Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Are glucagon irresponsive in Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Are glucagon irresponsive in Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 ?
We all know about type 2 diabetes. The Pancreas still works and produces both the natual insulin and glucagon. As we know in type 2 diabetes, insulin is not properly syncronised to respond with an increase in glucose level in the blood in an attempt to reduce the glucose level and maintain normal range. Now, we all know glucagon, the opposite of insulin. In type 2 diabetes, alike insulin, does it mean the natural glucagon produced in the pancreas is also not properly tuned up and syncronised to respond to a decrease in glucose level in the blood?? ( e.g glucagon detects lower than normal range of glucose level in the blood, is automatically release from the pancreas to go and provoke & break down glucogen stored in the liver and convert it into glucose to be sent out into the blood in order to automatically restore normal range of glucoze level in the blood) My question arise because often when patient is not eating, diabetes still get high..could this properly be due to stress, which provoke glucagon to release glucogen from the liver? In order for me to understand this, i first and foremost need to know if glucagon still works normal operations in type 2 diabetes mellitus in contrary to insulin. If glucagon doesn't work, it means stress will not incease glucose / sugar level in type 2 patients...then why do we say stress is a factor which rise up glucose level in type 2?? Thanks for reading and responding. Hope a Dr makes me understand this. Sam
Diabetes - 1 Answers
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Glucagon still works fine in T2DM. Blood sugar becomes high when stressed due to glucagon production and glycogen conversion to glucose. Actually, type two diabetes starts out as insulin resistance, not a lack of insulin. Therefore, at least in the early stages, it has less to do with lack of insulin production and more to do with the body's resistance to the insulin that is produced.

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