What Happens

Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that affects the way your body uses food for energy. The key to managing your diabetes is keeping your blood sugar within your target range. Controlling your blood sugar will help you prevent or delay other health problems. Learning the skills you need to manage your diabetes will take time. But soon they will become part of your daily routine.

Your treatment will involve eating right, being more active, checking your blood sugar, and possibly taking pills (oral medicines) or insulin. If you are overweight, losing weight may also help you control your blood sugar. For more information, see the Treatment Overview and Medications sections of this topic.

As time goes on, your pancreas may make less and less insulin, which can make it harder to control your blood sugar. It's important to treat your high blood sugar quickly anytime it rises above your target range. Doing so can prevent blood sugar emergencies. For more information, see the Prevention section of this topic.

Blood sugar emergencies

Blood sugar can sometimes change rapidly and cause problems when it is very high or very low. Three of these problems are described below:

• A hyperosmolar state is life-threatening and can occur when your blood sugar level is very high (400 to 500 mg/dL or higher) and you get dehydrated.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)is a life-threatening blood chemical (electrolyte) imbalance that develops when your body cells do not get the sugar (glucose) they need for energy.
• Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia occurs when the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood has dropped below what your body needs to function normally. When your blood sugar level drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), you will usually have symptoms of low blood sugar, which can develop quickly.

Diabetes complications

Over time, high blood sugar that is not controlled can lead to problems with your:

• Eyes (diabetic retinopathy).
• Kidneys (diabetic nephropathy).
• Nerves (diabetic neuropathy).
• Heart (leading to heart attacks).
• Blood vessels (leading to strokes, peripheral arterial disease, and possibly amputation).

If you had higher-than-normal blood sugar levels for years, you may already have one or more of these problems.