Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders in which blood glucose remains chronically elevated because insulin production, insulin action, or both are impaired.

Insulin: A hormone produced by pancreatic beta cells that helps regulate blood glucose and metabolism. Its insufficient production or impaired action underlies the defining glucose elevation.
Type 1 diabetes: An autoimmune disorder that destroys pancreatic beta cells and usually causes severe insulin deficiency. It is a distinct form in which immune-mediated beta-cell loss drives hyperglycemia.
Diabetes diagnosis: The use of blood glucose tests and clinical criteria to determine whether diabetes is present. Diagnostic thresholds distinguish persistent disease from temporary glucose elevations.
Diabetic retinopathy: Damage to retinal blood vessels caused by diabetes, potentially leading to vision loss. It is a major microvascular complication of prolonged hyperglycemia.
Secondary diabetes: Diabetes caused by another condition, medication, or pancreatic injury rather than the usual type 1 or type 2 pathways. It is distinct from the primary forms because an identifiable cause drives the glucose disorder.
Insulin resistance: Reduced responsiveness of cells to insulin’s effects. It is a central driver of type 2 diabetes and can precede diagnosis by years.
Type 2 diabetes: A metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and progressive inability to produce enough insulin. It is the most common form and combines impaired insulin action with declining secretion.
Blood glucose monitoring: Measurement of glucose in blood over time, using meters or continuous sensors. Tracking glucose reveals daily patterns that a periodic laboratory test can miss.
Diabetic kidney disease: Progressive kidney damage associated with diabetes, often detected through albuminuria and reduced filtration. It can progress to kidney failure and is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease.
Diabetes insipidus: A disorder of water balance causing excessive dilute urine, unrelated to blood glucose regulation. Its name resembles diabetes mellitus, but it does not cause chronic hyperglycemia.

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