Non-insulin dependent diabetes

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (also called type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes) is a chronic disease caused by disturbances in the metabolism of glucose in the blood, causing blood sugar levels to rise. High levels can damage many important organs in the body.

MSc Tran Nguyen Quynh Tram (Department of Endocrinology – Diabetes, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City) said that people who are prone to type 2 diabetes are middle-aged people. However, children and adolescents with overweight and obesity are also a high-risk group.

Symptom

The symptoms of non-insulin dependent diabetes usually progress slowly. In fact, people can live with this condition for years without even knowing it.

When symptoms appear, the patient may experience dry mouth, thirst; frequent urination; increased hunger; unexplained weight loss; tired. In addition, blurred vision; long-healing wounds; numbness or tingling in the hands or feet; Darkening of the skin in the armpits and neck can also be a symptom of the disease.

Reason

According to Dr. Quynh Tram, the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, which helps cells convert glucose in food into energy. In people with type 2 diabetes, although insulin is still fully secreted, the body uses very little insulin. The specific cause of the disease is still unknown.

There are many factors that increase the risk of non-insulin dependent diabetes. The more risk factors you have, the higher your chances of developing type 2 diabetes are:

Age: Your risk of developing non-insulin dependent diabetes increases as you get older, especially after age 45.

Heredity: a family history of diabetes.

Health-related risk factors and history of prediabetes; heart and blood vessel disease; High Blood Pressure; low HDL cholesterol; high triglycerides; overweight, obese; giving birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg; gestational diabetes…

Factors that increase the risk of diabetes are related to daily habits and lifestyle such as little or no exercise; smoke; frequent stress; sleeping too little or too much.

Symptoms

Non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes affects many major organs including the heart, nerves, eyes, kidneys… In addition, factors that increase the risk of diabetes are also factors. risk factors for other serious chronic diseases. Therefore, controlling diabetes can reduce the risk of complications or comorbidities

Common potential complications of diabetes are as follows:

Cardiovascular disease: diabetes increases the risk of heart attack, atherosclerosis, stroke, high blood pressure…

Kidney disease: Diabetes can cause chronic kidney complications or end-stage kidney failure.

Nerve damage in the extremities: High blood sugar can damage or destroy nerves, causing symptoms such as tingling, numbness, burning, pain, and most seriously, loss of sensation. , which usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and spreads upward.

Nerve damage in other organs: Damage to the nerves in the heart can cause an irregular heartbeat. Nerve damage in the digestive system can cause problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. In men, nerve damage can cause erectile dysfunction.

Eye damage: Diabetes increases the risk of serious eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma and can damage the blood vessels in the retina, causing blindness.

Skin diseases: People with diabetes are more prone to skin problems, namely bacterial and fungal skin infections.

Upper body amputation: if not treated promptly, wounds on the body can become seriously infected and require amputation, most of which are toes, feet or legs.

Hearing loss: Many studies show that people with diabetes are more likely to have hearing problems.

Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is common in people living with type 2 diabetes, especially overweight and obese people.

Dementia: Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders that cause dementia.

Tests and diagnostics

Non-insulin dependent diabetes is usually diagnosed by performing a test of Hemoglobin (A1C) also known as HbA1C. This test shows a person’s average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months.

Dr. Lan Phuong added, if the HbA1C test does not give positive results or the patient has some medical condition that interferes with this test method, the doctor can make a diagnosis by performing other tests. Other tests include random blood sugar testing, fasting blood glucose testing, and oral glucose tolerance testing.

Routine screening with diagnostic tests for type 2 diabetes for people 45 years of age and older and for populations under 45 years of age who are overweight or obese and have one or more risk factors muscles associated with diabetes; women with gestational diabetes; people diagnosed with prediabetes. Children who are overweight or obese and have a family history of type 2 diabetes or other risk factors.

Treatment

According to Dr. Lan Phuong, currently there is no cure for non-insulin dependent diabetes or type 2 diabetes. To control blood sugar, patients need a combination of lifestyle changes and good treatment of diabetes. comorbidities.

Lifestyle change

Weight loss: many studies show that losing at least 5-7% of body weight is highly effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, especially for overweight and obese people.

Eat healthy: There is no specific diet for people with type 2 diabetes, but the application of a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, high-fiber, fruit-packed diet helps reduce significant amount of sugar consumed.

Exercise: every day spend about 30-60 minutes of physical activity to help control blood sugar better.

Blood sugar monitoring: to control the impact of eating, living and accompanying diseases on health, thereby adjusting accordingly.

Using drugs

People with non-insulin dependent diabetes can also be prescribed pills or injections depending on their condition, Dr. Lan Phuong said. Metformin is one of the commonly prescribed medications for people with type 2 diabetes, which helps the body respond better to insulin. In addition, there are other drug treatments including byetta, victoza, bydureon

Some people with type 2 diabetes, often those who have had it for many years, can also switch to insulin injections.

Prevent

Leading a healthy lifestyle can help prevent non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes and slow or stop the progression of prediabetes to diabetes. Here are some precautions:

Building a healthy and scientific eating menu: choose foods low in fat, animal fat, and calories; eat a lot of green vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains; avoid the use of sugary and alcoholic beverages; Limit red meat, foods high in sugar…

Exercise makes the cells more sensitive to insulin, so we need to build a regular exercise regimen, 5 days a week, at least 30 minutes a day by walking, running Walking, cycling, swimming…

Sitting still for long periods of time can increase your risk of developing non-insulin dependent diabetes, especially if you work in an office setting. Therefore, you should try to be physically active every 30 minutes and be active for at least a few minutes.

Ngoc An