The world’s older generation is reporting increased cases of Diabetes type two in this era as compared to a few decades ago which is raising a health concern. This is in spite of increased medical campaigns and research into the way of putting this worrying trend at bay. The increased cases of Diabetes type II translate into increased spending in managing and treating of such cases which reduces the government spending on critical development projects. More so, Diabetes Type 2 increases the chances of contracting other chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, as well as decreased life quality in the affected populations. Additionally, the increased cases translate to the reduced workforce as the younger generation is forced to leave work to tend to their ailing parents and grandparents. As such, it is essential for the concerned stakeholders to make sure that they come up with a way of suppressing the effects associated with this condition to reduce the agony faced by the affected.
Prevalence of Diabetes Type II
Type 2 diabetes is a type of diabetes which is most common with adults and which affects how human bodies metabolize glucose which is the primary source of energy for human beings. This kind of diabetes presents a complicated case as the body of the infected person may either resist insulin or fail to produce enough insulin vital for the maintenance of normal glucose levels in an individual s body (Mayo Clinic, n.d). As said, the entire world has witnessed rising cases of Diabetes Type II in older generations with prevalence rates being on its all-time high. According to Baja, Sehgal, Kalra & Baruah (2014), there are various risk factors associated with such increase. These factors which have led to an increase in Diabetes cases include obesity, family history, inactivity, race, age, fat distribution and lifestyle among others. As such in the US only at least 80 percent of all the older adults are either diabetic or prediabetic which is a very high figure for only one chronic illness.
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Etiology of Type II Diabetes
Various factors may lead to an individual developing type 2 diabetes as suggested by researchers. The most critical factors include lifestyle and genetics. When it comes to the lifestyle, it is all about how an individual chooses how to live his or her life that makes him or her either susceptible or free from diabetes type II. According to Leontis & Hess-Fischl (n.d), lifestyle choices which include dietary intake, as well as the activities, dictate how much someone is exposed to the risk of acquiring this disease. People who eat unhealthy food choices with too much-saturated fat or diets lacking in fiber are prone to become obese which in turn triggers diabetes. Additionally, individuals who embrace inactivity over rigorous physical exercises are at a higher risk of contracting diabetes.
Genetics and family history play a key role in causing diabetes. According to Kirkman et al. (2012), people who have family members with Type 2 diabetes have a greater chance of developing diabetes as it is hereditary. However, it does not mean that it is automatic it means that it increases the chances of getting this disease. The combination of lifestyle and genetic factors usually makes the body to resist insulin which means that blood sugar is not regulated and as such one becomes susceptible to type 2 diabetes in the long run.
Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is primarily a heterogeneous condition which results from either a higher insulin demand and a decreased secretion of insulin. The rate at which secretion of insulin reduces usually vary from one person to another with age playing the most significant role in enhancing e rates at which it decreases. The reduction of insulin secretion is related to the genes which are usually working to cause type 2 diabetes. According to Bradley &Hsueh (2016), individuals who have an unhealthy insulin secretory capacities are at a greater risk of developing diabetes as compared to individuals with insulin secretory capacities that are healthy. Additionally, insulin resistance is a factor which increases the rate at which type 2 diabetes affects individuals especially since it tends to affect fat, skeletal muscle, and liver. Furthermore, the overproduction of glucose in the liver tends to cause hyperglycemia. In the initial stages of diabetes, the liver tends to produce more insulin but reduces as the disease progresses due to the failure of beta cells.
Treatment of Diabetes
It is true that diabetes has adverse effects which may render the patients helpless and rely on other healthy individuals to take care of their varied needs. Going by this researcher and medical practitioners have constantly come up with treatment procedures to alleviate the situation. According to (Moghissi, 2013), the overall treatment goals in managing diabetes involve managing the risk factors associated with diabetes as well as the management of increased blood sugar in the older patients. Consequently, the management of diabetes in older patients should take in various considerations and unique positions of such patients making the treatment more individualized. In essence, the available treatment options are meant to reduce the levels of blood sugar, which aggravates the severity of type II diabetes. Treatment options include Incretion-Based Therapies where the medical professionals give the patients GLP-1 as well as DPP4 inhibitors to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. The health providers have the option of using insulin-releasing drugs in initial therapies. Here insulin-releasing drugs such as Sulfonylureas are used to reduce the risk of increased blood sugar which alleviates the adverse effects of diabetes. However, care must be taken to ensure that the patients are analyzed to check if they have any allergies which may be triggered by the use of such drugs.
Diabetes Type 2 Outcome Management for Nurse Practitioners
The role of advanced nurse practice has greatly helped to increase the outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes due to the increased management of the diabetic patients. According to Richardson, Derouin, Vorderstrasse, Hipkens & Thompson (2014), this has been facilitated by the provision of education on diabetes not only in the hospitals into various healthcare settings as well as home care. Consequently, this has helped to manage various diabetic cases in various patients. Additionally, the nurses tend to assume various roles while it comes to the management of diabetic patients. These roles include those of provision of medical care, nursing, counseling, and teaching something that has helped the suffering of the diabetic patients. Ultimately, such nurses who operate beyond the role of an educator by holistically assessing the patients’ needs to help such patients understand their own role in the improvement as well as the maintenance of their own health (Spollett, 2003). This then helps to increase the chances of long and comfortable lives for such patients which would not have been possible without the support of such nurses.
In conclusion, the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes, especially in the geriatric population, has increased immensely over the years. This type of diabetes which is more common in order population as compared to younger population side to reduced secretion of secretion which leads to hyperglycemia. The leading cause of diabetes type 2 is usually unhealthy lifestyles in terms of dietary intakes and lack of inactivity. Additionally, it is possible for one to get this disease especially if members of one’s family have any experience with this disease. The various treatment options available are aimed at reducing blood sugar reduce the chances of getting this diseases. One cannot forget the role of nurses in helping the older patients manage this disease by educating them on their own role in the management of this disease.
References
Bajwa, S. J. S., Sehgal, V., Kalra, S. & Baruah, M. (2014) Management of diabetes mellitus type-2 in the geriatric population: Current perspectives. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences , 6 (3), 151-157.
Bradley, D. & Hsueh, W. (2016). Type 2 diabetes in the elderly: Challenges in a unique patient population. Journal of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology , 2(2).
Kirkman, M. S. (2012). Diabetes in older adults. Diabetes Care, 35 (12), 2650–2664.
Leontis, L. M. & Hess-Fischl, A. (n.d). Type 2 diabetes causes genetics and lifestyle choices play a role. Endocrine Web. Retrieved on 28 October 2017 from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-causes.
Mayo Clinic. (n.d). Type 2 diabetes: Overview . Retrieved on 28 October 2017 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20351193.
Moghissi, E. (2013). Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older patients: Current and emerging treatment options. Diabetes Therapy, 4(2), 239-256.
Richardson, G. C., Derouin, A. L., Vorderstrasse, A. A., Hipkens, J. & Thompson, J. A. (2014). Nurse practitioner management of type 2 diabetes. The Permanente Journal, 18( 2), 134-140.
Spollett, G. (2003). Case study: A patient with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and complex comorbidities whose diabetes care is managed by an advanced practice nurse. American Diabetes Association, 16 (1), 32-36.
