Apr 03 2009
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes is a combination of abnormalities that are responsible for the disease. The first is probably insulin resistance, a condition in which body cells become less responsive to insulin. Therefore, the body must secrete more insulin to maintain normal metabolism. Insulin resistance, which is very common does not cause type 2 diabetes by itself. The pancreas usually rallies to compensate by pumping out more insulin. For most people with insulin resistance, blood sugar levels stay within a normal range but for some, the insulin-producing cells eventually fail to keep up with the increased demand of blood sugar level and rises resulting in Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a problem of supply and demand. The pancreas supplies too little insulin to keep up with the increased demand that occurs within insulin resistance. For this reason, people with type 2 diabetes can be treated with therapies that decrease insulin demand, including diet, exercise and drugs (with medications that increase insulin supply such as sulfonylureas or meglitinides or with insulin alone).
