What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes, is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes mainly from the food you eat. In type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Since the insulin secreted by the pancreas cannot be used by the body in the usual way, its sugar-lowering effect is incomplete and presents various clinical symptoms. Type 2 diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Today, with the increase in childhood obesity, it has started to be seen in children and young people. Type 2 diabetes, which constitutes approximately 95% of all diabetes cases, requires lifelong follow-up and treatment.
At this point, you can take steps to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes.
What Are the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?
It is usually a slowly progressive disease. It is mostly seen in individuals who are overweight, sedentary, and have a large waist circumference. Since it has a genetic basis, it is more common in people with a family history of diabetes. Some of the early or late symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be listed as follows:
- Sudden and extreme hunger
- Nocturnal hunger
- Increased thirst and urination
- Waking up at night with the urge to urinate
- Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
- Blurred vision in the eyes and floating objects in the field of view
- Feeling tired
- Sores that do not heal
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fungal problems in the genital area and skin that do not go away
- An orthopedic disorder caused by neuropathy and infection, which we call a diabetic foot
- Memory loss in old age
- Rapidly progressive and early-onset dementia.
Depression, little physical activity, smoking, and insufficient sleep add to type 2 diabetes.
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
Overweight and obesity are the main causes of type 2 diabetes.
Apart from this, metabolic syndromes, fat around the waist, hypertension, high cholesterol, and someone with a family history of diabetes can be counted among the causes. Those over the age of 45, those who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant, and those who have given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kilograms are at risk for type 2 diabetes.
How is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?
Blood glucose, glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose, and urine test values are measured. If the blood glucose and glucose load are above 200 mg and the fasting glucose is above 120 mg, the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made.
What Health Problems Can People With Diabetes Develop?
- Heart disease and stroke
- Nerve damage
- Kidney disease
- Foot problems
- Eye disease
- Gum disease and other dental problems
- Sexual and bladder problems
Differences Between Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, there is no insulin production. Insulin therapy is applied from the very beginning of the disease. Type 1 diabetes can be seen in anyone from infants to the elderly, regardless of age.
In type 2 diabetes, there is insulin production. However, it is not regular. Insulin resistance is tried to be regulated with drugs. Patients are usually middle-aged, and they have obesity. For treatment, the individual must comply with the treatment conditions.
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