Diabetis

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus (məlī'təs) , chronic disorder of glucose (sugar) metabolism caused by inadequate production or use of insulin, a hormone produced in specialized cells (beta cells in the islets of Langerhans) in the pancreas that allows the body to use and store glucose. It is a leading cause of death in the United States and is especially prevalent among African Americans. The treatment of diabetes was revolutionized when F. G. Banting and C. H. Best isolated insulin in 1921.

The most common type is type 2 diabetes, previously called adultonset diabetes. It usually develops because the body fails to use insulin properly. It occurs in people, including children, who are overweight; other risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, ethnicity, and a family history of diabetes. Treatment includes a healthy diet, weight loss, and regular exercise. Many patients require daily insulin injections.

Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, usually develops in childhood. It is caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. Genetic predisposition combined with exposure to viruses are the main risk factors. Treatment consists of carefully monitored insulin replacement, typically via needles or a special pump.

A small percentage of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, sometimes labeled type 3, as a result of changing hormonal levels. Blood sugars often return to normal after delivery, but almost half of the women who experience gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes later in life.