Type-2 Diabetes and New Technology

Introduction

For there to be a significant reduction in the incidence of microvascular complications of diabetes it is necessary to institute new technology that will improve the management of glucose levels based on a greater comprehension of pathogenesis . This article describes the advances in technology in management of diabetes type 2 , identifying the need for this new technology and some problems that may be encountered in introducing it to the public . The structure of the article is as follows

A brief of type 2 diabetes

An overview of the history

and current situation of type 2 diabetes

Observations identifying conflicts and problems related to type 2 diabetes

Literature view describing the advances in technology in relation to type 2 diabetes

The possible future of new technology and diabetes

Overview

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which there is reduced sensitivity to insulin involving the insulin receptor . This increased resistance results in elevated insulin levels in the body which in turn increases the glucose levels in blood resulting in hyperglycaemia (Fox and Silvert , 2007 . Hyperglycaemia is reversed by use of medications such as oral hypoglycaemic agents or through diet modifications . If the disease progresses the resistance to insulin worsens and it may become necessary to start the patient on insulin therapy . Type 2 diabetes does not have ketoacidotic episodes and its diagnosis usually occurs late because of the mild or sporadic nature of type 2 diabetes . The disadvantage with this late diagnosis is the long-term complications that result when diabetes type 2 goes unnoticed . These complications include diabetic nephropathy , renal failure , retinopathies , neuropathy and damage to the liver due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (Fox and Kilvert , 2007

The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is unknown but the predisposing factors have been identified . These include central obesity , aging history of diabetes in the family . Central obesity refers to fat being concentrated around the abdominal organs . Abdominal fat is hypothesized to secrete adipokines that have an effect of impairing the control of glucose (Eberhart , Ogden , Engelgau et al , 2004 . The incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents is a recent development . It can be connected to the increase in prevalence of obesity in children (Rosenbloom and Silverstein , 2003 . This makes type 2 diabetes a greater problem because it may affect the developmental process of children and adolescents in addition to increasing the number of unhealthy adults

Type 2 diabetes is treated by modifications to lifestyle such as increased physical activity , decreased intake of carbohydrates and weight loss . This forms of treatment have the effect of restoring sensitivity to insulin and therefore achieve glucose control . Often however the tendency of insulin resistance is not lost and most patients are unable to adhere to maintain modifications to lifestyle making the use of oral antidiabetic drugs necessary . Insulin therapy is the last resort when the beta cells continue to be impaired and is aimed at preventing the microvascular complications of diabetes

The benefits of normalizing glucose levels as much as possible is...