How often should I check my blood glucose at home and what numbers indicate good control?

For most adults with type 2 diabetes on medication, checking fasting glucose once daily and post‑meal glucose 1–2 hours after a main meal is typical. Target ranges are usually 80‑130 mg/dL fasting and 300 mg/dL that does not improve with correction doses. These can signal diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, which require prompt treatment.

Is it safe to skip meals or fast while taking diabetes medication?

Skipping meals can cause hypoglycemia, especially if you are on insulin or sulfonylureas. If you plan to fast for religious or medical reasons, discuss a tailored medication schedule with your clinician; dose reductions or switching to agents with low hypoglycemia risk (e.g., metformin, GLP‑1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors) may be recommended.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels resulting from the body's inability to properly produce or use insulin.

Description

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder characterized by abnormally high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar. In this form of diabetes, the body stops using and making insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that helps regulate blood glucose levels. Specifically, insulin controls how much glucose (a type of sugar) is passed from the blood into cells, where it is used as an energy source.

Most people who develop type 2 diabetes first have insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells use insulin less efficiently than normal. As insulin resistance develops, more insulin is needed to keep blood glucose levels in the normal range. To keep up with the increasing need, insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (called beta cells) make larger amounts of insulin. Over time, the beta cells become less able to respond to blood glucose changes, leading to an insulin shortage. Most people have some insulin resistance as they age, but inadequate exercise and excessive weight gain make it worse, increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

Signs and symptoms develop slowly over years and include:

Frequent urination (polyuria)
Excessive thirst (polydipsia)
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Tingling or loss of feeling in the hands and feet (diabetic neuropathy)
Sores that do not heal well
Weight loss

Frequency

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. The prevalence of diabetes increases with age, and the disease currently affects more than 20 percent of Americans over age 65. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

Causes

The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex, resulting from a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Studies have identified at least 150 DNA variations associated with the risk of developing the condition. These variations are thought to act by subtly changing the amount, timing, and location of gene activity, affecting the development and function of beta cells, the release and processing of insulin, and cells' sensitivity to insulin.

Health conditions and lifestyle factors that increase risk include:

Overweight or obesity
Insulin resistance
Prediabetes
Gestational diabetes
Smoking
Poor diet
Physical inactivity

Inheritance

Type 2 diabetes does not have a clear pattern of inheritance, although many affected individuals have at least one close family member with the disease. The increased risk is likely due in part to shared genetic factors, but it is also related to shared lifestyle influences, such as eating and exercise habits.

Other Names for This Condition

Adult-onset diabetes
Adult-onset diabetes mellitus
AODM
Diabetes mellitus, adult-onset
Diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent
Diabetes mellitus, type 2
Diabetes mellitus, type II
Maturity-onset diabetes
Maturity-onset diabetes mellitus
NIDDM
Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
T2D
Type 2 diabetes mellitus