Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic and progressive disease which cannot be cured. It can only be treated so that the patient remains healthy and lives a long life. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed after the blood tests given below are conducted on the patient having Type 2 diabetes symptoms (frequent urination mostly at night, sudden weight loss when not on a diet, slow healing of wounds, especially in the feet and ankle area, blurred vision, lack of sensation on the skin and itching of the hands and feet, increased thirst during the night, erectile dysfunction and increasing fatigue without any reason.)

a) Fasting plasma glucose test: which is done to measure blood sugar after fasting for 8 hours before the test and it can pretty accurately tell if the person has diabetes or not.

b) Oral glucose tolerance test: which measures the blood sugar level after not eating for 8 hours and after 2 hours of having taken a glucose rich drink. It can also tell the doctor if a patient has diabetes or not.

c) Random plasma glucose test: This test can be done anytime as it does not depend on fasting and can also tell whether a person has diabetes or not.

Treatment for Type 2 diabetes is two pronged:

1) Reducing mortality and failure of functional organs by removing excess glucose from the bloodstream.
2) Preserving the lifestyle of the patient.

The first function of preserving the life and functional organs can be achieved through close blood glucose level controls and the reduction in diabetic complications which occurs with type 1 diabetes.

The second function can also be achieved by having a competent and knowledgeable support and care team of diabetic health workers for your aid.

Type 2 is initially treated by adjustment in diet and exercise, and by weight loss, especially in obese or overweight patients. Any amount of weight loss can substantially restore insulin sensitivity which helps in prolonging the life of the patient.

When the above treatment doesn't seem to work then Oral Antidiabetic drugs like:

1) Sulphonylureas
2) Biguanides (metformin)
3) Thiazolidinediones
4) ?-glucosidase inhibitors (acarbose, miglitol)
5) Meglitinides (nateglinide, repaglinide and their analogues)

Exenatide are prescribed by the physician in various amounts depending upon the severity of the diabetic attack. Moreover, if all these treatment options fail, an insulin therapy may be prescribed to control the blood sugar level and thus the patient may progress from only oral to a combination of oral and insulin based treatment.