Sunday, February, 12, 2012

Type 2 diabetes

Table of Contents

Keep a record of your blood sugar for yourself and your health care provider. This will help if you are having trouble managing your diabetes.

DIET AND WEIGHT CONTROL

Work closely with your doctor, nurse, and dietitian to learn how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you need in your diet. Your meal plans should fit your daily lifestyle and habits, and should try to include foods that you like.

Managing your weight and eating a well-balanced diet are important. Some people with type 2 diabetes can stop taking medications after losing weight (although they still have diabetes).

See also:

  • Diabetes diet
  • Snacking when you have diabetes

Very overweight patients whose diabetes is not well managed with diet and medicine may consider bariatric (weight loss) surgery.

See:

  • Gastric bypass surgery
  • Laparoscopic gastric banding

REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Regular exercise is important for everyone. It is even more important you have diabetes. Exercise in which your heart beats faster and you breathe faster helps lower your blood sugar level without medication. It also burns extra calories and fat so you can manage your weight.

Exercise can help your health by improving blood flow and blood pressure. Exercise also increases the body's energy level, lowers tension, and improves your ability to handle stress.

Ask your health care provider before starting any exercise program. People with type 2 diabetes must take special steps before, during, and after intense physical activity or exercise. See also: Diabetes and exercise

MEDICATIONS TO TREAT DIABETES

If diet and exercise do not help keep your blood sugar at normal or near-normal levels, your doctor may prescribe medication. Since these drugs help lower your blood sugar levels in different ways, your doctor may have you take more than one drug.

Some of the most common types of medication are listed below. They are taken by mouth or injection.

  • Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (such as acarbose)
  • Biguanides (Metformin)
  • Injectable medicines (including exenatide, mitiglinide, pramlintide, sitagliptin, and saxagliptin)
  • Meglitinides (including repaglinide and nateglinide)
  • Sulfonylureas (like glimepiride, glyburide, and tolazamide)
  • Thiazolidinediones (such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone). (Rosiglitazone may increase the risk of heart problems. Talk to your doctor.)

These drugs may be given with insulin, or insulin may be used alone. You may need insulin if you continue to have poor blood glucose control. It must be injected under the skin using a syringe or insulin pen device. It cannot be taken by mouth. See also: Type 1 diabetes

It is not known whether hyperglycemia medications taken by mouth are safe for use in pregnancy. Women who have type 2 diabetes and become pregnant may be switched to insulin during their pregnancy and while breast-feeding.

Review Date: 06/28/2011
Reviewed By: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)