Type 2 Diabetes - Does An Asthma Diagnosis Also Mean You Will Develop Diabetes?

Asthma is thought to be associated with the risk of developing other diseases of inflammation. Researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, United States, set out to discover whether asthma puts people at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, which is also an inflammatory condition.
Their study, published October 2012 in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, included 42,842 men and women from 45 to 74 years of age in Singapore:

• over a period of 5.7 years, 2234 individuals developed Type 2 diabetes.
• having asthma increased the participants risk of developing this form of diabetes by 31 per cent.

From this information, it was concluded having asthma was associated with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Whether preventing or controlling asthma will prevent developing Type 2 diabetes remains to be seen, but avoiding the signs and symptoms of asthma is worth it in itself.
Asthma can cause:

• permanent lung damage,
• loss of sleep,
• loss of activity level, and even
• death in extreme cases.

The condition affects the bronchi, the passages conducting air into the lungs. Muscles around the airways contract and the lining of the bronchi swells, causing the airway space to become smaller. Some patients describe the sensation as being like trying to breathe through a straw.
Overweight and obese people are 50 per cent more likely to develop asthma than lean individuals, and the greater the degree of overweight, the greater the chance of asthma. Asthmatic episodes can be triggered by allergic reactions, and many patients have allergies such as hay fever or family members with allergies.
Some allergic triggers include:

• animal dander,
• dust,
• pollen, and
• molds.

Other triggers include:

• stress,
• chemical irritants,
• cold weather,
• exercise,
• tobacco smoke,
• aspirin and other drugs similar to aspirin.

Maintaining normal weight has long been recommended for preventing Type 2 diabetes and it might turn out to prevent asthma as well. Observing individual triggers and avoiding them can also help prevent asthmatic episodes.
Asthma Drugs: Inhaled drugs called steroids and beta-agonists are used to prevent attacks. Other preventives include leukotriene inhibtors such as:

• Singular and Accolade,
• omalizumab (Xolair),
• cromylin sodium (Intal), and
• nedocromil sodium (Tilade).

For stopping attacks, bronchodilator medications such as Proventil, Ventolin, and Xopenex are taken by inhaler, and cortisone is sometimes taken by mouth.
More research is needed to make clear the possible connection between asthma and Type 2 diabetes. In the mean time, maintaining normal weight, eating a healthful diet, and getting enough physical activity will help every system in your body.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. It need not slowly and inevitably develop because you have other inflammatory conditions. Now is the time to take steps to prevent developing this disease.

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