Diabetes — page 2 of 2

Diabetes terms

101. inject To force a liquid into the body with a needle and syringe.
102. insulin (IN-su-lin) A hormone made by the islet cells of the pancreas. Insulin controls the amount of sugar in the blood by moving it into the cells, where it can…
103. Insulin Delivery (Insulin Injections) The method a person with diabetes learns to use for injecting exogenous insulin into the body's bloodstream.
104. Insulin Injections See Insulin Delivery
105. Insulin Producing Cells See Beta Cells
106. Insulin Reactions (Diabetic Shock or Hypoglycemic Reaction) Severe hypoglycemia produced by administration of insulin, manifested by sweating, tremor, anxiety, vertigo, and…
107. Insulin Resistance A condition in which the body does not respond to insulin properly. This is most common in Type II diabetes or associated with obesity, ketoacidosis…
108. Insulin Therapy See Insulin Delivery. The two types of insulin therapy (1) conventional or (2) intensive starts when the body stops making insulin or makes only a tiny…
109. Insulin-Dependent Diabetes See Insulin
110. Islet's of Langerhans Cellular masses varying from a few to hundreds of cells lying in the interstitial tissue of the pancreas; they are composed of different cell types which…
111. Juvenile-Onset Diabetic See IDDM. Diabetes developing during childhood, usually begins before the eighteenth birthday with severe and rapidly developing symptoms of hunger…
112. Ketonemia The presence of recognizable concentrations of ketone bodies in the plasma.
113. Ketones Acids produced when the body breaks down fat or fuel. This occurs when there is not enough insulin to permit glucose to enter the cells and fuel them or…
114. Ketosis An enhanced production of ketone bodies.
115. kidneys Twin organs found in the lower part of the back. The kidneys purify the blood of all waste and harmful material.
116. Labored Breathing (Kussmaul) Spasmatic respiratory attack (paroxysmal) of forced deep breathing characteristic of diabetic ketoacidosis or other causes of acidosis.
117. Lactoic Acidosis Accumulation of excessive lactic acid in the blood resulting in muscles burning glucose instead of oxygen.
118. laser surgery A surgical procedure that uses the cutting power of a laser beam to make bloodless cuts in tissue or to remove a surface lesion such as a tumor.
119. Latent Diabetes (Chemical Diabetes) A mild form of diabetes mellitus in which the person displays no overt symptoms, but displays certain abnormal responses to diagnostic…
120. LDL (or low-density lipoprotein ) A combined protein and fatlike substance. Rich in cholesterol, it tends to stick to the walls in the arteries. Sometimes called "bad cholesterol."
121. Lethargy (LEH-thur-jee) A condition marked by drowsiness and an unusual lack of energy and mental alertness.
122. low blood glucose A condition that occurs in people with diabetes when their blood glucose levels are too low.
123. Maculopathy (Macular Edema) Retinal capillaries become clogged and swollen, leaking fluid into the retina and cause swelling.
124. meal plan A guide to help people get the proper amount of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in their diet. See also food exchanges.
125. Metabolic Control See Diabetes Education
126. Metabolic Disorder (MEH-tuh-BAH-lik dis-OR-der) A condition in which normal metabolic processes are disrupted, usually because of a missing enzyme.
127. metabolism (meh-TA-boh-lih-zum) The total of all chemical changes that take place in a cell or an organism.
128. mg/dl Symbol for milligram per deciliters. This is the unit of measure used when referring to blood glucose levels.
129. microalbumin A protein found in blood plasma and urine. The presence of microalbumin in the urine can be a sign of kidney disease.
130. Microvascular Diabetic Complications See Diabetes Complications
131. Nephropathy Kidney damage when they fail to function. If diabetes damages kidney filters, they become leaky, allowing protein to spill from the blood to urine.
132. neuropathy (noo-ROP-uh-thee) A nerve problem that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, or muscle weakness in different parts of the body.
133. Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM.) Type II diabetes; adult or maturity onset diabetes; an often mild form of diabetes mellitus of gradual onset, usually in obese individuals over…
134. non-insulin-dependent diabetes See type 2 diabetes.
135. Nonketotic Hyperosmolar Coma (NKHC, Hyperglycemic Coma) This is a gradual loss of consciousness, most often in an older person whose diabetes usually does not require insulin…
136. Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy See Background Diabetic Retinopathy
137. Obesity (oh-BEE-sih-tee) A condition marked by an abnormally high, unhealthy amount of body fat.
138. Oral Hypoglycemic Agents (First and Second generation Sulfonylureas; Biguanides) Usage by Type II diabetics to lower blood glucose, but they are not insulin pills .
139. pancreas A glandular organ located in the abdomen. It makes pancreatic juices, which contain enzymes that aid in digestion, and it produces several hormones…
140. periodontitis A gum disease in which the gums shrink away from the teeth. Without treatment, it can lead to tooth loss.
141. Peripheral Artery Disease The artery passage is blocked from the heart with a build up of fat and fibrous tissue, called plaque.
