List of terms associated with diabetes
This page lists and explains terms connected with diabetes.
A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z
A
- ACE inhibitor
- Acetohexamide - A pill taken
to lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Only some people with Type II diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral
hypoglycemic agents. One of the sulfonylurea drugs. (Dymelor™
Dimelor™)
- Acetone - A byproduct of excessive fat metabolism
- Acidosis - An acidic condition in the blood. If prolonged, or severe, it can
cause coma and death. For a person with diabetes, this can be caused by insufficient glucose absorption (eg, from inadequate
insulin) and metabolic ketosis. It can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. A medical emergency. See also: Diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Acute - Happens for a limited period of time; abrupt onset; sharp, severe.
- Adrenal gland
- Adult-onset
diabetes - Former term for type 2 diabetes. See also: Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
- Adverse effect - A harmful
result
- Albuminuria
- Aldose reductase inhibitor
- Alpha cell - a type of cell in the pancreas (in areas called the islets of
Langerhans). Alpha cells make and release a hormone called glucagon, which raises the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The
name is different in the UK.
- Amino acid
- Amyotrophy - A type of diabetic
neuropathy that causes muscle weakness and wasting.
- Angiopathy
- Anomalies - Birth defects; abnormalities.
- Antibodies
- Antidiabetic agent
- A kind of medication that helps a person with diabetes control the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood so that the body works
as it should. See also: Insulin; oral hypoglycemic agents.
- Antigen
- Antiseptic
- Arteriosclerosis is the same as atherosclerosis
- Artery
- Artificial
pancreas - A large machine used in hospitals that constantly measures glucose (sugar) in the blood and, in response, releases
the right amount of insulin. Scientists are also working to develop a small unit that could be implanted in the body, functioning
like a real pancreas.
- Aspartame - An artificial sweetner that can replace sugar
- Asymptomatic - No symptoms; no clear sign of disease present. Most Type
IIs are without clinically obvious symptoms for some time (up to decades) before they are diagnosed as diabetic.
- Atherosclerosis
- Autoimmune disease
- Autonomic neuropathy
B
C
- Certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) - A health care professional who is qualified by the
American Association of Diabetes Educators to teach people with diabetes how to manage their condition. The health care team for
diabetes should ideally include a diabetes educator, preferably a C.D.E.
- C-peptide - A substance that the pancreas releases into the bloodstream in
equal amounts to insulin. A test of C-peptide levels will show how much insulin the body is making. Insulin is prepared as two
insulin molecules linked by a c-peptide. When insulin is secreted, C-peptide is released as well.
- Calcium channel blocker
- Callus - A small area of skin, usually on the foot, that has become thick and hard
from rubbing or pressure. Calluses may lead to other problems such as serious infection. Shoes that fit well can keep calluses
from forming. See also: Foot care.
- Calorie
- Capillary
- Capsaicin
- Carbohydrate
- Cardiologist
- Cardiovascular
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cataract
- Cerebrovascular disease - Damage to the blood
vessels in the brain, resulting in a stroke. People with diabetes are at higher risk of cerebrovascular disease.
- Charcot foot - A foot
complication associated with diabetic neuropathy that results in destruction of joints and soft tissue. Also called "Charcot's
joint" and "neuropathic arthropathy."
- Chemical Diabetes -
is a term that is no longer used. See: Impaired glucose tolerance.
- Chlorpropamide - A pill taken to lower the level of glucose (sugar)
in the blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral hypoglycemic agents One of the
sulfonylureas. (Diabinese™)
- Cholesterol
- Chronic - Present over a long period of time. Diabetes is an example of chronic
disease.
- Circulation
- Clinical trial - A study carried out in people to answer a question
such as whether a new treatment (or drug or exercise technique) is effective or safe. In the US, studies are broken into Phase I,
Phase II, and Phase III trials. A properly designed study is carefuly controlled and designed to produce reliable information. A
poorly designed study (and there are many of these) does not produce reliable information.
- Coma
- Comatose - In a coma; not conscious.
- Complications of diabetes - Harmful effects
that may happen when a person has diabetes. Some acute effects, such as hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, can happen any time.
Others develop when a person has had diabetes for a long time (years, or even decades). These include damage to the retina of the
eye (retinopathy), the blood vessels (angiopathy), the nervous system (neuropathy), and the kidneys (nephropathy). Studies very
clearly show that keeping blood glucose levels as close to the normal, nondiabetic range as possible does help prevent, slow, or
delay the long term complications of diabetes (eye, kidney, blood vessel, and nerve damage).
- Congenital defect -
Problems or conditions that are present at birth.
- Congestive heart failure - Heart failure caused
by loss of pumping power by the heart, resulting in fluids collecting in the body.
- Contraindication - A condition that makes a treatment not
helpful or even harmful.
- Controlled disease
- Taking care of oneself so that a disease has less of an effect on the body. People with diabetes can "control" the disease by
staying on their diets, by exercising, by taking medicine if it is needed, and by monitoring their blood glucose. This care will
help keep the glucose (sugar) level in the blood from becoming either too high or too low.
