Diabetes Definition

Medical definitions can be confusing for the everyday person on the street, especially when newly diagnosed. Here's a list of Diabetes Definitions with an explanation of each definition.

Ace inhibitors - Drugs used to help reduce high blood pressure, which is common in people who also have Type 2 diabetes.

Blood test machines - Small portable devices which can be used to give you a reading of your current blood sugar level (also called blood glucose), providing a useful insight into your state of diabetes control.

Blood test strip (blood test sensors) - Used in blood test machines, this is where a drop of blood is placed when it’s already inserted into a blood test machine, resulting in a blood sugar reading. The aim is to have a reading in the ‘normal’ range of 4.0 mmols/L to 8.0 mmols/L.

Body Mass Index (BMI) - This is a formula which assesses whether you are overweight, taking into account your weight and height.

Carbohydrates - An essential component of the human diet, carbohydrates are found in many, but not all, foods. Carbohydrates often include sugars which are released when the food is digested. Many diabetics calculate their insulin doses based on the amount of carbohydrates they are about to eat. This is known as carb-counting. Carbohydrates are classified as to whether they are simple or complex carbohydrates. Usually, the more ‘complex’ the carbohydrate is, the slower it is to release its sugars. This forms the basis of the Glycaemic Index (GI).

DAFNE - This stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating and refers to an educational programme run in the UK for people with Type 1 diabetes (who regularly blood test and inject insulin).

DESMOND - This is another education programme. The name stands for Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. This is aimed at people with Type 2 diabetes, explaining the nature of diabetes and looking at medications and diet.

Diabetes mellitus - This is the medical term for what is now known as Type 1 diabetes. The name more or less refers to having sugar in the blood. It is a result of not having any insulin in your body, leading to high levels of blood sugars which – untreated – can in turn result in a sugar coma.

Diabetic nephropathy - Nephropathy is kidney damage. Diabetic nephropathy is kidney damage due to high blood sugars that can result from having diabetes.

Diabetic neuropathy - Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage due to the effects of high blood sugar which you may develop due to diabetes. It most often occurs in ‘the extremities’ such as hands and, in particular, feet, which is why diabetics are asked to keep an eye on their feet.

Diabetic retinopathy - Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the retina at the back of the eye due to high blood sugars that can result from having diabetes.

Frozen shoulder - This is a medical condition that anyone can get, but people with diabetes have a slightly higher incidence of having the condition than the general population. A frozen shoulder is one with restricted movement.

Gestational diabetes - A form of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. In the majority of women who develop gestational diabetes the condition disappears once the baby is delivered. A few patients are left still requiring medication and are therefore diabetic from that point onwards.

Glucagon, Gluco Gel, Gluco Tabs - These are brand names of sugar sources that can be used to treat a hypo. Glucagon is delivered via injection and is available on prescription. The others are fast-acting doses of sugar in either gel or tablet forms.

Glycaemic Index (GI) - A measure of how much sugar is in a food and how quickly it is released when digested.

Glycaemic Load (GL) - At most meals you will eat a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fibre and fat. The Glycaemic Load reflects this combination so is a better indication of how food will be digested than the Glycaemic Index alone, which is based on one food in isolation.

HbA1c blood test - One of the least user-friendly medical terms around, this is the medical name for a blood sugar reading that reflects your average blood sugars over the last three months. Increasingly it is being referred to as your average BG or blood glucose.

Hyperglycaemia - The state of having a high blood sugar. Makes you feel thirsty, sluggish, tired and irritable. Needs to be treated with insulin or other diabetes medications.

Hypo dogs - This is a scheme still in its early days, but dogs have been trained to literally ‘smell’ a hypo and can alert their diabetic owner that they are going into a hypo. This is helpful for people who have little or no hypo warnings.

Hypoglycaemia - The state of having a low blood sugar (which is the same thing as having too much insulin in your body).

Identification tag - Depending on where you are, what you do and how stable your diabetes is, you may want to wear an identification (or I.D.) tag that states that you have diabetes. Some include which type of diabetes you have and your GP contact details. There are formats that take the form of necklaces, dog tags, bracelets or even credit card sizes, with some models specifically made for children.

Insulin - Insulin is a vital hormone which is part of a mechanism used by the body to control blood sugar levels so that, with slight variations, the levels are kept more or less stable, for example during a meal where sugars are being taken on board and digested, or during exercise where sugars (in the form of energy) are being used up. People who produce no insulin at all have diabetes mellitus (now known as Type 1 diabetes).

Short-acting or long-acting insulin – these descriptions reflect the action or release pattern of the insulin. Many patients use a combination of both to gain optimum control.

Types of insulin available:

Analogue insulin – modern insulins that have been created to work in different ways that can fit better into some people’s lives.

