Final answer:
Individuals with type 2 diabetes usually manage their condition with lifestyle changes and oral medications, but may require insulin injections during hospital stays for surgical recovery. Insulin injections are a rapid method to control blood glucose levels during such periods. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which necessitates lifelong insulin injections, type 2 diabetes may not always require insulin as part of its management.
Step-by-step explanation:
The management of type 2 diabetes often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, oral medications, and in some cases, insulin injections. It is not uncommon for individuals with type 2 diabetes who typically manage their condition with oral medications, such as metformin, to receive insulin during acute medical situations like hospital recovery post-surgery. This short-term insulin administration helps to maintain glucose control when routine oral medications might be insufficient due to stress or other factors affecting blood glucose levels.
In cases like these, regularly monitoring blood glucose levels is crucial, and insulin injections provide a rapid and effective means of reducing hyperglycemia. Such interventions are tailored to the patient's needs during their hospital stay and do not signify a permanent change to their diabetes management plan.
It is also worth noting that people with type 1 diabetes require lifelong insulin therapy, because their bodies do not produce insulin at all. Conversely, people with type 2 diabetes may have insulin resistance and/or impaired insulin secretion, and can sometimes control their blood sugar levels through lifestyle changes and oral medications, with insulin injections being an additional option when necessary.