A. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Below is a list of symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
1. Polyuria (elimination of excessive volumes of urine, two to four-times daily normal voiding amounts); this may be present for several weeks or months before noted as an abnormality by an individual
2. Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
3. Polyphagia (excessive ingestion of food, particularly sweets and chocolates)
4. Weakness, fatigue, and lethargy
5. Weight loss occurs frequently, but in the Western world more than 80% of patients are overweight or obese at onset; minimal weight loss may occur in these overweight individuals followed by failure to lose weight
6. Headache, dizziness, and blurred vision
7. Urinary infections, carbuncles, boils, failure of small lesions to heal normally, and fungal infections of the nails and groin
8. Tingling and numbness in the feet due to neuropathy (nerve damage)
9. Swelling of the ankle and lower legs caused by edema
10. In many individuals no symptoms or only minor
symptoms that go unnoticed occur
B. Diagnosis
1. Definition
The definition of diabetes based on the glucose levels is given in Table 1. An algorithm for screening for diabetes is given in Fig. 2. Recommended diagnostic and screening tests include a fasting glucose level. After an 8-h fast, a fasting plasma glucose greater than 126 mg/dl (mmol/L) establishes the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. A fasting glucose of less than 110 mg/dl is considered normal and levels between 110 and 125 mg/dl refer to impaired fast¬ing glucose. Two hours following an oral administration of 75 g of glucose, a plasma glucose level greater than 140 mg/dl is diagnostic and a level less than 200 mg/dl is considered impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

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