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I’ve heard that Type 1 diabetes is due to lack of insulin (malfunctioning pancreas) while Type 2 diabetes is caused by too much insulin (leading to insulin resi

I’ve heard that Type 1 diabetes is due to lack of insulin (malfunctioning pancreas) while Type 2 diabetes is caused by too much insulin (leading to insulin resistance.) If this is true, insulin pumps for Type 2 diabetes don’t help, because they can only add more insulin, when the fundamental problem isn’t lack of insulin, but lack of response to insulin.

pragone 8y ago
That's more or less it on the dot! Edit: I'd add that type 2 is associated with increasing insulin resistance, causing the pancreas to work harder. Over time, this can cause the pancreas to essentially burn out, at which point exogenous insulin would be needed. Type 2 diabetics who are able to manage the associated risks - namely diet and exercise, almost universally focused on losing weight - can often improve or even reverse the disease altogether. I'll also add that this is not the entire discussion of diabetes. There's an increasing recognition of forms of diabetes outside of the known definition of type 1 and type 2. A so-called "type 1.5" is being further delineated and may explain why some type 2s don't behave the way we think they should.
gumby 8y ago
That is the general characterization, though insulin is prescribed for some "type 2" patients, so the situation is more subtle than that.
randcraw 8y ago
No matter who you are (T1, T2, neither), you die without insulin. It's the only way to remove glucose from the blood. Most T2's are resistant to the normal level of insulin in the blood, and must compensate by introducing ever more insulin until it reaches a high enough level to overcome the resistance and it acts to absorb glucose. Normally this is done through medications that either 1) increase the amount of insulin your pancreas secretes, or 2) decrease your insulin resistance (via the liver, IIRC). As such, most T2s maintain a higher continuing level of insulin than non-T2s. Thus an insulin pump like that in the article will work for both T1s and T2s alike, but the insulin dose for T2s simply will be higher than for T1s.
- hycaria 8y ago
  No, you can also pee glucose away if over renal reabsorption capacity.
  - anon47389567 8y ago
    Renal treshold is around 180 mg/dL, at which point glucose level is alerady toxic and if not treated will lead to long-term complications.

pragone 8y ago

That's more or less it on the dot! Edit: I'd add that type 2 is associated with increasing insulin resistance, causing the pancreas to work harder. Over time, this can cause the pancreas to essentially burn out, at which point exogenous insulin would be needed. Type 2 diabetics who are able to manage the associated risks - namely diet and exercise, almost universally focused on losing weight - can often improve or even reverse the disease altogether. I'll also add that this is not the entire discussion of diabetes. There's an increasing recognition of forms of diabetes outside of the known definition of type 1 and type 2. A so-called "type 1.5" is being further delineated and may explain why some type 2s don't behave the way we think they should.

gumby 8y ago

That is the general characterization, though insulin is prescribed for some "type 2" patients, so the situation is more subtle than that.

randcraw 8y ago

No matter who you are (T1, T2, neither), you die without insulin. It's the only way to remove glucose from the blood. Most T2's are resistant to the normal level of insulin in the blood, and must compensate by introducing ever more insulin until it reaches a high enough level to overcome the resistance and it acts to absorb glucose. Normally this is done through medications that either 1) increase the amount of insulin your pancreas secretes, or 2) decrease your insulin resistance (via the liver, IIRC). As such, most T2s maintain a higher continuing level of insulin than non-T2s. Thus an insulin pump like that in the article will work for both T1s and T2s alike, but the insulin dose for T2s simply will be higher than for T1s.

hycaria 8y ago
No, you can also pee glucose away if over renal reabsorption capacity.
- anon47389567 8y ago
  Renal treshold is around 180 mg/dL, at which point glucose level is alerady toxic and if not treated will lead to long-term complications.