Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms, Health Problems, and Medical Treatments

Type II diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body uses and regulates glucose. This report explains the additional health issues associated with it, signs and symptoms, and treatment measures that are advised to a patient suffering from diabetes.

TYPE 2 DIABETES
INTRODUCTION
Type II diabetes is chronic condition that affects the way through
which body uses and regulates the motion of glucose. This long
term condition results in circulation of too much sugar in the
bloodstream which can eventually lead to disorders of the
nervous and circulatory system. Type II diabetes is lifelong and
can seriously damage the eyes, heart and specially the feet. This
report gives an explanation about type II diabetes and the
additional health issues associated with it. The discussion also
revolves around the signs and symptoms of diabetes and
treatment measures that are advice to a patient suffering from
diabetes.
When the cells cannot intake glucose, the pancreas produce more
insulin to make up for the insulin that is not absorbed which
leads to building up of glucose in the bloodstream. There are a
combination of factors that can cause type II diabetes, such as
genes, being overweight, presence of any metabolic syndrome,
production of too much glucose from the liver for storage. There
is also a possibility that bad communication between the
receptors of the cells that can affect the uptake of insulin and this
chain reaction can lead to diabetes (Chaplin, 2020). High blood
sugar level can also be caused when beta cells in the pancreas
may send out wrong signals for production of high amounts of
insulin. Insulin resistance can also result in a variety of metabolic
syndromes such as high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol
and triglycerides. The possibility gaining extra weight can also
cause insulin resistance leading to type II diabetes. According to
a research conducted by UK Prospective Diabetes Study
(UKPDS), the prevalence of diabetes is increasing with each
surpassing day as about 90% of the adults have either been
diagnosed with type II diabetes or are at a high risk for
contracting the disease because of sedentary lifestyle (Diabetes
in the UK: 2019, 2020).
OVERVIEW
Diabetes is an impairment where high blood sugar levels leads to
disorders of the circulatory and immune system. There are two
ways through which type II diabetes develops i.e., when the
pancreas does not produce enough insulin and when the cells
respond poorly to the hormone that regulates the circulation of
sugar and there is intake of less sugar through these cells. There
is no available cure for type II diabetes and children with obesity
have a higher chance of contracting this disease. Insulin
resistance is the main reason because of which people develop
type II diabetes. Insulin is a hormone which is produced in the
pancreas that helps the cells convert glucose (sugar) into energy,
however in this case of diabetes, insulin is produced but the cells
cannot take it up for production of energy (Bommer and et. al.,
2018).

