In women, the disease in question often occurs during the aging process of the body. Obesity itself also leads to type 2 diabetes. After all, an increase in blood cholesterol makes it difficult to absorb glucose and insulin.
Occurrence
The causes and signs of type 2 diabetes in women, the diagnosis of which allows you to establish the disease at the initial stage, is many. With the abuse of carbohydrate foods, diabetes can occur. After all, the pancreas then begins to deplete, impairing the functioning of insulin receptors. If a child’s body suffers from serious infectious diseases in childhood, type II diabetes can occur after the formation of the body. A genetic predisposition to the disease suggests that women should adhere to a certain diet from childhood. Although even ordinary flu can cause hyperglycemia.
Additional reasons
The constant stresses that women are exposed to can cause this disease. So, after thirty years, the body of the fair sex is susceptible to various metabolic disorders. Alcohol abuse and tobacco smoking can also cause type 2 diabetes. Some allergic diseases of women contribute to the appearance of the disease in question. Sometimes pathological conditions during pregnancy can cause type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms and signs of type 2 diabetes in women
Symptoms in women of this disease are most often detected after 40 years of age. The first signs of type 2 diabetes in women:
- Overweight appears. Most often this is due to malnutrition, increased appetite, which also provoke the development of the disease;
- the menstrual cycle is broken, the discharge can be scarce or abundant;
- dry mouth periodically occurs, a strong thirst occurs;
- hunger even after a recent meal;
- skin inflammation caused by infection appears, they are accompanied by itching and burning;
- wounds do not heal for a long time;
- disturbed numbness and paresthesia of the legs;
- vision decreases, its fogging appears;
- urination becomes a frequent occurrence;
- nail plates also respond to the disease, their structure deteriorates;
- hair can fall out very much, become thin and lose its natural healthy shine;
- disturbing constant drowsiness and fatigue, sudden dizziness.
The vessels react very strongly to the disease, and therefore, in case of circulatory disorders, the mucous membranes also suffer:
- they become thinner, microcracks appear on them, which slowly heal and often become a source of viral and fungal infections;
- inside the vagina, the acid-base balance begins to change;
- flaky face.
Even the earliest signs of type 2 diabetes in women are: hair loss on the legs, but noticeable growth on the face, small yellow growths, the so-called xanthomas, also appear on the body, pigmentation gradually spreads through the body. Laboratory tests will more clearly identify the disease. To do this, you need to find out the level of sugar in the blood and urine on an empty stomach and after eating. If the analysis passed on an empty stomach showed a result of more than 120 mg%, and after filling the stomach - more than 140 mg%, then the disease develops and it is time to start treatment.
Diagnostics
The task of laboratory diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women (for signs, see above) is to detect or prove the non-functioning of beta cells (a significant lack of insulin). The main biochemical signs of beta cell dysfunction:
- hyperglycemia on an empty stomach or an increase in glucose after eating that goes beyond the boundaries of generally accepted measures;
- glucosuria;
- ketonuria;
- deficiency or a slight level of C-peptide in the blood or urine.
In the presence of signs, laboratory studies are needed primarily to confirm the medical diagnosis. In the absence of signs, laboratory information alone makes it possible to suspect insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or even determine a clear diagnosis (for example, if the subject has hyperglycemia on an empty stomach and ketone bodies in urine). For this reason, laboratory diagnosis is of particular importance when examining people in the preclinical stage of the disease. In laboratories, as a rule, the degree of glucose in the venous blood plasma is determined using autoanalyzers, however, recently, for rapid diagnostics, test strips or glucometers that measure the degree of glucose in capillary blood are increasingly being used.
Drug treatment
The second type of diabetes in women is a chronic pathology that develops mainly in people who are obese with an abdominal type. It is impossible to completely cure this disease, but it is very important to do it! To treat the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in women, medications are usually used to help control the disease.
Thiazolidinediones and meglitinides
Meglitinides stimulate the production of hormones by the pancreas, and also effectively reduce blood sugar. They act on the membrane layer of cells, and not on the cells themselves, it allows not to suppress biosynthesis. The main representatives of this group of drugs are Starlix and Novonorm, which contain nateglinide in their composition.
Thiazolidinediones have a pronounced hypoclimic effect, do not interfere with the production of insulin, stimulate the process of gene transcription, and also neutralize the risk of developing vascular and cardiac complications. The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in women are the following: Troglitazone, Pioglitazone and Rosiglitazone.
Sulfonylurea derivatives
Using these drugs, it is possible to stimulate the production of pancreatic beta-cells, increase the permeability of the membranes of certain cells, weaken the relationship of proteins and the hormonal complex, increase insulin sensitivity of lipid and muscle tissue, etc. In modern medicine, "Carbutamide", "Glipizide", "Tolazamide" and "Gliclazide", as well as funds with glimepirides are used.
