Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Diabetes is a common and a serious global health problem, currently affecting an estimated\n8.3% of adults - 382 million people worldwide, and taking up 11% of international health\nexpenditure (International Diabetes Federation, 2013). Type 2 diabetes is the commonest type\nof diabetes and accounts for around 90% of cases. This condition typically develops during\nadulthood, usually in people over the age of 40 years, but younger onset is becoming\nincreasingly more common. The disease is characterised by poorly regulated blood glucose\nlevels, which may arise from defects in insulin secretion (insulin deficiency), or in its action\n(insulin resistance), or both. Therefore, the aim of treatment is to manage blood glucose\nlevels to alleviate short-term symptoms and prevent or delay the development of long-term\ncomplications. Raised glucose in the blood, known as hyperglycaemia can initially be\ncontrolled by lifestyle management such as changes to diet and exercise, but given the\nprogressive nature of type 2 diabetes it is likely that most individuals will ultimately require\npharmacological intervention as well. This may initially be with oral hypoglycaemic drugs to\nincrease the production or uptake of insulin and, if the disease remains uncontrolled, insulin\ntherapy
Institutions: City, University of London, East London NHS Foundation Trust
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1875425421