Health problems associated with type II
diabetes Signs and symptoms
According to the NHS, if a person is diagnosed with diabetes it is
important to undergo regular check-ups and keep an eye on the
health of a person who is suffering from type II diabetes. There is
a high chance of stroke or developing heart diseases if cholesterol
and blood pressure levels are not checked and treated (Zare and et.
al., 2019). Smoking worsens the effect of diabetes on the heart.
Any numbness or pain should be immediately reported to the
doctor as this can be caused due to diabetes that cause damage to
the nerves. Neuropathy is a severe dysfunction of one or more
nerves that can result in muscle weakness and affects other parts
of the body. Nerve damage causes vomiting, nausea and may lead
to erectile dysfunction in men. Ulcers and sore feet can cause loss
of feeling as diabetes reduce the supply of blood to the feet. Cuts,
cracks, numbness of toes and feet should be reported to the doctor.
If sore feet is not treated at an early stage it can lead to gangrene
which can only be treated by amputation. Diabetic retinopathy is
caused by damaged blood vessels leading to sight problems and
even blindness. Diabetes can also damage the filtering system of
the body leading to kidney failure or irreversible kidney disease.
Susceptible skin conditions can develop as a result of bacterial
and fungal infections. The risk of developing dementia is directly
related to poor control over the blood sugar level. It is observed by
the NHS, that people with diabetes have the possibility of
contracting Alzheimer's disease (Takehara and et. al., 2019).
Diabetes and mental health issues such as depression also go hand
in hand. The management of diabetes is affected by depression
such as non- adherence towards diabetes medication.
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels in women can cause
complications during pregnancy such as low blood sugar level in
the newborn, unusual growth in infants, type II diabetes in later
stages of life and even death.
The symptoms of diabetes vary from person to person depending
on the elevation of blood sugar level. One of the major symptom
of diabetes is presence of ketones levels in the urine sample of the
patient. As ketones are the by-products that are produced due to
breakdown of fat and muscles due to unavailability of insulin
(Skinner, Joensen and Parkin, 2020). Frequent urination,
increased thirst and episodes of extreme hunger are experienced
by the people suffering from diabetes. Slow healing sores of feet
and occurrence of infections such as skin or vaginal infections can
develop at any age. There is unexplained weight loss along with
blurred vision which is followed by irritability which is more
common in people above the age of 40. Diagnosis of pre-diabetes
is also a major symptom that can help a caregiver identify the
possibility of developing the disease. Pre-diabetes occurs when
the blood sugar levels are very high in a person but not high
enough for it be classified as diabetes. It can also be called as
precursor to diabetes. High blood pressure can essentially slow
down the functioning of kidneys and lead to chronic kidney
disease (Cherrington and et. al., 2021). With the presence of
diabetes, a minor skin condition can turn into a severe infection
with serious consequences. High sugar level in blood can cause
dental and oral health issues because high sugar in blood impairs
white blood cells in the mouth which can lead to easy entry of
infectious pathogens in the body. The thyroid gland does not
produce enough hormones controlling the metabolism which can
be caused as a result of hypothyroidism, a condition linked to
diabetes. In some cases, there is a possibility that one might
experience no symptoms at all. Some symptoms are gender-
specific such as men might experience decreased sex drive and
erectile dysfunction along with poor muscle strength whereas
women suffering from diabetes can develop urinary tract
infections, sever yeast infections and itchiness all over the body.

What to do if you have diabetes Medical Treatments for diabetes
Blood sugar levels are highly affected by the eating habits of an
individual. It is necessary to consume plenty of vegetables, fruits
and whole grains in your diet to fulfil the nutritional requirements
of the body. Opting for products with no dairy and lean meats
(Williams and et. al., 2020). Not consuming foods that are high in
sugar and fats. It is also ideal to watch your carb intake as these
carbohydrates turn into sugars when processed inside the body.
Practising mindful eating and managing the nutrients on the plate.
The food consumption will be determining how the body will
react to insulin or drugs that will be administered to control the
sugar in the blood. It is also required to regularly exercise for 30
minutes as an active lifestyle will help in effective management of
diabetes and will reduce the level of sugar in blood. Regular
activity also helps lower the risk of getting a heart disease (Peng
and et. al., 2020). Physical activity also helps in reducing the
overall body weight and help ease stress. If one has contracted
diabetes it is necessary to see a doctor at regular intervals and get
tested. A physician can help in examination of symptoms which
will helps in early diagnosis of diabetes. Anxiety worsens the
symptoms of diabetes as blood sugar levels rise when a person
experiences stress. Relieving stress through yoga and individual
hobbies can help in better management of stress. Smoking is a risk
factor for many heart diseases, nerve damages and even foot
problems, therefore it is beneficial to quit smoking. The amount of
alcohol consumption should be reduced as it rises blood sugar
levels and are even high in carbs. There might be a possibility that
while drinking alcohol the blood sugar level can go too high or
very low.
Diabetes is a complex condition which require enormous range of
healthcare practitioner, specialist and treatments. Every
individual is different so treatment depends according to their
requirements. For type 1 diabetes, insulins are used by injection
or by pump whereas, type 2 diabetes uses insulin or tablets.
Insulin is a medication help to manage the blood glucose level in
body and also keep person healthy (Warren and Hixenbaugh,
2020). Diabetes can also have treated by medication, diet,
exercise, insulin and emotional support. Medications can
stimulate cells in pancreas to produce more insulin and also
depend upon the types of diabetes of an individual has.
Metformin from biguanide family is first medicine that prescribed
by doctors, it is used to treat type 2 diabetes other medications are
sulphonylureas, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (acarbose), prandial
glucose regulators (repaglinide and nateglinide), DPP-4
inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors, etc. Acarbose tablets reduce starchy
food absorption which means glucose level not rises, DPP-4
inhibitors block the action of DPP-4, an enzyme destroy the
incretin hormone whereas, SGLT-2 inhibitors decrease amount of
sugar absorb by kidney and pass out in urine and to know that
prandial glucose regulator could also because hypoglycaemia
means low blood sugar level (Daliu and et. al, 2020). Diabetes
medications are not always safe but it also has side effects like
weight loss or weight gain, feeling sick, etc. In England,
treatments for diabetes are free if person is 60 or above age just
need to claim medical exemption certificate. The risk of diabetes
can be reduced by changing the lifestyle, eating balanced diet and
healthier food is a great way to manage individual’s health. Thus,
individual must have diet plan which includes: drinks without
sugar or replace with fruit juices, find low calories drinks, get
some proteins from pulses, unsalted nuts & eggs, eat fruits,
vegetables and healthier snacks having natural source of sugar,
choose high fibre carbs such as white rice & cereals, adding
vitamins, minerals and fats in your diet (Sanlier and Gencer,
2020).

