Type 2 Diabetes
Just The Facts About Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the inability of the beta cells in the pancreas (Islets of Langerhans) to produce enough insulin to keep up with the body’s needs. The body also does not use the insulin that is produced very well.

The risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes are obesity, family history, lack of activity, and race or ethnicity. Often, symptoms can be absent, or can be mild and appear over years before a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made. Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset or Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM).

You probably have many questions. But you’ve come to the right place to learn about healthy living with diabetes. SimpleWins.com will provide you with tools, resources and Bayer Diabetes product information to help you achieve your simple wins.

You will learn about high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). You will also learn about testing your blood sugar level, meal planning, the benefits of exercise and more. All you have to do is sign up for free access to all the resources on this site. It’s that simple.

Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose)* means that the amount of sugar in your bloodstream is higher than it should be. The symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
* blurry vision
* headache
* increased thirst
* increased urination
* irritability
* tiredness
* unexplained weight loss over a period of time.

When you have diabetes, eating a larger meal than usual, missing a dose of medication or insulin, being sick, inactive, or being stressed can cause your blood sugar to be high. It is important to know if your blood sugar is high and to take action to bring it back into a healthy range.

If you have high blood sugar, it is helpful to understand the cause. You may want to think about your management plan and what might be happening to cause this increase in blood sugar. Bayer’s GLUCOFACTS® diabetes management software is a helpful tool for tracking your progress. By logging your tests online you can easily see if and when your blood sugar levels are fluctuating.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)* describes a blood sugar less than about 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L), but some people feel symptoms when blood sugar is a little higher than that.

The symptoms of hypoglycemia include feeling shaky, sweaty, weak, dizzy, irritable, extremely hungry, and having a headache.

Low blood sugar can occur if there is too much insulin in your system, if you have not eaten enough or skipped a meal, or if you have done too much activity without enough carbohydrate to meet the demand of the activity.

If you become hypoglycemic, it is suggested you do the following things:

• If possible, test your blood sugar level to verify it.
• Take some type of fast-acting sugar, like 3 glucose tablets (you can buy these at
• the drug store), a ½ cup of fruit juice, 3-4 pieces of hard candy, a small box of
• raisins or ½ cup of regular soda (not diet).
• If you are not feeling better in 10-15 minutes, it is best to re-test and have more sugar if needed.

*Source: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, American Diabetes Association, 2008

Ketoacidosis is a serious condition that, while not common, can occur in people with type 2 diabetes. For more information click here.