Animal insulin – the original insulins were extracted from pig or cow pancreas tissue. Some are still available and some patients report that they prefer these as their release action is considered to be less harsh than the more widely available and more modern ‘human’ insulins.

Human insulin – not made from humans! These are produced synthetically to emulate human insulin action.

Insulin pens - Insulin pens are one of the insulin delivery devices available. Some are made of metal, others are plastic. They can be pre-filled so insulin does not need to be loaded into them as it’s already inside, or insulin cartridges can be used. Both of these types need needles to be affixed to the delivery end. Usually the insulin dose is dialled into the pen or the user counts a number of clicks, each click representing a number of insulin units being delivered. The pens are mainly produced by the insulin suppliers, with some other suppliers doing versions of pens that fit various insulin cartridges.

Insulin pump - Pumps have insulin reservoirs which are filled with just one type of insulin. They are then programmed to deliver a steady background dose of insulin (or ‘basal’ rate, much the same as the more familiar long-acting insulin idea) as well as doses (known as a bolus, but the same as having an injection or shot). You still need to blood test and judge your bolus and basal doses, but it’s arguably more natural than five injections a day.

Islets of Langerhans - These are in the pancreas. Within the Islets of Langerhans are the alpha and beta cells. The beta cells make insulin.

Ketoacidosis (and Ketones) - In layman’s terms, this is the state of going into (or being in) a sugar coma. Ketoacidosis first presents itself as a series of very high blood sugars but will progress to disorientation, loss of co-ordination and a desperate thirst. Left untreated, the patient will lose consciousness and will need hospitalisation. If your blood sugars are high, you can test for ketones. Ketones are the by-product of protein breakdown – without insulin, the body starts to break down muscle (which is protein). The patient needs insulin, nothing else will do to address this state.

Kitbag - Also known as a diabetes wallet or diabetes carry case, this is just a bag in which you can put all your diabetes kit. Having your blood test machine, medications and a sugar source to hand in case of a hypo ought to bring you some peace of mind and might help you gain and maintain good diabetes control. After diagnosis there’s no need to stop doing whatever it is that you normally do, but being organised and having all your kit with you will help.

Lancets/lancing devices - I think most of us call them finger-prickers! A lancing device is used to get a drop of blood (usually from a finger) into a blood test machine in order to get a blood sugar reading.

Medical Exemption Certificate (Medex) - Thanks to the NHS, you can get your prescriptions filled for free so you do not pay for your medications. You will need a Medical Exemption Certificate to show to your pharmacist.

Pituitary gland - The pituitary gland is in the brain and helps regulate the body’s internal environment. It instructs the pancreas to produce and release insulin to lower the blood sugar level if it detects that it is too high. In a person with Type 1 diabetes the pituitary still works and the messenger still gets to the pancreas, but the pancreas has no insulin to release. Hence the reason Type 1 diabetics do a blood test and use the rest of their brains to figure out what doses of insulin to give themselves.

Sharps bin - Sharps are the needles, lancets and some pump accessories that are a) sharp and b) dirty (once used). Some people would include used sensors in this category too, as they have blood on them. They should be carefully disposed of in a suitable container so that no one can accidentally prick themselves. Sharps containers are available from pharmacists. You can stick one in a kitchen cupboard and use it to put all your used bits in. When full, it should to be disposed of safely. Talk to your diabetes nurse, local GP, pharmacy or hospital about this as it varies from area to area.

Statins - These are drugs used to reduce cholesterol levels deemed to be too high. Often used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Syndrome X - Syndrome X is also known as the Metabolic Syndrome or Insulin Resistance Syndrome. It is currently being defined (by the International Diabetes Federation and American Heart Association) as a person having any three of the following: a high waist circumference indicating central obesity, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Thrush - Common enough anyway, thrush is an uncomfortable infection of the vagina (and other parts of the body) caused by a yeast called Candida. The slightly more sugary conditions in the body of someone with diabetes can lead to an increased likelihood of developing it as the yeast finds a wet, warm, sugary environment particularly handy to thrive in. It can be treated; speak to your GP or pharmacist. Good blood sugar control will reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

Traffic light system - In this system, the traffic light colours (red, amber and green) are used to help you get the balance right by helping you to choose between products and keep a check on the high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt foods you eat.

Type 1 diabetes - People who produce no insulin at all have Type 1 (once known as IDDM or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus). It has to be treated with insulin or the patient will die. It is no longer defined just as people who take insulin and many people with Type 2 diabetes are now treated with insulin.

Type 2 diabetes - This is when people produce their own insulin but the effectiveness of that insulin is compromised. Patients can try a range of treatments to help make what insulin they do produce more effective, including diet and weight loss. Also known as insulin resistance and previously sometimes referred to as NIDDM – Non Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes Definitions

Ace inhibitors

Drugs used to help reduce high blood pressure, which is common in people who also have Type 2 diabetes.

