Introduction
Diabetes mellitus is a common disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. The main issue in diabetes, which causes high blood sugar levels, is insufficient production or use of insulin in the individual’s body, which is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. Prolonged high blood sugar levels can cause a wide range of complications for an individual’s health, such as kidney problems, stroke, and eye problems.
The growing prevalence of people with diabetes shows that by 2045, more than 628.6 million people worldwide will be affected by the disease (Standl et al., 2019). An essential element in the spread of type 2 diabetes is its genetic link. Thus, while genetics cannot cause diabetes alone, some gene mutations can increase an individual’s risk of developing diabetes.
Major Signs and Symptoms of the Disorder
Firstly, diabetes is a disease in which symptoms can remain hidden for a long time during the early stages. Therefore, informing the population about the genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes can significantly increase the number of cases of diabetes detection in the early stages. Moreover, people at risk of developing diabetes with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels can be diagnosed with prediabetes. At the time of diagnosis, the most commonly occurring symptoms can include polyuria (urinating more than usual), polyphagia (strong sense of hunger), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and fatigue (Brady et al., 2022).
Neuropathy (a sense of tingling in the hands or feet) is also one of the common symptoms of type 2 diabetes, which points to nerve damage. According to the study by Brady et al. (2022), based on the nationwide electronic health record (EHR) database, the common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include pain, heartburn, shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling. Less common symptoms can include changes in bowel patterns, disturbed sleep, skin changes, depression, and dizziness (Brady et al., 2022). Thus, the mild character of the symptoms complicates the early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Mode of Inheritance
Next, considering the disease’s mode of inheritance, as was already mentioned, type 2 diabetes is not inherited through genes. However, there are several different mutations in genes that increase an individual’s risk of developing diabetes. Thus, in cases where one member of the family is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the diagnosis can point to the risk of diabetes or prediabetes in other members of the family. Nevertheless, in some cases, people with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes can have normal blood sugar levels (DeForest & Majithia, 2022). The phenomenon demonstrates the importance of adherence to a healthy lifestyle to prevent type 2 diabetes.
However, unhealthy habits such as lack of physical activity and poor diet can also be inherited from parents and family members. Thus, genetic predisposition is not prioritized in the type 2 diabetes risk prediction over individual characteristics and lifestyle (DeForest & Majithia, 2022). Therefore, genetic predisposition to diabetes and inherited unhealthy habits increase an individual’s risk of type 2 diabetes.
Specific Genes Contributing to the Disease Development
Furthermore, many modern studies focus on identifying the specific gene mutations that cause higher risks of type 2 diabetes. The studies identified over 700 risk loci, with over half discovered in the last four years (DeForest & Majithia, 2022). However, the loci can range in the effects they cause on genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes. The variety of sample sizes can explain the difference in recent studies.
Thus, in some ancestral groups, such as African Americans, the effects of a locus associated with glycemic traits can be more prominent than in Europeans. For example, glycemic traits in the rs11466334 locus in the TGFB1 gene are more common in African and Hispanic populations (DeForest & Majithia, 2022). Another mutation commonly associated with diabetes is HbA1c, which measures glucose concentration (DeForest & Majithia, 2022).
Studies of specific genes and risk loci contributing to the disease’s development have experienced significant progress in the last few years. Still, the impact of ancestral factors complicates further progress. Hence, genetic predisposition is not given greater importance than individual traits and lifestyle when predicting the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Treatments to Manage Disease and Its Symptoms
Next, screenings and treatment can slow the disease’s progression and minimize the risks of complications. Considering the treatment for the disease and management of its symptoms, most available treatments prioritize reversing the condition to the point where the patient has normal blood sugar levels. Thus, depending on the disease’s progression, risks of complications, and the individual’s response to medications, treatment of type 2 diabetes can take different forms.
Medications, such as glucose-lowering agents, can be prescribed for people with diabetes to help manage low blood sugar levels. Furthermore, insulin treatment is commonly used to reduce high blood sugar levels in the short term. According to Standl et al. (2019), treatment with glucose-lowering agents can reduce the risks of coronary artery disease (CAD), which supports its use over insulin treatment. Lastly, an increase in physical activity and weight loss plays an essential role in treating and reducing blood sugar levels.
Lifestyle Changes Preventing the Disease Development
The role of weight management and physical activity in the treatment of type 2 diabetes draws attention to the possible preventative efforts and lifestyle changes that can slow the disease’s progression and help manage the symptoms. Thus, maintaining a healthy weight and regularly practicing physical exercises can slow the disease’s progression or reduce risks, even in people predisposed to type 2 diabetes (DeForest & Majithia, 2022). Therefore, in cases where a family member is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, reducing the likelihood of their children inheriting the disease is possible by improving their adherence to a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper evaluated the role of genes in the development of type 2 diabetes. The paper defined that specific genes and locations in genes can be associated with higher risks of type 2 diabetes, but ancestral factors complicate further studies. Thus, genetic predisposition is not prioritized over an individual’s lifestyle in type 2 diabetes risk prediction. However, genetic predisposition can point to the need for preventive measures in close relatives of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
References
Brady, V., Whisenant, M., Wang, X., Ly, V. K., Zhy, G., Aguilar, D., Wu, H. (2022). Characterization of symptoms and symptom clusters for type 2 diabetes using a large nationwide electronic health record database. Diabetes Spectrum, 35(2), 159–170. Web.
DeForest, N., & Majithia, A. R. (2022). Genetics of type 2 diabetes: Implications from large-scale studies. Current Diabetes Reports, 22(5), 227–235. Web.
Standl, E., Khunti, K., Hansen, T.B., & Schnell, O. (2019). European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 26(2), 7-14. Web.
Appendix – Purdue Global Library Search
- The search provided more than two million results by using the terms’ type 2 diabetes’ and ‘diabetes mellitus’.
- Using a combination of the terms’ type 2 diabetes AND ‘genetics’ in the search provided more than 780 thousand results. The results for using the combination of search words were more accurate than the initial search results and were more suited to part I of the assignment.
- The difference between searching the Purdue Global Library Search and searching on a search engine is that the library search provides more accurate results that are appropriate for academic research.
- The results from the search engine are mainly presented by non-credible sources, which are not appropriate for use in academic papers. The results from the library search include peer-reviewed credible sources, such as professional journals, which makes the library search more appropriate for academic research.
- The two credible sources from the Purdue Global Library research include an article from Brady et al. (2022) and a study by DeForest et al. (2022) exploring recent articles on the genetics of type 2 diabetes. The results show that the discussion of gene therapy for type 2 diabetes prevention currently focuses on in vitro and animal model research.