- Conventional
therapy - A system of diabetes management practiced by most people with diabetes; the system consists of one or two insulin
injections each day, daily self-monitoring of blood glucose, and a standard program of nutrition and exercise. The main objective
in this form of treatment is to avoid very high and very low blood glucose (sugar). Contrast close control therapy. Also called:
"Standard Therapy." See complications of diabetes.
- Coronary disease
- Coxsackie B4 virus - A virus which can trigger an
auto-immune reaction which results in an attack on the beta cells. If destroyed, the person becomes a Type I diabetic, no longer
producing insulin internally.
- Creatinine - a measure of renal function
- Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) - See: Insulin pump
- Cyclamate - A man-made chemical that people used instead of sugar.
D
- Dawn phenomenon - A
sudden rise in blood glucose levels in the early morning hours. This condition sometimes occurs in people with insulin-dependent
diabetes and (rarely) in people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Unlike the Somogyi effect, it is not a result of an insulin
reaction. People who have high levels of blood glucose in the mornings before eating may need to monitor their blood glucose
during the night. If blood glucose levels are rising, adjustments in evening snacks or insulin dosages may be recommended. See
also: Somogyi effect.
- Debridement - The removal of infected, hurt, or dead tissue.
- Dehydration
- Delta cell - A type of cell in the pancreas in areas called the islets of
Langerhans. Delta cells make somatostatin, a hormone that is believed to control how the beta cells make and release insulin and
how the alpha cells make and release glucagon.
- Desensitization - A method to reduce or stop an allergic reaction
to something.
- Dextrose see glucose
- Diabetes control and complications trial (DCCT) - A 10-year study (1983-1993)
funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to assess the effects of intensive therapy on the
long-term complications of diabetes. The study very clearly showed that intensive management (close control) of insulin-dependent
diabetes prevents or slows the development of the long-term complicatons of diabetes (eye, kidney, and nerve damage caused by
diabetes).
- Diabetes insipidus
- Diabetes mellitus - A disease that occurs when the body is
not able to use dietary carbohyrdates (eg, sugar, starch, ...) as it should.
- Diabetic
amyotrophy - A disease of the nerves leading to the muscles. This condition affects only one side of the body and occurs most
often in older men with mild diabetes. See also: Neuropathy.
- Diabetic
angiopathy - See: Angiopathy.
- Diabetic coma
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) see acidosis
- Diabetic
myelopathy - Spinal cord damage found in some people with diabetes.
- Diabetic
nephropathy - See: Nephropathy
- Diabetic neuropathy - See: Neuropathy
- Diabetic
osteopathy - Loss of foot bone as viewed by x-ray; usually temporary. Also called "disappearing bone disease."
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Diabetogenic - Causing
diabetes; some drugs cause blood glucose (sugar) to rise temporatily. Other cause it to rise permanently; if so they have caused
diabetes.
- Diabetologist - A doctor who sees and treats people with diabetes
mellitus.
- Diagnosis - The term used when a doctor finds that a person has a certain
medical problem or disease.
- Dialysis
- Diastolic blood pressure - See: Blood
pressure.
- Diet plan - See: Meal plan.
- Dietitian - An expert in nutrition who helps people with special health needs
plan the kinds and amounts of foods to eat. A registered dietitian (R.D.) has special training and experience. The health care
team for diabetes should ideally include a dietitian, preferably an R.D.
- Dilated
pupil examination - A necessary part of an examination for diabetic eye disease. Special drops are used to enlarge the
pupils, enabling the doctor to view the back of the eye for damage.
- Distal
sensory neuropathy - See: Peripheral neuropathy.
- Diuretic
- Deoxyribonucleic acid
- Dupuytren's contracture - A condition that
causes the fingers to curve inward and may also affect the palm. The condition is more common in people with diabetes and may
precede diabetes.
E
- Edema -- collection of fluid in a part of the body. Diabetics often have edemic feet
due to decreased circulation to them.
- Electromyography EMG - Test used to diagnose neuropathy and
check for nerve damage.
- Emergency medical identification - Cards, bracelets, or necklaces with a written message
used by people with diabetes or other medical problems to alert others in case of a medical emergency such as coma.
- Endocrine glands
- Endocrinologist
- Endogenous - Grown or made inside the body. Insulin made by a person's own
pancreas is endogenous insulin. Insulin that is supplied from outside the body (ie, injected or otherwise supplied) is
exogenous.
- End-stage
renal disease (ESRD) - The final phase of many kidney diseases; treated by dialysis or kidney transplantation. See also:
Dialysis; nephropathy.
- Enzymes
- Epidemiology
- Epinephrine
- Etiology
- Euglycemia - A normal level of
glucose (sugar) in the blood.
- Exchange lists - A grouping
of foods by type to help people on special diets stay on the diet. Each group lists food in serving sizes. A person can exchange,
trade, or substitute a food serving in one group for another food serving in the same group. The lists put foods in six groups:
(1) starch/bread, (2) meat, (3) vegetables, (4) fruit, (5) milk, and (6) fats. Within a food group, each serving has about the
same amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and calories.
