Special thanks to Jonas Gray of Cambridge University for his contribution to the development of the content of this paper. Thus, it meets the requirement of the current assignment.
Type 2 Diabetes and the Cardiovascular System
Etiology
As a polygenic disease, type 2 diabetes is associated with blood sugars which are seemingly too high and in most cases, many people believe that consumption of sugar-containing foods is the cause (Earlstein, 2017). However, the occurrence of the disorder is not that simple but extends beyond sugar intake. The truth is, the disease is multifactorial with several causes. Of all the factors, insufficient production or inefficient use of insulin plays a major role in the occurrence of the disease (Taylor, 2013). The body with the help of pancreas regulates blood sugar by producing the hormone from isles of Langerhans. The secretion converts glucose into energy needed to perform important tasks and processes.
Type 2 diabetes may also result from miscommunication between DNA and the pancreas. Most importantly, if a member of a family is diagnosed with this disease, then it means someone else in the lineage also was living with it (Earlstein, 2017). Mutation of genes increases the risk of developing the disorder since bits of information which control the manner in which the body regulates blood sugar may be missing or distorted (Gaidhane et al., 2017). As a result, the organ responsible for secreting insulin, the pancreas, fails to produce enough insulin. This problem is escalated by the release of a high level of glucose by the liver when it senses low levels in the blood.
Another causative factor for type 2 diabetes is obesity which is directly correlated to insulin resistance. The rise in one of the global epidemic, obesity, results in the increase in cases of type 2 diabetes. An understanding of insulin resistance is critical in appreciating the role of obesity in the growth of diabetes (Taylor, 2013). Obesity and overweight affect the working of the pancreas in converting the glucose into a form which is usable by cells. Excessive fat surrounding cells make them less responsive to insulin and as a result, insulin resistance becomes established. (Earlstein, 2017) In other words, an overweight or obese individual is more likely to experience high levels of blood sugars than normal-weight persons. Other factors can aggravate the problem because the link is not straightforward. For instance, sleep is important in the core functions of the human body such as insulin production (Earlstein, 2017). Sleep deprivation is a common problem in overweight and obese individuals, which if left could result in insulin resistance or insufficient secretion (Gaidhane et al., 2017). Metabolic processes including regulation of blood sugar occur best when a person is asleep.
Pathophysiology
When the body fails to regulate the blood sugars, a number of health issues may ensue. They exhibit themselves through body organs and systems including cardiovascular, nervous, circulatory and urinary systems (Earlstein, 2017). In the cardiovascular system, high levels of blood sugars interfere with blood vessels elasticity and heart’s cardiac muscles, impairing blood flow. The heart is the central component of the cardiovascular system in the role of pumping blood containing, oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body (Herring " Paterson, 2018). The heart has two ventricles and two atria, making up the four chambers. Blood returns into the heart through the right side and then pumped to the lungs where it is oxygenated before flowing back into the heart to be supplied to various parts of the body. The organ also pumps blood containing nutrients to different organs where energy is generated to support processes including movement, reproduction, metabolism and many others (Earlstein, 2017). Blood vessels connect the heart with different organs for the supply of nutrients and oxygen as well as availing white blood cells for defense against pathogens.
On average, the heart beats 100,000 times each day and possesses the ability to pump about 7,500 liters of blood (Earlstein, 2017). Normally, adult’s heart beats about 60 to 100 in every minute. However, when resting the rate reduces implying that the heart is working normally (Kahn, Cooper " Del Prato, 2014). For instance, athletes have resting rates of about 40 beats a minute. Higher rates in less active people are linked to the heart’s effort to maintain bodily function.
Type 2 diabetes affects the efficiency of the cardiovascular system in pumping blood to parts of the body. As mentioned earlier, the increase in blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, result in many health problems. For instance, when there is excess sugar in the blood, some of it is deposited in the inner walls of the blood vessels and the heart. The build-up of the sugar levels results in growth atheroma in the heart making arteries narrow and incapable of pumping blood well, in what is referred to as atherosclerosis (Einarson et al., 2018). This problem still emerges in blood vessels where they are hardened. Individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are also at high risk of other heart-related diseases. Heart failure is also prevalent in individuals living with type 2 diabetes. More often, when one has a heart failure, it does not imply that the heart has seized working, but rather means heart muscles are too weak to pump sufficient blood through blood vessels to different parts of the body (Einarson et al., 2018). This problem occurs especially when fatty deposits from elevated levels of blood sugars develop inside the blood vessels. The heart is forced to work extra hard for an extended time leading to fatigue. In addition, the stiffness of the heart has a major part to play in causing heart failure (Herring " Paterson, 2018). The stiffness is caused by deposition of blood sugars in the form of fat.
