History and Origins of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes has been one of the most devastating diseases known to man, and it has been recognized for over two thousand years, but there is no history of type 2 diabetes, or any other differentiation between different types of diabetes, until the twentieth century. It was not until 1935 that it was discovered that there were multiple types of diabetes, and it could be said that this is where the history of type 2 diabetes truly began.
Roger Hinsworth made the outstanding innovation in 1935 that there were, in fact, two different types of diabetes. Those which were sensitive to insulin (Type 1), and those that were not (Type 2). This breakthrough was finally made feasible by the relatively current discovery of insulin in 1921, and apparently came about when doctors noticed that insulin injections were having less of an outcome on some diabetes patients. In the 1950's, a new medication was developed that is measured to be the beginnings of the history of type 2 diabetes treatments. Before now, there was no history of type 2 diabetes treatment whatsoever, so those with type 2 had to make do with simply using more insulin in hopes that their cells would absorb adequately.
From then on, type 2 diabetes history pretty much ran alongside that of type 1. Urine strips were introduced in the 1960s, making it easier than any other time in the history of type 2 diabetes to detect the amount of insulin in the body. This made it far simpler for people to manage their diabetes. In 1961, one time use syringes were introduced to the market, eliminating the need for the thick, durable early syringes that were had to be boiled to be cleaned, sharpened regularly, and were prone to developing painful barbs.
Ames Diagnostics produced portable glucose meters in 1969 as a way to find out if an insentient patient was diabetic or just drunk. Although these new meters weighed around three pounds, more recent technologies have compact the size to that of a hand held calculator.
Insulin pumps, intended to mimic the natural insulin production of the human body, were shaped in the late 70's, and were originally carried by patients as a backpack type unit. Technology has impacted these as well, and they are now tiny enough to clip onto a belt or pocket. Much more recently, oral medications have been released that do the job of insulin pumps, making it so that many diabetics simply have to take a pill to control their insulin.
With so much recent advancement, it seems that it may not be too long before type 2 diabetes history comes to a close.
With so much recent advancement, it seems that it may not be too long before Type 2 diabetes history comes to a close.