- Exogenous - Grown or made outside the body; for instance, insulin made from
pork or beef pancreas is exogenous insulin for people. Contrast endogenous.
F
- Fasting blood glucose test - A method for finding out how much glucose (sugar) is in the blood,
unaffected by recent food. The test can show if a person has diabetes (a single reading of 126 mg/dl is diagnostic except in
newborns or pregnant women or in some unusual other conditions). A blood sample is often taken in a lab or doctor's office. The
test is usually done in the morning before the person has eaten. The normal, nondiabetic range for blood glucose is approx
between 70 to 110 mg/dl, depending on the person and whether the blood is from a vein or a capillary, and depending on how the
measurement is made (on whole blood or just the plasma).
- fats
- Fatty acids
- Fiber
- Fluorescein angiography - A method of taking a
picture of the flow of blood in the vessels of the eye by tracing the progress of an injected dye.
- Food exchange - See:
Exchange lists.
- Foot care - Taking special steps to avoid foot problems such as sores, cuts,
bunions, and calluses. Good care includes daily examination of the feet, toes, and toenails and choosing shoes and socks or
stockings that fit well. People with diabetes have to take special care of their feet because nerve damage and reduced blood flow
sometimes mean they will have less feeling in their feet than normal. They may not notice cuts and other problems as soon as they
should. They will also heal less well than others.
- Fractional urine -
Urine that a person collects for a certain period of time during 24 hours; usually from breakfast to lunch, from lunch to supper,
from supper to bedtime, and from bedtime to rising. Also called "block urine."
- Fructose
- Fundus of the eye -
The central portion of the retina on back or deepest part of the eye.
- Funduscopy - A test to look at the
back area of the eye to see if there is any damage to the vessels that bring blood to the retina. The doctor uses a device called
an ophthalmoscope to check the eye.
G
- Galactose
- Gangrene - Infection of dead body tissue. It is most often caused by a loss of
blood flow, especially in the legs and feet.
- Gastroparesis - A form of nerve damage that affects the stomach and
intestines. Food is not digested properly and does not move through in a normal way, resulting in vomiting, nausea, or bloating.
It often interferes with diabetes management. See also: Autonomic neuropathy.
- Gene
- Genetic - See also: heredity.
- Gestation
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) - A type of diabetes mellitus that can occur when a woman
is pregnant. During the pregnancy (usually later in it), the woman may have glucose (sugar) in her blood at a higher than normal
level. However, when the pregnancy ends, the blood glucose levels return to normal in about 95 percent of all cases. It must be
treated carefully by a physician for it is dangerous to both mother and child. If treated properly, there are usually no lasting
effects on either.
- Gingivitis
- Gland
- Glaucoma
- gliclazide - A pill taken to lower
the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral
hypoglycemic agents. One of the sulfonylureas. (Diamicron™)
- glimepiride - A pill taken to lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the
blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral hypoglycemic agents. One of the
sulfonylureas. (Amaryl™)
- glipizide - A pill taken to lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral hypoglycemic agents. One of the
sulfonylureas. (Glucotrol™)
- Glomerular filtration rate - A measure of
the kidneys' ability to filter and remove waste products.
- Glomeruli - Network of tiny blood vessels in the kidneys where the blood is
filtered and waste products are removed.
- Glucagon - A hormone that raises the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood by
forcing the liver to release its intracellular stores of glucose. *Glucose
- Glucose tolerance test - A test to see if a person
has diabetes. The test is usually given in a lab or doctor's office in the morning before the person has eaten. A first sample of
blood is taken from the person. Then the person drinks a liquid that has a measured amount of glucose in it. After one hour, a
second blood sample is drawn, and, after another hour, a third sample is taken. The object is to see how well the body deals with
the glucose in the blood over time without interference from other foods. Depending on the local lab, the number and spacing of
samples may vary.
- glyburide, also called glibendamide - A pill taken to lower the
level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral
hypoglycemic agents. One of the sulfonylureas. (Diabeta™; Glynase™; Micronase™; Euglucon™)
- Glycemic index - The effect of different foods on blood glucose
(sugar) levels over a period of time. Researchers have discovered that some kinds of foods may raise blood glucose levels more
quickly than other foods containing the same amount of carbohydrates. cooked carrots are get glucose in the blood faster than
pure glucose! In practice, foods are not eaten alone and the presence of other foods changes the measured results for the pure
food. In addition, some foods don't have much carbohydrate even if they get it into the blood quickly. A better guide is glycemic
density which combines the glycemic index with the amount of carbohydrate in the food.
- Glycogen - A substance made from multiple glucose molecules. Sometimes called
'animal starch'. It is stored in liver and muscle cells and can be converted to glucose if needed.
- Glycogenesis (or glucogenesis)
The process by which glycogen is formed from glucose. Controlled by insulin. See also: Glycogen.
- Glycosuria - Having glucose
(sugar) in the urine.
- Glycosylated hemoglobin test - A blood test that measures a the level of a particular variety
of hemoglobin (Hb1Ac) which is itself a measure of a person's average blood glucose level for the 3-month period before the test.
