Understanding Diabetes Care

This document provides an in-depth understanding of diabetes care, including the reasons for the increase in Type 2 diabetes, signs and symptoms, clinical investigations, treatment and support available, and common complications associated with Type 2 diabetes.

Understanding Diabetes Care
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Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1: Discuss the reasons for increase in Type 2 diabetes in the population.................................3
1.2: Explain the signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes............................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1: Compare and contrast the clinical investigations associated with diagnosis of Type 2
diabetes........................................................................................................................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
3.1: Explain the Treatment and support available for service users when initially diagnosed
with Type 2 diabetes....................................................................................................................4
3.2: Discuss the common complications associated with Type 2 diabetes..................................5
3.3: Explain the treatment and support available for service users with long term complications
of Type 2 diabetes........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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TASK 1
1.1: Discuss the reasons for increase in Type 2 diabetes in the population
There are several reasons behind the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes among
population. It results from combination of lifestyle and genetic factors including excess body fat,
higher age, high blood pressure, history of gestational diabetes, heavy duty. In human body,
pancreas is secreting insulin which assist in transporting glucose from bloodstream to cells in the
whole body (Abdul-Ghani, Norton, and DeFronzo, 2015). When the body of an individual
becomes resistant to insulin hormone, then this increases the risk of diabetes. Apart from this,
sedentary lifestyle of people and lack of regular exercise results into obesity and this also
increases the risk of diabetes among people. Obesity is the main contributor to maximizing
diabetes prevelence, however, there are some another factors also including social economic
status, urbanisation, aging, ethnicity, education and lifestyle which also increases the prevalence
of diabetes among people.
1.2: Explain the signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes
The Symptoms and signs of type 2 diabetes includes blurry vision, headache, loss of
consciousness, tingling feet and hands, infections, more hunger, peeing often, weight loss
without trying, dry mouth, fatigue, sores that don't heal and swollen, red, tender gums. All these
are the symptoms type 2 diabetes which affects the health of individual. High level of sugar in
blood can make an individual trouble in focusing. It can slow down the flow of blood and make
it difficult for body to heal. The individual is most possibly to get infections in bones and gums
and also influence the nerves in feet and hands which results into tingling. It can also cause head
to hurt and because of type 2 diabetes, an individual might lose his or her weight even though
they are eating as usual. All these signs and symptoms helps in determining that an individual is
suffering from type 2 diabetes (Doshi and Friedman, 2017).
TASK 2
2.1: Compare and contrast the clinical investigations associated with diagnosis of Type 2
diabetes
The clinical investigations related to diagnosis of type 2 diabetes includes A1C test, random
plasma glucose test, oral glucose tolerance test and fasting plasma glucose test. The A1C test
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gives average blood glucose level over the past 2 or 3 months. This test is also known as
glycated haemoglobin, HbA1C and glycosylated haemoglobin test. At the time of prescribing
this test, the doctor considers some factors like age and issue related to blood like anaemia.
When the symptoms of diabetes are present and doctors don't want to wait until fasting of
patient, then random plasma glucose test is prescribed by doctors. This test can be performed
anytime (Erondu, Desai, Ways, and Meininger, 2015). The fasting plasma glucose test measures
the level of glucose in blood at single time point. This test requires an individual to fast for
minimum 8 hours to perform it. In oral glucose tolerance test, the blood glucose level is check
before and after 2 hours of drinking something sweet in order to see the way body handles sugar.
The fasting plasma glucose test performed after 8 hours of fasting, whereas the oral glucose
tolerance test performed before and after two hours of drinking something. On the other hand,
random plasma glucose test performs at any time and no fasting is required, while A1C test
perform any time to know about the blood glucose level over past three months. The main
motive of performing all these investigations are to determine the sugar levels in blood of an
individual and manage their diabetes.
TASK 3
3.1: Explain the Treatment and support available for service users when initially diagnosed with
Type 2 diabetes
The treatment and support which are available to service users when they are initially
diagnosed with type 2 diabetes includes monitoring of blood glucose levels, medications, daily
exercise, weight loss surgery and healthy eating. The health care professionals initially provide
the patient with appropriate medications like metformin, insulin, DPP-4 inhibitors etc. Apart
from this, regular physical activities suggested by doctors and prescribe to take help of yoga
(Hausenblas, Schoulda, and Smoliga, 2015). The provide the patient with an appropriate meal
plan which includes balanced diet that help the individual in managing blood glucose level in his
or her body. Apart from this, when the patient is on insulin, the doctor monitor blood sugar levels
of patient very often. Weight loss surgery is also provided to the patient so that they can lose
their weight.
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3.2: Discuss the common complications associated with Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops long-term complications for an individual affecting the major
organs of the body including kidneys, heart, eyes, nerves and blood vessels. It dramatically rises
the risk of stroke, heart disease, narrowing of blood vessels and high blood pressure. It also
damages the nerves which control digestion and cause issues like constipation, diarrhoea, nausea
and vomiting. Apart from this, it leads to kidney failure, hearing issues and maximize the risk of
serious diseases related to eye including glaucoma and cataract. Moreover, type 2 diabetes also
raise the risk of Alzheimer disease and sleep apnea. The healing process in the body of diabetic
patient is also slow due to which blisters and cuts left untreated and become serious infections.
3.3: Explain the treatment and support available for service users with long term complications
of Type 2 diabetes
The support and treatment available for patients with long-term complications associated
with type 2 diabetes includes self-management education, Aspirin therapy, regular monitoring of
glucose, medical nutrition therapy, physical activity and exercise etc. The registered dietitian
provides the patient with appropriate nutrition plan according to which they have to take their
meal (Sommese and et. al., 2017). Apart from this, self-management education helps the service
users in preventing the fore the complications associated with type 2 diabetes and ensuring long-
term survival. Moreover, exercise and physical activities is the best way to manage diabetes in an
effective manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abdul-Ghani, M.A., Norton, L. and DeFronzo, R.A., 2015. Renal sodium-glucose cotransporter
inhibition in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Journal of
Physiology-Renal Physiology, 309(11), pp.F889-F900.
Doshi, S.M. and Friedman, A.N., 2017. Diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetic kidney
disease. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 12(8), pp.1366-1373.
Erondu, N., Desai, M., Ways, K. and Meininger, G., 2015. Diabetic ketoacidosis and related
events in the canagliflozin type 2 diabetes clinical program. Diabetes care, 38(9),
pp.1680-1686.
Hausenblas, H.A., Schoulda, J.A. and Smoliga, J.M., 2015. Resveratrol treatment as an adjunct
to pharmacological management in type 2 diabetes mellitus—systematic review and
meta‐analysis. Molecular nutrition & food research, 59(1), pp.147-159.
Sommese, L., and et. al., 2017. Clinical relevance of epigenetics in the onset and management of
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Epigenetics, 12(6), pp.401-415.
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