21.23: Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the severity of the glucose elevation.
Type 2 diabetes, more common in adults, is associated with risk factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, poor diet, and a family history of the condition. Similar to Type 1 diabetes, individuals with Type 2 diabetes are susceptible to complications like heart disease, amputations, kidney failure, and blindness.
Management of Type 2 diabetes includes lifestyle modifications, encompassing dietary changes and regular exercise. Pharmacological management, such as oral antidiabetic medications, may be necessary, and in some cases, insulin therapy may be prescribed.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs during pregnancy and can lead to complications such as preterm labor, fetal overgrowth, and preeclampsia. While GDM typically resolves post-childbirth, both mothers and their babies face a lifelong risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity.
Comprehensive management strategies, including early diagnosis, lifestyle interventions, and appropriate medical treatments, are crucial in mitigating the risks associated with Type 2 diabetes and its gestational counterpart, GDM.