See: Hemoglobin A1C.
H
- HCF diet - A high-carbohydrate,
high-fiber diet.
- Hemocromatosis - See:
Bronze diabetes.
- Hemodialysis - A mechanical method of cleaning the blood for people who
have kidney disease. See also: Dialysis.
- Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) -
Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the cells. Some subtypes react with blood glucose; the
HB1Ac type reacts permanently with glucose. Since blood cells live about 90 days or so, the amount of HB1Ac present at any time
is a record of how much glucose there has been in that period.
- Heredity
- High blood pressure
- Hives
- HLA antigens - Proteins on the outer part of body cells that are
(effectively) unique to that person. HLA types are inherited, and some of them are connected with Type I diabetes.
- Home blood glucose monitoring - A way a person can test how much glucose (sugar) is in the
blood. Also called self-monitoring of blood glucose. See also: Blood glucose monitoring.
- Homeostasis
- Hormone
- Human insulin - Man-made
insulins that are similar to insulin produced by your own body. Human insulin has been available since October 1982.
- Hyperglycemia
- Hyperinsulinism - Too high a level of insulin in the blood. This
term most often refers to a condition in which the body produces too much insulin. Researchers believe that this condition may
play a role in the development of noninsulin-dependent diabetes and in hypertension. See also: Syndrome X.
- Hyperlipemia - See:
Hyperlipidemia.
- Hyperlipidemia - Too high a level of fats (lipids) in the blood.
See also: Syndrome X.
- Hyperosmolar coma -
A coma (loss of consciousness) related to high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood and requiring emergency treatment. A person
with this condition is usually older and weak from loss of body fluids and weight. The person may or may not have a previous
history of diabetes. Ketones (acids) are not present in the urine.
- Hypertension
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypotension - Low blood pressure or a sudden drop in blood pressure. A
person rising quickly from a sitting or reclining position may have a sudden fall in blood pressure, causing dizziness or
fainting.
I
- IDDM - See: Insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus.
- IGT - See: Impaired glucose tolerance.
- Immunosuppressive drugs - Drugs that block the
body's ability to fight infection or foreign substances that enter the body. A person receiving a kidney or pancreas transplant
is given these drugs to stop the body from rejecting the new organ or tissue. Cyclosporin is a commonly used immunosuppressive
drug.
- Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) - Blood glucose (sugar) levels higher than normal but not high
enough to be called diabetes. People with IGT may or may not develop diabetes. Other names (no longer used) for IGT are
"borderline," "subclinical," "chemical," or "latent" diabetes.
- Implantable insulin pump - A small pump placed inside of the body that delivers insulin in
response to commands from a hand-held device called a programmer.
- Impotence
- Incidence
- Ingestion - Taking food, water, or medicine into the body by mouth.
- Injection - Putting liquid into the body with a needle and syringe.
- Insulin
- Insulin allergy - When a
person's body has an allergic or bad reaction to taking insulin made from pork or beef or from bacteria, or because the insulin
is not exactly the same as human insulin or because it has impurities. The allergy can be of two forms. Sometimes an area of skin
becomes red and itchy around the place where the insulin is injected. This is called a local allergy. In another form, a person's
whole body can have a bad reaction This is called a systemic allergy. The person can have hives or red patches all over the body
or may feel changes in the heart rate and in the rate of breathing. A doctor may treat this allergy by prescribing purified
insulins or by desensitization. See also: Desensitization.
- Insulin antagonist
- Something that opposes or fights the action of insulin. Insulin lowers the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, whereas
glucagon raises it; therefore, glucagon is an antagonist of insulin.
- Insulin binding - When
insulin attaches itself to something else. This can occur in two ways. First, when a cell needs energy, insulin can bind with the
outer part of the cell. The cell then can bring glucose (sugar) inside and use it for energy. With the help of insulin, the cell
can do its work very well and very quickly. But sometimes the body acts against itself. In this second case, the insulin binds
with the proteins that are supposed to protect the body from outside substances (antibodies). If the insulin is an injected form
of insulin and not made by the body, the body sees the insulin as an outside or "foreign" substance. When the injected insulin
binds with the antibodies, it does not work as well as when it binds directly to the cell.
- Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) - A chronic condition in which the pancreas
makes little or no insulin because the beta cells have been destroyed. The body is then not able to use the glucose (blood sugar)
for energy. IDDM usually comes on abruptly, although the damage to the beta cells may begin much earlier. The signs of IDDM are a
great thirst, hunger, a need to urinate often, and loss of weight. To treat the disease, the person must inject insulin, follow a
diet plan, exercise daily, and test blood glucose several times a day. IDDM usually occurs in children and adults who are under
age 30. This type of diabetes used to be known as "juvenile diabetes," "juvenile-onset diabetes," and "ketosis-prone diabetes."
It is also called type I diabetes mellitus.
- Insulin-induced atrophy - Small dents that form on the skin when a person keeps injecting a needle
in the same spot. They are harmless. See also: Lipoatrophy; injection site rotation.
