Type 2 Diabetes

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Type-II Diabetes : The Hidden Epidemic

In 2005 , 14 .6 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes - more than twice the estimated number of diabetes cases in the last 15 years (USDHHS , 2 . It was surmised in 2008 that 6 .2 million of the United States ' 20 .8 million diabetics do not know that they have the disease (USDHHS , 2 . As a result , doctors and epidemiologists advised that the public must be better informed about diabetes , which they now considered as a hidden epidemic (USDHHS , 2

Type-II

diabetes (also known as adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes ) is a metabolic dis wherein the body is either unable to produce or is resistant to insulin , a hormone that converts glucose (sugar ) into energy (USDHHS , 2 . When glucose accumulates in the blood over time due to the lack of insulin , it can lead to damage of the vital organs (USDHHS , 2 . Type-II diabetes is responsible for around 90-95 of diabetes cases (USDHHS , 2 . Although it is usually common in people above 40 years old , an increasing number of patients are composed of children and teenagers (USDHHS , 2

Below are some of the methods that are currently being used to diagnose Type-II diabetes

Random Blood Sugar Test - A blood sample will be taken from the patient regardless of what time he or she last ate (MayoClinic , n . pag . A random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg /dL ) or higher is considered a possible indicator of diabetes (MayoClinic , n pag

Fasting Blood Sugar Test - A blood sample will be taken from the patient after he or she underwent an overnight fast (MayoClinic , n . pag . A result of 72 to 100 mg /dL is still considered normal (MayoClinic , n pag . 100 to 125 mg /dL is regarded as prediabetes or a high risk for acquiring diabetes (MayoClinic , n . pag . A consistent finding of 126 mg /dL on two separate tests means the patient has diabetes (MayoClinic n . pag

Symptoms of Type-II diabetes include the following

Increased thirst and frequent urination

Extreme hunger

Weight loss

Blurred vision

Slow-healing sores or frequent infections

Acanthosis nigricans or dark , velvety skin in the armpits and neck (a sign of insulin resistance (MayoClinic , n . pag

If left untreated , Type-II diabetes can lead to the following complications

Short-term Complications

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia

Increased ketones in the urine (diabetic ketoacidosis

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia (MayoClinic , n . pag

Long-term Complications

Heart and blood vessel diseases

Nerve damage (neuropathy

Kidneypathy (nephropathy

Eye damage

Leg amputation

Skin and mouth conditions

Erectile dysfunction

Osteoporosis

Alzheimer 's Disease (MayoClinic , n . pag

Treatment of diabetes is a lifetime process that involves the combination of blood sugar monitoring , a proper and balanced diet regular exercise and , sometimes , diabetes medications or insulin therapy (MayoClinic , n . pag . It may be tedious , but doctors say that it is worth the effort - diabetics who manage to control their blood sugar levels can reduce their risk of having diabetes-related heart attacks and strokes by as much as 50...