Blood test machines

Small portable devices which can be used to give you a reading of your current blood sugar level (also called blood glucose), providing a useful insight into your state of diabetes control.

Blood test strip (blood test sensors)

Used in blood test machines, this is where a drop of blood is placed when it’s already inserted into a blood test machine, resulting in a blood sugar reading. The aim is to have a reading in the ‘normal’ range of 4.0 mmols/L to 8.0 mmols/L.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

This is a formula which assesses whether you are overweight, taking into account your weight and height.

Carbohydrates

An essential component of the human diet, carbohydrates are found in many, but not all, foods. Carbohydrates often include sugars which are released when the food is digested. Many diabetics calculate their insulin doses based on the amount of carbohydrates they are about to eat. This is known as carb-counting. Carbohydrates are classified as to whether they are simple or complex carbohydrates. Usually, the more ‘complex’ the carbohydrate is, the slower it is to release its sugars. This forms the basis of the Glycaemic Index (GI).

DAFNE

This stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating and refers to an educational programme run in the UK for people with Type 1 diabetes (who regularly blood test and inject insulin).

DESMOND

This is another education programme. The name stands for Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. This is aimed at people with Type 2 diabetes, explaining the nature of diabetes and looking at medications and diet.

Diabetes mellitus

This is the medical term for what is now known as Type 1 diabetes. The name more or less refers to having sugar in the blood. It is a result of not having any insulin in your body, leading to high levels of blood sugars which – untreated – can in turn result in a sugar coma.

Diabetic nephropathy

Nephropathy is kidney damage. Diabetic nephropathy is kidney damage due to high blood sugars that can result from having diabetes.

Diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage due to the effects of high blood sugar which you may develop due to diabetes. It most often occurs in ‘the extremities’ such as hands and, in particular, feet, which is why diabetics are asked to keep an eye on their feet.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the retina at the back of the eye due to high blood sugars that can result from having diabetes.

Frozen shoulder

This is a medical condition that anyone can get, but people with diabetes have a slightly higher incidence of having the condition than the general population. A frozen shoulder is one with restricted movement.

Gestational diabetes

A form of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. In the majority of women who develop gestational diabetes the condition disappears once the baby is delivered. A few patients are left still requiring medication and are therefore diabetic from that point onwards.

Glucagon, Gluco Gel, Gluco Tabs

These are brand names of sugar sources that can be used to treat a hypo. Glucagon is delivered via injection and is available on prescription. The others are fast-acting doses of sugar in either gel or tablet forms.

Glycaemic Index (GI)

A measure of how much sugar is in a food and how quickly it is released when digested.

Glycaemic Load (GL)

At most meals you will eat a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fibre and fat. The Glycaemic Load reflects this combination so is a better indication of how food will be digested than the Glycaemic Index alone, which is based on one food in isolation.

HbA1c blood test

One of the least user-friendly medical terms around, this is the medical name for a blood sugar reading that reflects your average blood sugars over the last three months. Increasingly it is being referred to as your average BG or blood glucose.

Hyperglycaemia

The state of having a high blood sugar. Makes you feel thirsty, sluggish, tired and irritable. Needs to be treated with insulin or other diabetes medications.

Hypo dogs

This is a scheme still in its early days, but dogs have been trained to literally ‘smell’ a hypo and can alert their diabetic owner that they are going into a hypo. This is helpful for people who have little or no hypo warnings.

Hypoglycaemia

The state of having a low blood sugar (which is the same thing as having too much insulin in your body).

Identification tag

Depending on where you are, what you do and how stable your diabetes is, you may want to wear an identification (or I.D.) tag that states that you have diabetes. Some include which type of diabetes you have and your GP contact details. There are formats that take the form of necklaces, dog tags, bracelets or even credit card sizes, with some models specifically made for children.

Insulin

Insulin is a vital hormone which is part of a mechanism used by the body to control blood sugar levels so that, with slight variations, the levels are kept more or less stable, for example during a meal where sugars are being taken on board and digested, or during exercise where sugars (in the form of energy) are being used up. People who produce no insulin at all have diabetes mellitus (now known as Type 1 diabetes).

Short-acting or long-acting insulin

These descriptions reflect the action or release pattern of the insulin. Many patients use a combination of both to gain optimum control.

Types of insulin available:

Analogue insulin – modern insulins that have been created to work in different ways that can fit better into some people’s lives.
Animal insulin – the original insulins were extracted from pig or cow pancreas tissue. Some are still available and some patients report that they prefer these as their release action is considered to be less harsh than the more widely available and more modern ‘human’ insulins.
Human insulin – not made from humans! These are produced synthetically to emulate human insulin action.