- Insulin-induced hypertrophy - Small lumps that form under the skin when a person keeps
injecting a needle in the same spot. See also: Lipodystrophy; injection site rotation.
- Insulin pen - An insulin
injection device the size of a pen that includes a needle and holds a vial of insulin. It can be used instead of syringes for
giving insulin injections.
- Insulin pump
- Insulin reaction - Too
low a level of glucose (sugar) in the blood; also called hypoglycemia. This occurs when a person with diabetes has injected too
much insulin, eaten too little food, or exercised without extra food. The person may feel hungry, nauseated, weak, nervous,
shaky, confused, and sweaty. Taking small amounts of sugar, sweet juice, or food with sugar will usually help the person feel
better within 10-15 minutes. See also: Hypoglycemia; insulin shock.
- Insulin receptors - Areas on the outer part of a cell that
allow the cell to join or bind with insulin that is in the blood. When the cell and insulin bind together, the cell can take
glucose (sugar) from the blood and use it for energy.
- Insulin resistance
- Insulin shock - A severe
condition that occurs when the level of blood glucose (sugar) drops quickly. The signs are shaking, sweating, dizziness, double
vision, convulsions, and collapse. Insulin shock may occur when an insulin reaction is not treated quickly enough. See also:
Hypoglycemia; insulin reaction.
- Insulinoma - A tumor of the beta cells in areas of the pancreas called the
islets of Langerhans. Although not usually cancerous, such tumors may cause the body to make extra insulin and may lead to a
blood glucose (sugar) level that is too low.
- Intermittent claudication - Pain in the
muscles of the leg that occurs off and on, usually while walking or exercising, and results in lameness (claudication). The pain
results from a narrowing of the blood vessels feeding the muscle. Drugs are available to treat this condition.
- Intensive
management or Intensive insulinotherapy
- Intramuscular injection - Putting a fluid into a
muscle with a needle and syringe.
- Intravenous
injection - Putting a fluid into a vein with a needle and syringe.
- Islet
cell Transplantation - Moving the beta (islet) cells from a donor pancreas and putting them into a person whose pancreas has
stopped producing insulin. The beta cells make the insulin that the body needs to use glucose (sugar) for energy. Although
transplanting islet cells may one day help people with diabetes, the procedure is still in the research stage.
- Islets of Langerhans - Special groups of cells in the
pancreas. They make and secrete hormones that help the body break down and use food. Named after Paul Langerhans, the German
scientist who discovered them in 1869, these cells sit in clusters in the pancreas. There are five types of cells in an islet:
beta cells, which make insulin; alpha cells, which make glucagon; delta cells, which make somatostaton; and PP cells and D1
cells, about which little is known.
J
- Jet injector - A device that uses high pressure to propel insulin
through the skin and into the body.
- Juvenile
onset diabetes - Former term for insulin-dependent or type I diabetes. See: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
K
- Ketoacidosis
- Ketone bodies
- Ketonuria - Having ketone bodies in
the urine; a warning sign of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
- Ketosis
- Kidney disease - Any one of several chronic conditions that are
caused by damage to the cells of the kidney. People who have had diabetes for a long time may have kidney damage. Also called
nephropathy.
- Kidneys
- Kidney threshold - The
point at which the blood is holding too much of a substance such as glucose (sugar) and the kidneys "spill" the excess sugar into
the urine. See also: Renal threshold.
- Kussmaul breathing - The rapid, deep, and labored breathing
of people who have ketoacidosis or who are in a diabetic coma. Kussmaul breathing is named for Adolph Kussmaul, the 19th century
German doctor who first noted it. Also called "air hunger."
L
- Labile diabetes - A term
used to indicate when a person's blood glucose (sugar) level often swings quickly from high to low and from low to high. Also
called brittle diabetes.
- Lactic acidosis - The buildup of lactic acid in the body.
- Lactose
- Lancet - A fine, sharp-pointed blade or needle for pricking the skin.
- Laser treatment - Using
a special strong beam of light of one color (laser) to heal a damaged area. A person with diabetes might be treated with a laser
beam to heal blood vessels in the eye. See also: Photocoagulation.
- Latent diabetes - Former
term for impaired glucose tolerance. See also: Impaired glucose tolerance.
- Lente insulin - A type of
insulin that is intermediate-acting.
- Limited joint
mobility - A form of arthritis involving the hand; it causes the fingers to curve inward and the skin on the palm to tighten
and thicken. This condition mainly affects people with IDDM.
- Lipid
- Lipoatrophy - Small dents in the
skin that form when a person keeps injecting the needle in the same spot. See also: Lipodystrophy.
- Lipodystrophy - Lumps or small dents in the skin that form when a
person keeps injecting the needle in the same spot.
M
- Macroangiopathy - See:
Angiopathy.
- Macrosomia - Abnormally large; in
diabetes, refers to abnormally large babies that may be born to women with diabetes.
- Macrovascular disease - A disease of the large blood
vessels that sometimes occurs when a person has had diabetes for a long time.
