Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
Type 2 diabetes... one of the biggest epidemics of our time... currently afflicts well over 18 million Americans.
Here are some of the major risk factors for Type 2 diabetes:
45 years of age or older: As you get older, the likelihood of developing diabetes rises.
Overweight (BMI greater than 25): More than 80 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Parent or sibling with diabetes: Having a family history of diabetes raises your risk.
Blood pressure is 140/90 or higher: High blood pressure is often associated with insulin resistance, which underlies most cases of Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetic coma is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by loss of consciousness. An increased blood sugar level, or hyperglycemia, or a decreased blood sugar level, or hypoglycemia, are the main causes of diabetic coma. The causes of diabetic coma may vary and it mainly depends on the type of diabetes you have. Type 1 diabetics usually develop diabetic coma because of:
severely decreased blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia, and
diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome, a condition characterized by the excessively increased blood sugar levels that are higher than 600 mg/dL or 33.3 mmol/L.
What are the risk factors associated with the development of diabetic coma?
Insulin level problems: An increase in your blood insulin levels due to excessive insulin dosing may result in hypoglycemia. On the other hand, insufficient levels of insulin results in hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are both causes of diabetic coma.
If you have Type 1 diabetes and you are undergoing some form of stress, you should ask your doctor to adjust the dosage of your insulin injection because physical stress may abruptly increase the level of your blood glucose leading to diabetic ketoacidosis.
If you have Type 2 diabetes, the resultant increase of your blood sugar may lead to the development of diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome.
Poor blood sugar control: Poor management of Type 2 diabetes results in increased blood sugar levels. If you try skipping your insulin injection, you have a chance of developing overwhelmingly increased blood sugar levels, which in turn may cause diabetic coma.
Drinking alcohol: Drinking alcohol may be dangerous if you are a diabetic.
Use of prohibited drugs. Illegal drug use can increase your risk of developing severe forms of hyperglycemia, hence diabetic coma. If illicit drugs are taken, always check your blood sugar level.