Type 2 diabetes which is also known as diabetes mellitus type 2 has become one of the fatal diseases that the humanity is facing nowadays. This is a kind of chronic disease and is considered to be the most common type of diabetes. This condition is caused by high amount of glucose in the blood. When the body experience resistance to insulin, it leads to the failure of blood sugar to enter cells to be stored as energy. If sugar fails to enter into cells, it then builds within the blood. This abnormal function triggers the pancreas to produce more insulin, yet ironically not enough to meet what the body requires. At an early stage, type 2 diabetes symptoms are not even noticeable. However, as this condition becomes severe, it can cause life- threatening complications in the heart, kidney, brain and other parts of the body. People diagnosed with diabetes are more prone to heart disease, strokes and cancers. Some of the symptoms of this chronic disease are: feeling thirsty and hungry more often than normal, blurred vision, fatigue, slow healing infection, frequent urination, itching around genitals and sudden weight loss or change.
This condition used to be common on adults yet recent studies reveal that it is now getting more common to adolescents and children. The increasing number of young people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity problem in the world which is due to the fact that people who are overweight have the tendency to experience insulin resistance. Too much fat blocks the ability of the body to use insulin. Though this condition is common among overweight people, thin people are not an exception especially the elderly. Poor diet and lack of exercise or low level of physical activity can also cause type 2 diabetes. This condition can also be hereditary.
Type 2 Diabetes Life Expectancy
According to some research, middle-aged people with type 2 diabetes mellitus are estimated to live 5 years shorter than their normal life expectancy. Younger people who suffer from this illness have greater reduction in life expectancy compared to older people as several studies support through their findings that the reduction in life expectancy declines with age. Furthermore, women with type 2 diabetes are known to have greater reduction in life expectancy than men with type 2 diabetes. The life expectancy of type 2 diabetes depends on the stage of severity. If the case is already serious then the patient is likely to have shorter period of years to survive. However, if diagnosed earlier, more complications can be avoided. Regular exercise and healthy and proper diet can be done if the condition is at its early stage but if it is more serious then oral medication or insulin injection is needed.
Living With Type 2 Diabetes
As the cliché goes, the earlier the better, then giving prompt attention to this condition can prolong mortality. Treatment should not be delayed to avoid more serious complications. If given proper care and immediate action before severe complications occur, people with type 2 diabetes can still live life normally. Through regular monitoring of blood sugar, regular exercise and proper diet there is a great chance to live longer. Patients only need more self-discipline to follow the steps on how to combat the disease and in order to avoid more complications. As medical technology is now getting more advanced, health experts assure based on their recent studies that people with type 2 diabetes can now expect a normal life expectancy.