Support and help groups for diabetes
prevention and treatment REFERENCES
There are several health and services provide by the UK
government such as if a person is 60 above a using insulin or
medications to control diabetes then they entitled free
prescription and under 60 has to claim the medical exemption
certificate in England. Prescription of diabetes are free for
everyone in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The London
Diabetes Centre is providing wide range of clinical expertise
and consultants to guide about diabetes. The NGOs and charity
in UK are working for people suffering from diabetes and
providing knowledge in general public, they also raising
campaigning and awareness among the public as well as
supplying funds for research (Jia and et. al., 2019). Sometime,
people with diabetes focus only on carbohydrate contents in
their diet so NHS has provided following advice for the diabetes
people: do not skip their breakfast, avoid fatty meat, take lean
meat like skinless chicken, always keep hydrated, eat cooked
food instead of fried, avoid sugary snacks, have rich source of
proteins. The NHS also advice some sensible points that one
should cut down with alcohol, sugar, processed meat and salty
foods and have some rich fibres, veggies and fish in their diet.
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Chaplin, S., 2020. ‘Diabetes at the front door’: meeting the
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Cherrington and et. al., 2021. Study of emotional distress in a
comparative effectiveness trial of diabetes treatments:
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Daliu and et. al., 2020. Abscisic acid identification in Okra,
Abelmoschus esculentus L.(Moench): Perspective
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Jia and et. al., 2019. Evaluation of clinical decision support
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Peng and et. al., 2020. Effects of a combined fucoidan and
traditional Chinese medicine formula on hyperglycaemia
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Sanlier, N. and Gencer, F., 2020. Role of spices in the treatment
of diabetes mellitus: A minireview. Trends in Food
Science & Technology, 99, pp.441-449.
Skinner, T.C., Joensen, L. and Parkin, T., 2020. Twenty‐five
years of diabetes distress research. Diabetic Medicine,
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Takehara and et. al., 2019. Differences Between Patient-
Reported Versus Clinician-Observed Nonulcerative
Signs and Symptoms of the Foot in Patients With
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Williams and et. al., 2020. Adherence and diabetes. In
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Warren and Hixenbaugh, 2020. Global and regional estimates
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Online:
Diabetes in the UK: 2019, 2020 [Online] Available through <
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dme.14225 >
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that glucose is very
important for production of energy in the body making up
muscles and it also acts as a source of fuel for the brain
performing viral functions in the body. Diabetes can be
prevented by following a healthy lifestyle and following up with
a doctor on a regular basis. Preventive measures of diabetes
mellitus is characterised by administration of different anti-
diabetic medications and certain lifestyle modifications
otherwise it can lead to high morbidity and mortality rate.