Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition that causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to become too high. It can cause symptoms like excessive thirst, needing to pee a lot and tiredness, It can also increase your risk of getting serious problems with your eyes, heart and nerves. It’s a lifelong condition that can affect your everyday life, You may need to change your diet, take medicines and have regular check-ups. It’s caused by problems with a chemical in the body (hormone) called insulin, It’s often linked to being overweight or inactive, or having a family history of type 2 diabetes.
Page last reviewed: 18 August 2020 Next review due: 18 August 2023 : Type 2 diabetes
How does type 2 diabetes affect the body?
Overview – Type 2 diabetes is an impairment in the way the body regulates and uses sugar (glucose) as a fuel. This long-term (chronic) condition results in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream. Eventually, high blood sugar levels can lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous and immune systems.
In type 2 diabetes, there are primarily two interrelated problems at work. Your pancreas does not produce enough insulin — a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells — and cells respond poorly to insulin and take in less sugar. Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, but both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can begin during childhood and adulthood.
Type 2 is more common in older adults, but the increase in the number of children with obesity has led to more cases of type 2 diabetes in younger people. There’s no cure for type 2 diabetes, but losing weight, eating well and exercising can help you manage the disease.
Does your body change when you have diabetes?
Diabetes – long-term effects
The long-term effects of diabetes include damage to large and small blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack and stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, feet and nerves.The good news is that the risk of long-term effects of diabetes can be reduced. Regular screening is important to detect diabetes-related health problems early. It’s also important to keep your waist measurement, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, HbA1c and cholesterol within recommended ranges.It’s very important that you don’t smoke if you have diabetes as it increases the likelihood of health problems.
Diabetes is a condition in which there is too much glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the body’s organs. Possible long-term effects include damage to large (macrovascular) and small (microvascular) blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, gums, feet and nerves.
What do diabetic legs look like?
2. Diabetic dermopathy – This condition is also known as shin spots, and it’s harmless. The spots look like red or brown round patches or lines in the skin and are common in people with diabetes. They appear on the front of your legs (your shins) and are often confused with age spots.
What is diabetic skin?
Diabetic dermopathy – Diabetes can cause changes in the small blood vessels. These changes can cause skin problems called diabetic dermopathy. Dermopathy often looks like light brown, scaly patches. These patches may be oval or circular. Some people mistake them for age spots.
Is diabetes Type 2 a terminal illness?
Type 2 diabetes can have serious health implications that can affect life expectancy. However, with management, many people with diabetes can live long lives. When a person gets a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, they may wonder how it will affect the length of their life.
- The impact on life expectancy depends on various factors, such as how soon a person receives a diagnosis and treatment, and how well they and their healthcare team manage the condition.
- Other influential factors include symptom severity and progression, the appearance of complications, and the body’s response to treatment.
This article will examine the factors that influence life expectancy with type 2 diabetes and how to maximize it.