Diabetes..Symptoms, Control and Management
What Is It?
Previously known as non-insulin dependent diabetes ormaturity onset diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is essentially a disorder of middle age onwards. However, with the increase in childhood obesity inrecent years there have been increasing reports of this form of diabetes in much younger age groups. Therein lies a clue to the origin of this disorder. Because Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity. As the rates of obesity have soared over the last twenty years or so, so intandem has the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
The underlying factor leading to Type 2 diabetes is a failure of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin, the blood glucose controlling hormone.This may be for one or both of two
reasons. The first that there are insufficient insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to meet demands. The second that there is resistance by the body's target cells to the insulin which is produced, thus requiring increasing amounts to ensure effect. Either way the ultimate poverty of effect of insulin is related toover weight or obesity.
What happens if insulin does not work effectively?
One of the main actions of insulin is to help regulate blood sugar (or to be precise, blood glucose) levels. It achieves this in part by promoting uptake of sugar by cells e.g. muscle cells. Insufficient action of insulin leads to a reduction in sugar uptake andtherefore causes an abnormal rise in blood sugar. The result : the symptoms of diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
There are a number ofsymptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, the most common are:
* Excessive thirst
* Passing of excessive amounts of urine
* Fatigue
* Frequent skin infections e.g. boils
* Itchiness
To Be Continued....
Source : forum.abfun.net
