Along with following your diabetes care plan, you may need diabetes medicines, which may include pills or medicines you inject under your skin, such as insulin. Over time, you may need more than one diabetes medicine to manage your blood glucose.

You also may need medicines for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other conditions. Learn more about medicines, insulin, and other diabetes treatments. Following a good diabetes care plan can help protect against many diabetes-related health problems.

However, if not managed, diabetes can lead to problems such as. Many people with type 2 diabetes also have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD.

Losing weight if you are overweight or have obesity can improve NAFLD. Diabetes is also linked to other health problems such as sleep apnea , depression, some types of cancer, and dementia. You can take steps to lower your chances of developing these diabetes-related health problems.

Research such as the Diabetes Prevention Program , sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, has shown that you can take steps to reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes if you have risk factors for the disease. Here are some things you can do to lower your risk:.

Most often, your best chance for preventing type 2 diabetes is to make lifestyle changes that work for you long term. Get started with Your Game Plan to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIDDK , part of the National Institutes of Health.

NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

Home Health Information Diabetes Diabetes Overview What Is Diabetes? Type 2 Diabetes. English English Español. What Is Diabetes? On this page: What is type 2 diabetes? Who is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes? What are the symptoms of diabetes?

What causes type 2 diabetes? How do health care professionals diagnose type 2 diabetes? How can I manage my type 2 diabetes? What medicines do I need to treat my type 2 diabetes?

What health problems can people with diabetes develop? How can I lower my chances of developing type 2 diabetes? If you've received a diagnosis of prediabetes, lifestyle changes may slow or stop the progression to diabetes. For people with prediabetes, metformin Fortamet, Glumetza, others , a diabetes medication, may be prescribed to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

This is usually prescribed for older adults who are obese and unable to lower blood sugar levels with lifestyle changes. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Type 2 diabetes is a condition that happens because of a problem in the way the body regulates and uses sugar as a fuel.

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More Information Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Show references Professional Practice Committee: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes — Diabetes Care. Diabetes mellitus.

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Surgical and endoscopic treatment of obesity. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management.

Accessed Oct. Hypersmolar hyperglycemic state HHS. Diabetic ketoacidosis DKA. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Type 2 diabetes and dietary supplements: What the science says. Preventing diabetes problems. Schillie S, et al.

Prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. Related Caffeine: Does it affect blood sugar? Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control GLP-1 agonists: Diabetes drugs and weight loss Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?

Medications for type 2 diabetes Show more related content. Associated Procedures A1C test Bariatric surgery Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty Gastric bypass Roux-en-Y Glucose tolerance test Show more associated procedures.

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Stigma is also seen internally, as people with diabetes can also have negative beliefs about themselves. Often these cases of self-stigma are associated with higher diabetes-specific distress, lower self-efficacy, and poorer provider-patient interactions during diabetes care. Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected with higher prevalence of diabetes compared to non-minority individuals.

Asians have increased risk of diabetes as diabetes can develop at lower BMI due to differences in visceral fat compared to other races. For Asians, diabetes can develop at a younger age and lower body fat compared to other groups.

Additionally, diabetes is highly underreported in Asian American people, as 1 in 3 cases are diagnosed compared to the average 1 in 5 for the nation. People with diabetes who have neuropathic symptoms such as numbness or tingling in feet or hands are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without the symptoms.

In , diabetes-related emergency room ER visit rates in the United States were higher among people from the lowest income communities per 10, population than from the highest income communities per 10, population.

Approximately 9. The term "type 1 diabetes" has replaced several former terms, including childhood-onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Likewise, the term "type 2 diabetes" has replaced several former terms, including adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Beyond these two types, there is no agreed-upon standard nomenclature. Diabetes mellitus is also occasionally known as "sugar diabetes" to differentiate it from diabetes insipidus. Diabetes can occur in mammals or reptiles. In animals, diabetes is most commonly encountered in dogs and cats.

Middle-aged animals are most commonly affected. Female dogs are twice as likely to be affected as males, while according to some sources, male cats are more prone than females.

In both species, all breeds may be affected, but some small dog breeds are particularly likely to develop diabetes, such as Miniature Poodles. Feline diabetes is strikingly similar to human type 2 diabetes.

The Burmese , Russian Blue , Abyssinian , and Norwegian Forest cat breeds are at higher risk than other breeds. Overweight cats are also at higher risk.

The symptoms may relate to fluid loss and polyuria, but the course may also be insidious. Diabetic animals are more prone to infections. The long-term complications recognized in humans are much rarer in animals. The principles of treatment weight loss, oral antidiabetics, subcutaneous insulin and management of emergencies e.

ketoacidosis are similar to those in humans. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Download QR code Wikidata item.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons. This is the latest accepted revision , reviewed on 14 February Group of endocrine diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels. This article is about the common insulin disorder. For the urine hyper-production disorder, see Diabetes insipidus.

