Although type-2 diabetes is something you should be very concerned about, there is a silver lining to it.
Because of extensive research, the AACE released a care model with 4 stages that will help doctors take the right preventive steps to reduce type-2 diabetes complications.
Stage 1
The first stage of type-2 diabetes is defined as the insulin resistance stage.
At this stage, fat, muscle, and liver cells become resistant to insulin, which causes trouble bringing glucose into the cell.
Although there is slight trouble, blood sugar levels are still normal at this point because the pancreas
compensates by producing more insulin.
Stage 2
Stage 2 is the prediabetes stage.
Even if the pancreas works double-time to produce more insulin, the cells are becoming more insulin resistant, which isn’t enough to maintain a normal blood sugar level.
Although the blood sugar levels are higher than usual, it isn’t high enough to be classified as type-2 diabetes.
If you are at this stage, you can start reducing sugar intake to prevent reaching stage 3.
Stage 3
Blood sugar levels are extremely high at this point, and you can be diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.
And at this stage, the beta cells continue to be dysfunctional with higher insulin resistance, which can cause long-term body damage if not treated.
Stage 4
Stage 4 is where complications with diabetes begin.
If you mismanage your diabetes at the earlier stages, you might experience these complications as a result of extremely high blood sugar levels.
Some of the complications might include chronic kidney disease, heart failure, stroke, peripheral neuropathy, albuminuria, and coronary artery disease.
Is there an end-stage in diabetes?
The term, end-stage diabetes is not a commonly used term.
However, reaching the 4th stage and experiencing advanced complications could be the final stage.
Studies show that people with type-1 diabetes reaching complications such as cardiovascular diseases and nephropathy that could cause death, it is considered to be end-stage diabetes.
