How is Type 2 Diabetes treated?

  • Being active, losing weight, eating right, and not smoking and drinking can all help people with diabetes stay as healthy as possible.

 

  • There are a few medicines that help control blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance and some that help the body make more insulin or that. 

 

  • Some patients need insulin injections too.

 

  • People with type 2 diabetes also need medicines to reduce the complications caused by the disease. For instance, medicines used to lower blood pressure and cholesterol can reduce the chances of a heart attack or stroke.

What else can I do to stay as healthy as possible if I have diabetes?

If you have diabetes (sometimes called diabetes mellitus), the most important thing you can do is to control your “ABCs”:

 

  • “A” stands for “A1C”– A1C is a blood test that shows what your average blood sugar level has been during the last 3 months.

 

  • “B” stands for “blood pressure”– If you have diabetes, controlling your blood pressure is just as important as controlling your blood sugar. High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

 

  • “C” stands for “cholesterol” – High cholesterol is another factor that increases your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious problems.

Why is Diabetes Control so important?

Compared with people who do not have diabetes, people who have diabetes are at least 3 times more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke.

 

People with diabetes also have heart attacks at a younger age, and that are more severe.

 

People with diabetes are much more likely to get kidney disease.

By keeping your ABCs under control, you can lower your risk of these problems by a lot.

Why is Control of blood pressure and cholesterol level important in patients with Diabetes?

Keeping blood sugar in control is the most important thing in preventing some problems caused by diabetes, including:

  • Eye diseases that lead to vision loss or blindness
  • Kidney failure
  • Nerve damage (called “neuropathy”) that can cause numbness or pain in the hands and feet

High blood pressure also leads to eye disease, kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes even without diabetes

High cholesterol also leads to heart attacks and strokes even without diabetes.

Hence managing ABC is extremely important

What should my HbA1c, Blood Pressure and Blood Cholesterol levels be?

The levels you should aim for will depend on how severe your diabetes is, how old you are, and what other health problems you have. Ask your doctor what your target levels should be.

 

Most people with diabetes aim for:

 

  • A1C levels below 7 percent

 

  • Blood pressure below 140/90, or lower in some cases

 

  • LDL cholesterol level below 100 (LDL is one type of cholesterol, often called the “bad cholesterol”)