Type two diabetes mellitus : an overview of prevalence, pathogenesis, complications and treatment options

Abstract

Type two diabetes mellitus (DM) is metabolic disorder characterised by hyperglycaemia and poses a major public health challenge due to its deleterious effects on the human vascular tree through subsequent associated morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion disturb the balance by which insulin target tissues communicate with β-cells and vice versa through β-cell dysfunction, leading to increased hepatic glucose production. β-cell dysfunction and consequent destruction may be caused by any one or combination of lipotoxicity, glucose toxicity or β-cell exhaustion. Sustained hyperglycaemia will eventually result in DM, which when left untreated, will lead to the development of macro- and microvascular complications. Effective control and management of diabetes is necessary to delay the development of microvascular and macrovascular disease, and requires a concerted, multidisciplinary approach involving all healthcare workers as well as the patient to ensure compliance to a tailored treatment regime.