- Macular edema - A swelling (edema) in the macula, an area near the
center of the retina of the eye that is responsible for fine or reading vision. Macular edema is a common complication associated
with diabetic retinopathy. See also: Diabetic retinopathy; retina.
- Maturity-onset diabetes - Former term for noninsulin-dependent or type 2 diabetes. See:
Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- Meal plan - A guide for controlling
the amount of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats a person eats. People with diabetes can use such plans as the Exchange
Lists or the Point System to help them plan their meals so that they can keep their diabetes under control. See also: Exchange
lists; point system.
- Metabolism
- Metformin - A drug treatment for type 2 diabetes; belongs to a class of drugs
called biguanides.
- Mg/dL - Milligrams per deciliter. Term used
to describe how much glucose (sugar) is in a specific amount of blood. In self-monitoring of blood glucose, test results are
given as the amount of glucose in milligrams per deciliter of blood. A fasting reading of 70 to 110 mg/dL is considered in the
normal (nondiabetic) range.
- Microaneurysm - A small
swelling that forms on the side of tiny blood vessels. These small swellings may break and bleed into nearby tissue. People with
diabetes sometimes get microaneurysms in the retina of the eye.
- Microangiopathy - See:
Angiopathy.
- Microvascular disease - Disease of the smallest blood
vessels that sometimes occurs when a person has had diabetes for a long time.
- Mixed dose - Combining two kinds
of insulin in one injection. A mixed dose commonly combines regular insulin, which is fast acting, with a longer acting insulin
such as NPH. A mixed dose insulin schedule may be prescribed to provide both short-term and long-term coverage.
- Mononeuropathy - A form of
diabetic neuropathy affecting a single nerve. The eye is a common site for this form of nerve damage. See also: Neuropathy.
- Morbidity rate
- Mortality rate
- Myocardial infarction
- Myo-inositol - A substance in
the cell that is thought to play a role in helping the nerves to work. Low levels of myo-inositol may be involved in diabetic
neuropathy.
N
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK) One of the 17 institutes that make up the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the Public Health
Service.
- Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum - A skin condition usually on the lower part of the
legs. The lesions can be small or extend over a large area. They are usually raised, yellow, and waxy in appearance and often
have a purple border. Young women are most often affected. This condition occurs in people with diabetes, or it may be a sign of
diabetes. It also occurs in people who do not have diabetes.
- Neovascularization
- The term used when new, tiny blood vessels grow in a new place, for example, out from the retina. See also: Diabetic
retinopathy.
- Nephrologist
- Nephropathy - Disease of the kidneys caused by damage to the small blood
vessels or to the units in the kidneys that clean the blood. People who have had diabetes for a long time may have kidney
damage.
- Nerve
conduction studies - Tests to determine nerve function; can detect early neuropathy.
- Neurologist
- Neuropathy
- NIDDM - See: Noninsulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus.
- Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) - The most common form of diabetes
mellitus; about 90 to 95 percent of people who have diabetes have NIDDM. Unlike the insulin-dependent type of diabetes, in which
the pancreas makes no insulin, people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes produce some insulin, sometimes even large amounts.
However, either their bodies do not produce enough insulin or their body cells are resistant to the action of insulin (see
Insulin Resistance). People with NIDDM can often control their condition by losing weight through diet and exercise. If not, they
may need to combine insulin or a pill with diet and exercise. Generally, NIDDM occurs in people who are over age 40. Most of the
people who have this type of diabetes are overweight. Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus used to be called "adult-onset
diabetes," "maturity-onset diabetes," "ketosis-resistant diabetes," and "stable diabetes." It is also called type 2 diabetes
mellitus.
- Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring - A way to measure blood glucose without having
to prick the finger to obtain a blood sample. Several noninvasive devices are currently being developed.
- Nonketotic coma - A type
of coma caused by a lack of insulin. A nonketotic crisis means: (1) very high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood; (2) absence
of ketoacidosis; (3) great loss of body fluid; and (4) a sleepy, confused, or comatose state. Nonketotic coma often results from
some other problem such as a severe infection or kidney failure.
- NPH insulin - A type of insulin
that is intermediate-acting.
- Nutrition
- Nutritionist - See: Dietitian.
O
- Obesity
- Obstetrician
- OGTT - See: Oral glucose tolerance test.
- Ophthalmologist
- Optometrist - A person professionally trained to test the eyes and to
detect and treat eye problems and some diseases by prescribing and adapting corrective lenses and other optical aids and by
suggesting eye exercise programs.
- Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
- Oral hypoglycemic agents - Pills or capsules
that people take to lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
- Overt diabetes - Diabetes
in the person who shows clear sign/s of the disease such as a great thirst and the need to urinate often.
P
- Pancreas
- Pancreas transplant - A surgical procedure that involves
replacing the pancreas of a person who has diabetes with a healthy pancreas that can make insulin.
- Pancreatectomy - A
procedure in which a surgeon takes out the pancreas.
- Pancreatitis
- Peak action - The time period
when the effect of something is as strong as it can be such as when insulin in having the most effect on lowering the glucose
(sugar) in the blood.
- Periodontal disease
- Periodontist - A specialist in
the treatment of diseases of the gums.
