Guest Post - Today's host is Elizabeth Carrollton
writes about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com. And today she is going to Tell us about the Dangers of Type 2 Diabetes. Want to get involved ? See How To Become a guest author on E-Healthdiary
Type 2 diabetes continues to have a large public presence in both doctors' offices literature and media coverage. It is a rising health concern as more and more Americans are diagnosed with the disease.Previously referred to as adult-onset diabetes, that term has been left behind as more and more overweight children are being diagnosed with the condition.
Type 2 Diabetes:
Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.It is diagnosed when the body is no longer able to produce accurate levels of insulin, or when the cells do not respond properly to insulin. Insulin is required to process glucose, or sugar, in the blood.Without proper insulin synthesis, the blood stream carries excess levels of glucose.This causes cells to become starved for fuel, which can lead to complications with vision, kidney function, liver function, circulation, and overall health.
While scientists are not sure what causes type 2 diabetes, there is a link between type 2 diabetes and a person's family history, obesity, and inactivity.There is also a correlation with how body fat is stored.People with higher percentages of abdominal fat are at higher risk for the disease.Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes:
The best treatment is to avoid type 2 diabetes altogether. For many people, a commitment to a change in eating and lifestyle habits can have a profound effect, and for some, the disease can be avoided altogether.
If lifestyle changes are not enough to avoid type 2 diabetes or keep it in check, the next step in treating the condition is often medication. There are different medications for different levels of diabetes. The first level of medications used to treat diabetes works with the liver and prevents it from creating excess glucose.By keeping excess glucose out of the blood stream, combined with a low-sugar diet and exercise, diabetes can sometimes be kept in control.
The next round of medications works with the body in more complex ways.For example, Actos is a popular medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes. The active ingredient in Actos is pioglitazone. In addition to inhibiting the production of glucose in the liver, pioglitazone also works with the body's tissues to use insulin more efficiently, which lowers blood sugar levels and allows cells to receive the fuel they need to function properly.
Unfortunately, medications such as Actos can cause severe and dangerous health risks, such as bladder cancer, heart failure and lactic acidosis. Often, this information is embedded deep in the medication's literature, which makes it difficult for doctors and patients to properly identify and understand its risks. For this reason, many users have filed an Actos lawsuit against Takeda pharmaceuticals, the drug manufacturer, to compensate for the side effects that have been suffered. The final level of treatment involves insulin injections.In this case, patients regularly monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin injections accordingly.It is important that people visit regularly with their doctor and begin to understand exactly how to balance their blood sugar and insulin in order to avoid serious side effects and complications such as a diabetic coma.?