys with the development of chronic kidney disease. It develops in 20-40% of patients;
3. Diabetic retinopathy – a neuro-microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus with damage to the vessels of the retina, which leads to a decrease in visual acuity, retinal detachment, in severe cases, to blindness.
4. Diabetic neuropathy – this is a lesion of nerve fibers with a violation of sensitivity, muscle atrophy, foot deformity, cardiovascular neuropathy also develops with a violation of the heart, gastrointestinal (mastopathy, diarrhea, constipation), urogenital (neurogenic bladder, erectile dysfunction).