When heart and blood vessels fail to sustain the supply of nutrients and oxygen, the demand increases. The problem worsens and affects body parts such as hands and feet. Failure of the cardiovascular system presents itself in form of pain, particularly when walking or handling various tasks (Kahn, Cooper " Del Prato, 2014). Also, Einarson et al. (2018) argue that narrowed blood vessels and clumps of protein or fatty deposits contribute to the pain. Restricted blood flow is also associated with the impaired sensation which limit the ability of legs and arms to feel the warmth and hence get cold. All these problems begin with either scarcity in insulin secretion or inability of the body to use it well.
Signs and Symptoms
Type 2 diabetes has very serious health problems if it is not it is not recognized on time. Indications of the presence of the disease in a person can be mild, making the process of identifying it difficult. However, with keen observation, some signs and symptoms can be identified with ease. The first thing to pay close attention to is frequent urination (Chatterjee et al., 2017). When glucose is in excess, kidney flushes it out in response to the condition. As this continues, an individual may develop other complications such as the urinary tract infections. People living with the type 2 diabetes have higher chances of contracting urinary tract infections (UTIs) and therefore, it is advisable to see the doctor to know whether the problem is as a result of diabetes (Earlstein, 2017).
Secondly, Chatterjee et al. (2017) suggest that type 2 diabetes make individuals feel thirsty and take a lot of water to compensate on that which is released from the body as urine. Frequent urination contributes to excessive loss of water in the body causing dehydration. At times, the mouth of a person suffering from type 2 diabetes tend to dry more often and could be a sign people should look for and seek medical attention in the nearest time possible (Earlstein, 2017). The purpose of the water is to help dilute glucose in the blood and lower it to the level which is near normal. Organs and tissues thus communicate with the brain which then respond to this water crisis by increasing thirst.
The third symptom is increased hunger which implies that muscles are depleted the little energy obtained from the minimum amount of glucose converted by cells. Hunger is a response to insufficiency in energy available in muscles and organs (Earlstein, 2017). Even after a person has taken a meal, the hunger still persists. This is a sign that a person’s body is undergoing insulin resistance and little glucose is entering the body. Organs and tissue exhaust the available glucose in maintaining important processes and activities. To keep cells and organs working, the body has to ask for more nutrients by cause extreme hunger (Chatterjee et al., 2017).
Fourth, weight loss is also linked to type 2 diabetes, despite excessive eating. The body fails to receive enough glucose to generate energy and as a result, it turns to muscles and fat deposited under the skin called subcutaneous fat (Earlstein, 2017). Continued utilization of fat causes loss of weight. However, a decline in weight is not only associated with type 2 diabetes, but also the lifestyle of an individual. In some cases, a person may be exercising more often, burning a lot of fat (Einarson et al., 2018).
Treatment
Every treatment of diseases needs to begin with identification to ascertain the treatment required. As for type 2 diabetes diagnosis is conducted in several ways including random blood sugar, oral glucose tolerance, fasting glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) tests (Kahn et al., 2014). These methods of diagnosis are performed, the patient is instructed to begin treatment. However, there is no natural treatment for the disease, but some activities and practices can help manage it.
First, healthy eating is key to the realization of manageable type 2 diabetes. In this case, a patient is advised to consume a lot of vegetables and fruits while at the same time shifting to whole grain meals (Mitranun et al., 2014). Fruits and vegetables have compounds which help regulate blood sugar. Moreover, whole grain meals help in keeping glucose in the blood in the acceptable range. Secondly, Kahn et al. (2014) also suggest that physical activities and especially aerobic exercises including swimming, jogging, and riding bikes help in controlling glucose. Nevertheless, it is advisable to seek guidance from the physician before engaging in any form of exercise. In combination with insulin therapy, physical exercises are effective in managing type 2 diabetes. Medications such as Sulfonylureas, Metformin, Meglitinides among others have also proved to be efficient in maintaining sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (Kahn et al., 2014).
Conclusion
Since there is no single method which can be used to treat type 2 diabetes, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one and the only possible way of preventing the disease. As it is always the case, treatment of diseases is much expensive than preventing. Hence, the wisest thing to do is eating healthy and working out regularly.
References
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Gaidhane, S., Mittal, W., Khatib, N., Zahiruddin, Q. S., Muntode, P. A., " Gaidhane, A. (2017). Risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus among adolescents from rural area of India. Journal of Family Medicine " Primary Care, 6(3), 600–604.
Herring, N., " Paterson, D. J. (2018). Levick's introduction to cardiovascular physiology. CRC Press.
Kahn, S. E., Cooper, M. E., " Del Prato, S. (2014). Pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes: perspectives on the past, present, and future. The Lancet, 383(9922), 1068-1083.
Mitranun, W., Deerochanawong, C., Tanaka, H., " Suksom, D. (2014). Continuous vs interval training on glycemic control and macro‐and microvascular reactivity in type 2 diabetic patients. Scandinavian journal of medicine " science in sports, 24(2), 69-76.
Taylor, R. (2013). Type 2 diabetes: etiology and reversibility. Diabetes care, 36(4), 1047-1055.