Insulin pens

Insulin pens are one of the insulin delivery devices available. Some are made of metal, others are plastic. They can be pre-filled so insulin does not need to be loaded into them as it’s already inside, or insulin cartridges can be used. Both of these types need needles to be affixed to the delivery end. Usually the insulin dose is dialled into the pen or the user counts a number of clicks, each click representing a number of insulin units being delivered. The pens are mainly produced by the insulin suppliers, with some other suppliers doing versions of pens that fit various insulin cartridges.

Insulin pump

Pumps have insulin reservoirs which are filled with just one type of insulin. They are then programmed to deliver a steady background dose of insulin (or ‘basal’ rate, much the same as the more familiar long-acting insulin idea) as well as doses (known as a bolus, but the same as having an injection or shot). You still need to blood test and judge your bolus and basal doses, but it’s arguably more natural than five injections a day.

Islets of Langerhans

These are in the pancreas. Within the Islets of Langerhans are the alpha and beta cells. The beta cells make insulin.

Ketoacidosis (and Ketones)

In layman’s terms, this is the state of going into (or being in) a sugar coma. Ketoacidosis first presents itself as a series of very high blood sugars but will progress to disorientation, loss of co-ordination and a desperate thirst. Left untreated, the patient will lose consciousness and will need hospitalisation. If your blood sugars are high, you can test for ketones. Ketones are the by-product of protein breakdown – without insulin, the body starts to break down muscle (which is protein). The patient needs insulin, nothing else will do to address this state.

Kitbag

Also known as a diabetes wallet or diabetes carry case, this is just a bag in which you can put all your diabetes kit. Having your blood test machine, medications and a sugar source to hand in case of a hypo ought to bring you some peace of mind and might help you gain and maintain good diabetes control. After diagnosis there’s no need to stop doing whatever it is that you normally do, but being organised and having all your kit with you will help.

Lancets/lancing devices

I think most of us call them finger-prickers! A lancing device is used to get a drop of blood (usually from a finger) into a blood test machine in order to get a blood sugar reading.

Medical Exemption Certificate (Medex)

Thanks to the NHS, you can get your prescriptions filled for free so you do not pay for your medications. You will need a Medical Exemption Certificate to show to your pharmacist.

Pituitary gland

The pituitary gland is in the brain and helps regulate the body’s internal environment. It instructs the pancreas to produce and release insulin to lower the blood sugar level if it detects that it is too high. In a person with Type 1 diabetes the pituitary still works and the messenger still gets to the pancreas, but the pancreas has no insulin to release. Hence the reason Type 1 diabetics do a blood test and use the rest of their brains to figure out what doses of insulin to give themselves.

Sharps bin

Sharps are the needles, lancets and some pump accessories that are a) sharp and b) dirty (once used). Some people would include used sensors in this category too, as they have blood on them. They should be carefully disposed of in a suitable container so that no one can accidentally prick themselves. Sharps containers are available from pharmacists. You can stick one in a kitchen cupboard and use it to put all your used bits in. When full, it should to be disposed of safely. Talk to your diabetes nurse, local GP, pharmacy or hospital about this as it varies from area to area.

Statins

These are drugs used to reduce cholesterol levels deemed to be too high. Often used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Syndrome X

Syndrome X is also known as the Metabolic Syndrome or Insulin Resistance Syndrome. It is currently being defined (by the International Diabetes Federation and American Heart Association) as a person having any three of the following: a high waist circumference indicating central obesity, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Thrush

Common enough anyway, thrush is an uncomfortable infection of the vagina (and other parts of the body) caused by a yeast called Candida. The slightly more sugary conditions in the body of someone with diabetes can lead to an increased likelihood of developing it as the yeast finds a wet, warm, sugary environment particularly handy to thrive in. It can be treated; speak to your GP or pharmacist. Good blood sugar control will reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

Traffic light system

In this system, the traffic light colours (red, amber and green) are used to help you get the balance right by helping you to choose between products and keep a check on the high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt foods you eat.

Type 1 diabetes

People who produce no insulin at all have Type 1 (once known as IDDM or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus). It has to be treated with insulin or the patient will die. It is no longer defined just as people who take insulin and many people with Type 2 diabetes are now treated with insulin.

Type 2 diabetes

This is when people produce their own insulin but the effectiveness of that insulin is compromised. Patients can try a range of treatments to help make what insulin they do produce more effective, including diet and weight loss. Also known as insulin resistance and previously sometimes referred to as NIDDM – Non Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

This list of diabetes definition is by no means exhaustive but it is a good start.

Extract taken from Diabetes - The Essential Guide. For more information on diabetes definitions and meanings, take a look at the book - available now in eBook, printed book and large print formats. Buy the printed version and get the eBook free!

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