For other uses, see Diabetes disambiguation. Medical condition. Frequent urination Increased thirst Increased hunger. Metabolic imbalances Cardiovascular diseases Nerve and brain damage Kidney failure Gastrointestinal changes [2] [3] [4] [5].

Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes Gestational diabetes. Type 1 : Family history Type 2 : Obesity , lack of exercise, genetics , [2] [6] air pollution [7].

High blood sugar Increased HbA1c [2]. Lifestyle changes Diabetes medication [2]. Insulin Anti-hyperglycaemics [2] [8] [9]. Main article: Complications of diabetes. Main article: Type 1 diabetes. Main article: Type 2 diabetes. Main article: Gestational diabetes.

Genetic defects of β-cell function Maturity onset diabetes of the young Mitochondrial DNA mutations Genetic defects in insulin processing or insulin action Defects in proinsulin conversion Insulin gene mutations Insulin receptor mutations Exocrine pancreatic defects see Type 3c diabetes , i.

pancreatogenic diabetes Chronic pancreatitis Pancreatectomy Pancreatic neoplasia Cystic fibrosis Hemochromatosis Fibrocalculous pancreatopathy. Endocrinopathies Growth hormone excess acromegaly Cushing syndrome Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Pheochromocytoma Glucagonoma Infections Cytomegalovirus infection Coxsackievirus B Drugs Glucocorticoids Thyroid hormone β-adrenergic agonists Statins [72].

See also: Glycated hemoglobin and Glucose tolerance test. See also: Prevention of type 2 diabetes. Main article: Diabetes management. See also: Diet in diabetes. Main article: Diabetes medication. See also: Anti-diabetic medication.

Main article: Epidemiology of diabetes. Main article: History of diabetes. Further information: List of films featuring diabetes. Main articles: Diabetes in dogs and Diabetes in cats. International Diabetes Federation.

Archived from the original on 5 August Retrieved 1 October Diabetes Care. doi : PMC PMID Archived from the original on Diabetes Therapy. World Journal of Diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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So far, none of the hypotheses accounting for virus-induced beta cell autoimmunity has been supported by stringent evidence in humans, and the involvement of several mechanisms rather than just one is also plausible.

Canadian Journal of Diabetes Review. Diabetic Medicine. Diabetes Daily. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes". The American Journal of Cardiology. Progress in Lipid Research. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. November BMC Psychiatry. Department of Health and Human Services.

Archived from the original on 17 April Retrieved 22 April Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Acta Diabetologica. Diabetes in Pregnancy: Management of diabetes and its complications from preconception to the postnatal period. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence UK. National institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases.

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Retrieved 4 February Clinical guideline Type 2 diabetes. London, JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group April The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease. Type 2 diabetes —the most common form of diabetes—is caused by several factors, including lifestyle factors and genes.

You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are not physically active and are overweight or have obesity. Extra weight sometimes causes insulin resistance and is common in people with type 2 diabetes.

The location of body fat also makes a difference. Extra belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart and blood vessel disease. To see if your weight puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes, check out these Body Mass Index BMI charts.

Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance , a condition in which muscle, liver , and fat cells do not use insulin well.

As a result, your body needs more insulin to help glucose enter cells. At first, the pancreas makes more insulin to keep up with the added demand. As in type 1 diabetes, certain genes may make you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Scientists believe gestational diabetes , a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, is caused by the hormonal changes of pregnancy along with genetic and lifestyle factors. Hormones produced by the placenta contribute to insulin resistance, which occurs in all women during late pregnancy.

Most pregnant women can produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance, but some cannot. As with type 2 diabetes, extra weight is linked to gestational diabetes. Women who are overweight or have obesity may already have insulin resistance when they become pregnant.

Gaining too much weight during pregnancy may also be a factor. Having a family history of diabetes makes it more likely that a woman will develop gestational diabetes, which suggests that genes play a role.

Genetic mutations , other diseases, damage to the pancreas, and certain medicines may also cause diabetes. Some hormonal diseases cause the body to produce too much of certain hormones, which sometimes cause insulin resistance and diabetes.

Pancreatitis , pancreatic cancer, and trauma can all harm the beta cells or make them less able to produce insulin, resulting in diabetes. If the damaged pancreas is removed, diabetes will occur due to the loss of the beta cells.

However, statins help protect you from heart disease and stroke. For this reason, the strong benefits of taking statins outweigh the small chance that you could develop diabetes. If you take any of these medicines and are concerned about their side effects, talk with your doctor.

This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIDDK , part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public.

Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts. English English Español. Diabetes Overview What Is Diabetes? Show child pages. Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes Show child pages. Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Show child pages.

Managing Diabetes Show child pages. Preventing Diabetes Problems Show child pages. In this section: What are the symptoms of diabetes?