In type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar happens when certain cells in the body are not able to use or burn the sugar fast enough. The cells in the body tissue become unable to respond properly (resistant) to insulin.
If the person has insulin resistance, muscle, fat and liver cells do not use insulin properly.
When these cells cannot use the sugar, then the sugar remains in the blood and reaches high levels. This means that the pancreas has to work harder to produce more insulin. The pancreas tries to keep up with the demand for insulin by producing more.
This also cause problem after a while, the cells in pancreas become worn out and are unable to produce insulin as effectively as they used to.
In the diabetes type 2, the lack of insulin in the blood after meal causes fat stores to be broken down to release more glucose, when it is not actually needed.
Not only this does increase blood sugar, but it also increases the level of lipids (cholesterol and other fatty substances) in the blood.
The major driver for type 2 diabetes is the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity both in the developed and developing World.
Insulin resistance tends to run in families, and therefore there is a genetic preposition to it.
Diabetes is also associated with a whole range of major long term complications, the most important of which is a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events.
Other main complications which can results from type 2 diabetes:
*Coronary heart disease and stroke
*Diabetic retinopathy – eye disease and cataracts
*Diabetic neuropathy
*Diabetic nephropathy
Type 2 Diabetes