Biguanides
Thanks to their use, it is possible to increase the amount of insulin that will be released into the blood. These drugs inhibit gluconeogenesis, stimulating glycolysis and the absorption of carbohydrates by cells. But it should be noted that biguanides do not lower sugar levels very quickly! The main drugs that are used to treat type 2 diabetes in women are Formetin, Glucophage and Siofor.
Incretins and alpha glucosidase inhibitors
Incretin is a hormone of the digestive tract that promotes the secretion of insulin. He begins his work only if there is enough glucose in the blood. It is because of this that a woman does not experience hypoglycemia. Popular representatives of incretins are Yanumet, Metglib and Bagomet. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors block the production of a specific enzyme in the intestine that can cause the dissolution of complex carbohydrates. This helps to slow the absorption of polysaccharides into the blood. The group of effective drugs includes Glucobay, Acarbose and Miglitol.
Food
When doctors diagnose type 2 diabetes in women, they prescribe certain drugs to treat this ailment. However, one should not forget about the special diet for diabetes. Since the body can no longer properly process any product. In addition, it is impossible to completely recover from the disease in question. After all, there is a complex process of glucose metabolism. However, this will have to be observed, observing a certain diet. Only then will it be possible to avoid possible complications.
Features of the proposed diet
In order to maintain a certain sugar level in type 2 diabetes, you need to limit the amount of carbohydrates consumed. In this case, you should choose healthy fats and high-grade proteins for your diet. Naturally, do not forget about the usefulness of vitamins, trace elements and minerals. The transition to the type of food under consideration should be gradual. However, changes in patients after a low-carb diet are observed within a few days. So, fats cannot raise blood sugar, unlike carbohydrates. And proteins practically do not raise sugar. This diet has proven effective in practice.
Effects
Unfortunately, the effects of type 2 diabetes in women (signs of the disease must be recognized in a timely manner) are noted in almost all, and pathology can often progress. Moreover, even if a woman will exactly follow the doctor’s recommendations, accurately and without omissions, inject insulin, count bread units, and constantly monitor the level of sugar, all the same, complications of type 2 diabetes can occur at some point.
The consequences of diabetes usually occur as a result of damage to certain organs - the kidneys, blood vessels and eyes, as well as the nervous system. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
Diabetic Nephropathy
This condition indicates the beginning of the process of vascular damage and renal parenchyma. At the same time, the metabolic output from the body is reduced, and even renal failure can develop. Blood contains nitrogenous bases, which cause intoxication of the body. To correct the situation, a woman needs to regularly perform blood purification through hemodialysis or transplant a healthy kidney from a donor.
Diabetic polyneuropathy
Damage to the peripheral nerves of the extremities is noted. Initially, the patient may feel tingling, cooling and numbness, but after some time the sensitivity of the limbs can significantly decrease. A rather dangerous complication is a diabetic foot, due to which gangrene and ulcers appear. Without proper and timely therapy, a woman may be shown amputation of an arm or leg.
Diabetic retinopathy
It is characterized by retinal damage, which begins with blurred and tired eyes, impaired vision. After some time without treatment, the retina may exfoliate and the woman will become completely blind.
Diabetic Angiopathy
With this consequence of type 2 diabetes, damage and the defective functioning of blood vessels and capillaries occurs, their permeability decreases noticeably, they can even become brittle, causing the development of vascular bleeding or thrombosis.
The consequences of the second type of diabetes do not develop immediately, but after a certain period of time. But every woman needs to know about them in order to eliminate them in time. This is taught by the school of diabetes, and the endocrinologist.
Prevention
Diabetes mellitus is a widespread pathology, especially among women. It occurs due to the inferior functioning of the endocrine system. To prevent the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to regularly check the level of blood viscosity, cholesterol, blood pressure, abandon bad habits and reduce weight.
A healthy diet, perhaps, can be called the main factor, since without it the rest of the measures can be useless. First of all, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of fast carbohydrates, since they load the pancreas most of all, having a low energy value.
Undoubtedly, frequent stresses disrupt the activity of many cells and organs, which can lead to the appearance of many diseases. Therefore, a woman needs to learn to control her emotions and not to be upset once again.
When dehydrated, the pancreas produces insulin in a reduced amount. Therefore, women suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus are advised to drink 200-250 ml of water before meals. Water cannot be replaced with tea, coffee, juice or sweet water.
To avoid obesity, which is the cause of this type of diabetes, women are advised to regularly perform simple physical exercises.
Various examinations help reduce the negative effects of diabetes on a woman’s body, and the sooner the disease is detected, the easier it is to control and treat it.