Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

In Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and adult-onset diabetes, the body’s delicate balance between insulin production and the ability of cells to use insulin goes awry. Symptoms characteristic of Type 2 diabetes include those found in Type 1 diabetes, as well as repeated infections or skin sores that heal slowly or not at all, generalized tiredness, and tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.

Of the nearly 21 million people in the United States with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have Type 2 diabetes. About 90 percent of all diabetes cases in Canada are Type 2. The onset of Type 2 diabetes usually occurs after the age of 45, although the incidence of the disease in younger people is growing rapidly. Because symptoms develop slowly, individuals with the disease may not immediately recognize that they are sick. A number of genes are involved in Type 2 diabetes. In addition, there is a strong relationship between obesity and Type 2 diabetes. About 80 percent of diabetics with this form of the disease are significantly overweight

If left untreated, diabetes mellitus may cause life-threatening complications. Type 1 diabetes can result in diabetic coma (a state of unconsciousness caused by extremely high levels of glucose in the blood) or death. In both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, complications may include blindness, kidney failure, and heart disease. Diabetes can cause tiny blood vessels to become blocked; when this occurs in blood vessels of the eye, it can result in retinopathy (the breakdown of the lining at the back of the eye), causing blindness. Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people aged 20 to 74. In the kidneys, diabetes can lead to nephropathy (the inability of the kidney to properly filter toxins from the blood). About 40 percent of new cases of end-stage renal disease (kidney failure) are caused by diabetes mellitus. Blockages of large blood vessels in diabetics can lead to many cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Although these conditions also occur in nondiabetic individuals, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disorders.

Obat Diabetes Melitus