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Diabetes mellitus – Lab Tests Online

August 29th, 2015 6:46 pm

Note: This article addresses diabetes mellitus, not . Although the two share the same reference term "diabetes" (which means increased urine production), diabetes insipidus is much rarer and has a different underlying cause.

Diabetes is a group of conditions linked by an inability to produce enough insulin and/or to respond to insulin. This causes high blood glucose levels () and can lead to a number of and health problems, some of them life-threatening.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 29 million people in the U.S. currently have diabetes, but as many as 8 million are not yet aware that diabetes is affecting their health.

People with diabetes are unable to process glucose, the body's primary energy source, effectively. Normally, after a meal, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and other simple sugars. This causes blood glucose levels to rise and stimulates the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin is a produced by the in the pancreas. It regulates the transport of glucose into most of the body's cells and works with glucagon, another pancreatic hormone, to maintain blood glucose levels within a narrow range.

If someone is unable to produce enough insulin, or if the body's cells are resistant to its effects (insulin resistance), then less glucose is transported from the blood into cells. Blood glucose levels remain high but the body's cells "starve." This can cause both short-term and long-term health problems, depending on the severity of the insulin deficiency and/or resistance. Diabetics typically have to control their blood glucose levels on a daily basis and over time to avoid health problems and complications. Treatment, which may involve specialized diets, exercise and/or medications, including insulin, aims to ensure that blood glucose does not get too high or too low.

Chronic high blood glucose can cause long-term damage to blood vessels, nerves, and organs throughout the body and can lead to other conditions such as kidney disease, loss of vision, strokes, cardiovascular disease, and circulatory problems in the legs. Damage from hyperglycemia is cumulative and may begin before a person is aware that he or she has diabetes. The sooner that the condition is detected and treated, the better the chances are of minimizing long-term complications.

The following table summarizes some types of diabetes. Click on the links to read more about the various types.

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Diabetes mellitus - Lab Tests Online

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