What is Type 2 diabetes?
Old terminology for Type 2 diabetes was Non-Insulin Dependent
Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. Type 2
diabetes accounts for about 90%-95% of all diagnosed cases of
diabetes in America.
Unlike Type 1 diabetes, where pancreas does not function
properly and thus does not produce insulin, in Type 2 diabetes
pancreas is still able to produce insulin at diagnosis in most
people. However, the insulin produced is not able to do its
primary job, which is to help the body cells to convert the
glucose into energy. This is mainly due to problem in insulin
receptors on the cells which act as a gate for glucose to enter
the cells. This condition is called insulin resistance.
As a result, the presence of glucose in the blood stream is at
a higher than normal level. A build up of glucose in the blood is known as hyperglycemia.
Hyperglycemia is the trademark characteristic of diabetes. The goal of therapy
is to control and manage the excessive sugar in the blood.
Also pancreas keep on making the insulin in an effort to utilize
the excessive glucose and thus this can lead to a condition called hyperinsulinemia
(high circulating level of insulin). Hyperinsulinemia can lead to cardiovascular
and other disorders.
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