- Peripheral neuropathy - Nerve damage, usually
affecting the feet and legs; causing pain, numbness, or a tingling feeling. Also called "somatic neuropathy" or "distal sensory
polyneuropathy."
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) -
Disease in the large blood vessels of the arms, legs, and feet. People who have had diabetes for a long time may get this because
major blood vessels in their arms, legs, and feet are blocked and these limbs do not receive enough blood.
- Peritoneal dialysis - A way to clean the blood of people
who have kidney disease. See also: Dialysis.
- Pharmacist - practitioner of pharmacy
- Photocoagulation -
Using a special strong beam of light (laser) to seal off bleeding blood vessels such as in the eye. The laser can also burn away
blood vessels that should not have grown in the eye. This is the main treatment for diabetic retinopathy.
- Pituitary gland
- Podiatrist - A doctor who treats and takes care of people's feet.
- Podiatry - The care and treatment of human feet in health and disease.
- Point system - A way to plan
meals that uses points to rate food. The foods are placed in four classes: calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each food
is given a point value within its class. A person with a planned diet for the day can choose foods in the same class that have
the same point values for meals and snacks.
- Polydipsia - A great thirst that lasts for long periods of time; a sign of
diabetes.
- Polyphagia - Great hunger; a sign of diabetes. People with this great
hunger often lose weight.
- Polyunsaturated fats - A type of fat that comes from
vegetables. See also: Fats.
- Polyuria - Having to urinate often; a common sign of diabetes.
- Postprandial blood glucose - Blood taken 1-2 hours after eating to see the amount of glucose
(sugar) in the blood.
- Preeclampsia - A condition that some women with diabetes have during
the late stages of pregnancy. Two signs of this condition are high blood pressure and swelling because the body cells are holding
extra water.
- Prevalence
- Previous abnormality of glucose tolerance (PrevAGT) - A term for people who have
had above-normal levels of blood glucose (sugar) when tested for diabetes in the past but who show as normal on a current test.
PrevAGT used to be called either "latent diabetes" or "prediabetes."
- Prognosis - Telling a person now what is likely to happen in the future
because of having a disease.
- Proinsulin - The substance made first in the pancreas that is then made
into insulin.
- Proliferative retinopathy
- Prosthesis
- Protein
- Proteinuria
- Pruritus - Itching skin; may be a symptom of diabetes.
- Purified insulins -
Insulins with much less of the impure proinsulin. It is thought that the use of purified insulins may help avoid or reduce some
of the problems of people with diabetes such as allergic reactions.
R
- Rebound - A swing to a high level of glucose (sugar) in the blood after having a
low level. See also: Somogyi effect.
- Receptors
- Regular insulin - A type
of insulin that is fast acting.
- Renal - A term that means having something to do with the kidneys.
- Renal threshold - When the blood is holding so much of a
substance such as glucose (sugar) that the kidneys allow the excess to spill into the urine. This is also called "kidney
threshold," "spilling point," and "leak point."
- Retina
- Retinopathy - See also: Diabetic retinopathy.
- Risk factor - Anything that raises the chance that a person will get a
disease. With noninsulin-dependent diabetes, people have a greater risk of getting the disease if they weigh a lot more (20
percent or more) than they should.
S
- Saccharin - A man-made sweetener that people use in place of sugar because it
has no calories.
- Saturated fat - A type of fat that comes from animals. See also:
Fats.
- Secondary diabetes
- When a person gets diabetes because of another disease or because of taking certain drugs or chemicals.
- Secrete - To make and give off such as
when the beta cells make insulin and then release it into the blood so that the other cells in the body can use it to turn
glucose (sugar) into energy.
- Segmental transplantation - A surgical procedure in which a part of a pancreas that contains
insulin-producing cells is placed in a person whose pancreas has stopped making insulin.
- Self-monitoring of blood glucose - A way as person can test how much glucose (sugar) is in
the blood. Also called home blood glucose monitoring. See also: Blood glucose monitoring.
- Shock - A severe condition that disturbs the body. A person with diabetes can go into
shock when the level of blood glucose (sugar) drops suddenly. See also: Insulin shock.
- Sliding scale - Adjusting
insulin on the basis of blood glucose tests, meals, and activity levels.
- Somatic neuropathy
- See: Peripheral neuropathy.
- Somatostatin - A hormone made by the delta cells of the pancreas (in
areas called the islets of Langerhans). Scientists think it may control how the body secretes two other hormones, insulin and
glucagon.
- Somogyi effect - A swing
to a high level of glucose (sugar) in the blood from an extremely low level, usually occurring after an untreated insulin
reaction during the night. The swing is caused by the release of stress hormones to counter low glucose levels. People who
experience high levels of blood glucose in the morning may need to test their blood glucose levels in the middle of the night. If
blood glucose levels are falling or low, adjustments in evening snacks or insulin doses may be recommended. This condition is
named after Dr. Michael Somogyi, the man who first wrote about it. Also called "rebound."
- Sorbitol
- Spilling point - When the
blood is holding so much of a substance such as glucose (sugar) that the kidneys allow the excess to spill into the urine. See
also: Renal threshold.
