Case scenario
Our 45-year old male was previously diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The patient is worried that he may have had recent high blood sugars before his recent diagnosis. Our patient should know several things with respect to the development of type II diabetes with time. After checking for blood abnormalities such as high glucose levels during a fasting blood test, our patient was found to have diabetes mellitus. As compared to Type 1 Diabetes patients, those with type II diabetes cannot make their own insulin (Grossman, 2013). However, the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or fails to use it efficiently. When the body fails to use insulin efficiently, the body cells will be starved of glucose. The buildup will then cause abnormal body cell functions. The client has to understand that making an appropriate lifestyle change is the first step towards preventing metabolic syndrome from developing into diabetes.
The link between type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome
Type II diabetes reflects after years of metabolic deregulation (Grossman, 2013). This may include impaired glucose tolerance or resistance to insulin. The patient is right to worry about high blood sugars, because of their increased link to type II diabetes. Metabolic syndrome refers to a pre-diabetic condition that links directly to heart diseases. In addition, it is significantly associated with high mortality rates from any medical cause. Obesity that is marked by abnormal fat characterizes metabolic syndrome. This metabolic syndrome disorder involves various factors, such as high blood pressure, which link directly to increased risk of type II diabetes. Over time, metabolic syndrome develops an insulin resistance that makes it likely for patients to develop type II diabetes. Unhealthy cholesterol or insulin resistance is among the other characteristics of the syndrome. Metabolic syndrome creates insulin resistance, which incapacitates the ability of the body to remove blood sugar, hence leading to type II diabetes.
Progressive development of insulin resistance
With insulin resistance, the cells in muscles and the liver fail to respond effectively to the insulin produced (Codario, 2010). This makes it hard for the body to absorb insulin from the bloodstream. Thus, the body will require higher levels of insulin to enable glucose to find a pathway into the cells. Over time, the pancreatic beta cells strive to sustain the increasing need for more insulin through additional production. With the beta cells producing sufficient insulin to beat the resistance, the blood sugar levels will remain within a healthy range (Codario, 2010). With time, the resistance creates type II diabetes and pre-diabetes. This happens because of the beta cells’ failure to handle the body’s increasing need for insulin. Due to insufficient insulin, the excess glucose increases in the bloodstream, creating health disorders such as pre-diabetes or diabetes.
Resistance to insulin initiates the growth of the disease through the high need for beta cells responsible for additional insulin production. At the pre-diabetic stage, beta cells fail to produce sufficient insulin to handle insulin resistance. This causes a rise in blood glucose levels that are higher than normal ranges. With pre-diabetes, losing bodily functions will progressively facilitate the development of type II diabetes. With time, high blood glucose will damage most bodily organs such as the eye or kidney. This in turn leads to complications, including heart disease, failed kidneys, blindness, and stroke. From this study, it is evident that patient who has metabolic syndrome will develop type II diabetes if the body is not managed well.
References
Codario, R. A. (2010). Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes,andthe Metabolic Syndrome. New York, US:Â Springer Science & Business Media.
Grossman, S. (2013). Porth’s pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States 9th. New York, US: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.