Final answer:
Diabetes is diagnosed with tests like fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, and insulin tolerance tests. Type 2 diabetes is managed with lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes insulin injections. It's essential to diagnose and manage diabetes properly to prevent severe complications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by persistent high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to the body's inability to produce or use insulin effectively. The diagnosis of diabetes includes a variety of tests. One such test is measuring fasting blood glucose after at least 12 hours without food or drink; a normal level is below 100 mg/dL, pre-diabetes is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, and diabetes is diagnosed with a level higher than 125 mg/dL. Other diagnostic tests include the glucose tolerance test, which evaluates the body's ability to process glucose and the insulin tolerance test, which can help distinguish between types of diabetes, as individuals with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) or type 1 diabetes show hypoglycemia in response to insulin administration.
Management of type 2 diabetes often begins with lifestyle changes to enhance insulin sensitivity and includes a healthful diet and regular physical activity. Medications and insulin injections may also play a role in treatment for those who cannot achieve control with lifestyle changes alone. Understanding these parameters is critical given the severe consequences of untreated diabetes, including increased risks for heart attacks, strokes, blindness, and kidney failure.