- Split dose - Division of a
prescribed daily dose of insulin into two or more injections given over the course of a day. Also may be referred to as multiple
injections. Many people who use insulin feel that split doses offer more consistent control over blood glucose (sugar)
levels.
- Stiff hand
syndrome - Thickening of the skin of the palm that results in loss of ability to hold hand straight. This condition occurs
only in people with diabetes.
- Stroke
- Subclinical
diabetes - A term no longer used. See: Impaired glucose tolerance.
- Subcutaneous injection - Putting a fluid into the
tissue under the skin with a needle and syringe. See also: Injection.
- Sucrose
- Sugar - A class of carbohydrates that taste sweet. Sugar is a quick and easy fuel for
the body to use. Types of sugar are lactose, glucose, fructose, and sucrose.
- Sulfonylureas - Pills or capsules that people take to lower the level
of glucose (sugar) in the blood. See also: Oral hypoglycemic agents.
- Symptom - A sign of disease. Having to urinate often is a symptom of
diabetes.
- Syndrome - A set of signs or a series of events occurring together that make up
a disease or health problem.
- Syndrome X - DM type II clustered with other
diseases that feature insulin resistance
- Syringe
- Systemic - A word used to describe
conditions that affect the entire body. Diabetes is a systemic disease because it involves many parts of the body such as the
pancreas, eyes, kidneys, heart, and nerves.
- Systolic blood pressure - See: Blood
pressure.
T
- Team management - Describes a diabetes treatment approach in
which medical care is provided by a physician, diabetes nurse educator, dietitian, and behavioral scientist working together with
the patient.
- Thrush - An infection of the mouth. In people with diabetes, this
infection may be caused by high levels of glucose (sugar) in mouth fluids, which helps the growth of fungus that causes the
infection. Patches of whitish-colored skin in the mouth are signs of this disease.
- Tolazamide - A pill taken to lower
the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also: Oral
hypoglycemic agents. (Tolinase™)
- Tolbutamide - A pill taken to
lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Only some people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes take these pills. See also:
Oral hypoglycemic agents. (Orinase™)
- Toxemia of pregnancy (preeclampsia) - A condition in
pregnant women involving high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and edema. It can harm both mother and child, but resolves
after delivery. The first signs of toxemia are swelling near the eyes and ankles (edema), headache, high blood pressure, and
weight gain that the mother might confuse with the normal weight gain of being pregnant. The mother may have both glucose (sugar)
and acetone in her urine. The mother should tell the doctor about these signs at once. Women who become diabetic during their
pregnancies have a 15% higher chance of developing preeclampsia; women who are diabetic before becoming pregnant have a 30%
chance of developing preeclampsia.
- Toxic - Harmful; having to do with poison.
- Transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (TENS) - A treatment for painful
neuropathy.
- Trauma
- Triglyceride
- Twenty-four
hour urine - The total amount of a person's urine for a 24-hour period.
- Diabetes mellitus type 1 - See:
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- Diabetes mellitus type 2 - See:
Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
U
- Ulcer - A break in the skin; a deep sore. People with diabetes may get ulcers from
minor scrapes on the feet or legs, from cuts that heal slowly, or from the rubbing of shoes that do not fit well. Ulcers can
become infected.
- Ultralente insulin
- A type of insulin that is long acting.
- Medical
ultrasound
- Unit of insulin - The
basic measure of insulin. U-100 insulin means 100 units of insulin per milliliter (mL) or cubic centimeter (cc) of solution. Most
insulin made today in the United States is U-100.
- Unsaturated fats A type of fat. See also: Fats.
- Unstable diabetes -
A type of diabetes when a person's blood glucose (sugar) level often swings quickly from high to low and from low to high. Also
called "brittle diabetes" or "labile diabetes."
- Urea
- Urine testing - Checking
urine to see if it contains glucose (sugar) and ketones. Special strips of paper or tablets (called reagents) are put into a
small amount of urine or urine plus water. Changes in the color of the strip show the amount of glucose or ketones in the urine.
Urine testing is the only way to check for the presence of ketones, a sign of serious illness. However, urine testing is less
desirable then blood testing for monitoring the level of glucose in the body. See also: Blood glucose monitoring; reagents.
- Urologist
V
- Vaginitis - An infection of the vagina usually caused by a fungus. A woman
with this condition may have itching or burning and may notice a discharge. Women who have diabetes may develop vaginitis more
often than women who do not have diabetes.
- Vascular - Relating to the body's blood vessels (arteries, veins, and
capillaries).
- Vein
- Visceral
neuropathy
- Vitrectomy - Removing the gel from the center of the eyeball because it has
blood and scar tissue in it that blocks sight. An eye surgeon replaces the clouded gel with a clear fluid. See also: Diabetic
retinopathy.
- Vitreous humor - The clear jelly (gel) that fills the center of the
eye.
X
- Xylitol - A sweetener found in plants and used as a substitute for sugar; it is
called a nutritive sweetener because it provides calories, just like sugar.
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