142. peripheral neuropathy (peh-RIH-feh-rul noo-ROP-uh-thee) A nerve problem that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, or muscle weakness in different parts of the body.
143. plaque A film of mucus that traps bacteria on the surface of the teeth. Plaque can be removed with daily brushing and flossing of teeth.
144. Polydipsia Excessive thirst that is relatively chronic.
145. Polyphagia Excessive appetite.
146. Polyuria (Hydruria.) Excessive excretion or discharge of urine.
147. Pregnancy Diabetes See Gestational Diabetes
148. Prosthesis (pros-THEE-sis) A device, such as an artificial leg, that replaces a part of the body.
149. pumice stone A special foot care tool used to gently file calluses as instructed by your health care team.
150. Range of Severity The area or scope of a physical or mental condition or complication of a physical or mental condition occurring during another disease and aggravating it…
151. Rebound Hyperglycemia (Somogyi Effect) In diabetes a rebound phenomenon of reactive hyperglycemia in response to a proceeding period of relative hypoglycemia that has increased…
152. Renal Failure (REE-nul FAYL-yer) A condition in which the kidneys stop working and are not able to remove waste and extra water from the blood or keep body chemicals in…
153. Renal Threshold Concentration of plasma substance above which the substance appears in the urine.
154. Rest Pain An unpleasant sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage, occurring usually in the extremities during body inactivity while sitting or…
155. retinopathy See diabetic eye disease.
156. risk factors Traits that make it more likely that a person will get an illness. For example, a risk factor for getting type 2 diabetes is having a family history of…
157. Secondary Diabetes Type of diabetes caused by another disease altogether or damage to the pancreas from chemicals, certain medicines, or diseases of the pancreas (such as…
158. Seizure Condition Metabolic seizures resulting from unbalanced chemical and physical processes occurring in the body, such as hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), hyponatremia…
159. Self-Management Training See Diabetes Education.
160. self-monitoring blood glucose A way for people with diabetes to find out how much glucose is in their blood. A drop of blood from the fingertip is placed on a special coated strip of…
161. Severe Hypoglycemia Insulin reaction symptoms consistent with hypoglycemia that could not be treated by the person with diabetes alone, but required the attention and…
162. Somogyi Effect See Rebound Hyperglycemia
163. stroke In medicine, a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue.
164. Stupor Marked by a cessation of mental activity or feeling, often produced by sleepiness, illness, or the effect or alcohol, or narcotics.
165. Sugar See Glucose
166. support group A group of people with similar disease who meet to discuss how better to cope with their disease and treatment.
167. Syncope A brief loss of consciousness from a transient deficiency in the oxygen carrying material of the blood to the brain.
168. Temporary Precipitating Factor A transient unforeseen or unknown event that contributes to or results in insulin reaction episodes in spite of consciousness efforts by a person with…
169. Therapy for Management (Regimen of Therapy) The treatment of disease by various methods. The key to treating and managing diabetes is controlling the blood glucose concentration…
170. Tight Control Suggested by the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial ten year study and the American Diabetes Association as an important way to delay the onset and…
171. Tissue Damage Impairment of the usefulness of the four basic tissues in the body: (1) membranous tissue, epithelium , (2) the connective tissues; including blood, bone…
172. Topical Burning An indirect reference of intense heat pertaining to a local part on the body.
173. Tumefactions Swelling and edema caused by insulin injections.
174. type 1 diabetes A condition in which the pancreas makes so little insulin that the body can’t use blood glucose as energy.
175. type 2 diabetes A condition in which the body either makes too little insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes to use blood glucose as energy.
176. Type I Diabetes See Insulin Dependent Diabetes.
177. Type II Diabetes See Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.
178. ulcer (UHL-ser) A break on the skin, in the lining of an organ, or on the surface of a tissue.
179. urea (yoo-REE-uh) A substance formed by the breakdown of protein in the liver. The kidneys filter urea out of the blood and into the urine.
180. Urine Tests (Urinalysis.) Analysis of the fluid and dissolved substances excreted by the kidney.
181. vaccination Treatment with a vaccine.
182. vagina (vuh-JY-nuh) The muscular canal extending from the uterus to the exterior of the body. Also called birth canal.
183. Vascular Changes Complications relating to or containing the thickening of blood vessel linings causing decreased blood flow of nutrients through narrowed arteries…
184. Violation of Protocol Deviation from a precise and detailed therapy for management plan or the study of a biomedical problem.
185. Visual Changes Diabetes-induced vision problems are an alteration from a person's normal vision due to changes in the small arteries that provide blood for the retina.
186. vitrectomy An operation to remove the blood that sometimes collects at the back of the eyes when a person has eye disease.
187. Warning Symptoms Signs of impending departure from the normal sensations or functions experienced by persons with diabetes.
188. yeast infection A vaginal infection that is usually caused by a fungus. Women who have this infection may feel itching, burning when urinating, and pain, and some women…