Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus, usually simply known as diabetes, is a long-term (or chronic) condition where the body is unable to control the amounts of glucose in the blood. It develops when production of the natural hormone insulin is too low, or when the body cannot respond properly to insulin it does produce. If left untreated, the high blood-sugar levels can cause long-term health problems, including increased risk of heart disease and strokes, nerve damage and blindness.

There are two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), juvenile diabetes or early onset diabetes), usually develops before the age of 40, and in particular in children and young adults. Once it has developed, it is a life-long disease, and sufferers must take insulin by injection every day. Type 2 diabetes (also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) or late-onset diabetes) occurs mostly in people over the age of 40, and daily treatment with insulin is not always necessary.

Diabetes is a common ailment; there are around 1.4 million diagnosed cases in the UK alone, with possibly nearly as many again who have not yet been diagnosed. 85% of these cases involve type 2 diabetes, making it much more common than type 1.

In this section, we've put together a guide to both type I and type II diabetes, including handy information on their causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.