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Type 2 Diabetes Case Study

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Introduction
Type II diabetes mellitus affects millions of people across the globe. It is a serious condition that involves the knowledge and collaboration of a multidisciplinary care team. Knowing the pathophysiology of the disease, diagnoses, treatment, and proper patient education is essential for managing type II diabetes and achieving wellness. The nurse’s role is to understand the effects of type II diabetes, convey this understanding to their patients, and teach the patients proper behaviors for effective disease management.
Disease Condition
Etiology
Diabetes affects 29.1 million people in the United States. It is estimated that 8 million people are undiagnosed. Type II diabetes is the most common form, affecting 90-95% of the …show more content…

The pancreas functions as an exocrine and endocrine gland. The function of the exocrine gland aids with digestion in the small intestine. The endocrine component is made up of islets of Langerhans. These secrete hormones insulin and glucogon which regulates blood glucose concentration (Saladin, 2012, pp. 650-651).
Each islet is composed of alpha, beta, and delta cells. Alpha cells release the hormone glucogon (Ali, 2011, pp. 9-10). Glucogon changes the stored glycogen to glucose that is within the liver (Venes, 2013, p. 1031). Beta cells release insulin (Ali, 2011, pp. 9-10). Insulin is secreted when the glucose levels are elevated. It will stimulate cells to take up glucose, promote the storage of glucose in the liver and muscles and promote the storage of fat (Irland, 2011). Delta cells produce somatostatin which functions as a hormone inhibitor (Venes, 2013, p. …show more content…

Insulin resistance is the inability of the cells to use insulin. This causes an increase in blood glucose (Ali, 2011, p. 8). The pancreas will continue to release insulin in an effort to lower the glucose level. As more insulin is released, more fat is being stored. Increased amounts of fat build up in arteries causing plaque. This plaque can lead to further complications such as hypertension and emboli. The liver will then release more glucose in response to the increased level of insulin. As a result, the blood sugar continues to rise and the pancreas becomes exhausted. Impaired insulin secretion also results in increased blood glucose. This is due to beta cells in the pancreas not producing an adequate amount of insulin to regulate glucose levels (Irland,

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