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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffThe term "diabetes mellitus" refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood glucose, commonly called blood sugar. Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's your brain's main source of fuel.
If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the reasons may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems.
Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.
- Masharani U. Diabetes mellitus & hypoglycemia. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2010. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill Medical; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=15524. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(suppl):1.
- Diabetes overview. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/DiabetesOverview.pdf. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Diabetes mellitus (DM). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec12/ch158/ch158b.html#sec12-ch158-ch158b-1105. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Knip M, et al. Dietary intervention in infancy and later signs of beta-cell autoimmunity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2010;363:1900.
- Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/. Accessed Nov. 30, 2010.
- Diabetes and pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp051.cfm?printerFriendly=yes. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/diabetes_mellitus__type_2/management_of_type_2_diabetes_mellitus__9.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Burrows NR, et al. Incidence of treatment for end-stage renal disease among individuals with diabetes in the U.S. continues to decline. Diabetes Care. 2010;33:73.
- Zhang X, et al. Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in the United States, 2005-2008. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010;304:649.
- Matsuzaki T, et al. Insulin resistance is associated with the pathology of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2010;75:764.
- Giovanucci E, et al. Diabetes and cancer: A consensus report. CA: A Journal for Cancer Clinicians. 2010;60:1.
- Gestational diabetes. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/gestational_diabetes.cfm. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Stoner GD. Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state. American Family Physician. 2005;71:1723.
- Church TS, et al. Effects of aerobic and resistance training on hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010;304:2253.
- McCulloch DK. Overview of medical care in adults with diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Natural Medicines in the Clinical Management of Diabetes. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(suppl):1.
- Health care guideline: Routine prenatal Care. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. 2010. http://www.icsi.org/prenatal_care_4/prenatal_care__routine__full_version__2.htm. Accessed Feb. 1, 2011.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin. Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists. Number 30, September 2001 (replaces Technical Bulletin Number 200, December 1994). Gestational diabetes. Obstetrics and gynecology. 2001;98:525.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Use of hepatitis B vaccine for adults with diabetes mellitus: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2011:60;1709.
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