Diabetes can be a complicated disease if you don’t know the correct terminology. Diabetic Nation has compiled some of the most common terms used with diabetes to make it easier for you to understand and control this disease.

1. Autoimmune disorder: when the body produces antibodies that attack tissue.
2. Beta cells: cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
3. Blood glucose: the main sugar found in the blood and the body’s main source of energy. Also called blood sugar.
4. Blood glucose level: the amount of glucose in a given amount of blood. It is noted in milligrams in a deciliter, or mg/dL. Also called blood sugar level.
5. Carbohydrates: an organic compound composed of sugars, starches, and cellulose used by cells for energy.
6. Carbohydrate counting: a method of meal planning for people with diabetes based on counting the number of grams of carbohydrates in food.
7. Certified Diabetes Educator: a healthcare professional with expertise in diabetes education who has met eligibility requirements and successfully completed a certification exam.
8. Continuous glucose monitor (CGM): a monitor typically inserted below the skin of the abdomen which allows the wearer to get an instant reading of their blood glucose levels.
9. Complications: harmful effects of diabetes such as damage to the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, teeth and gums, feet and skin, or kidneys. Studies show that keeping blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels close to normal can help prevent or delay these problems.
10. Diabetes insipidus: a condition characterized by frequent and heavy urination, excessive thirst, and an overall feeling of weakness. This condition may be caused by a defect in the pituitary gland or in the kidneys. In diabetes insipidus, blood glucose levels are normal.
11. Diabetes mellitus: a condition characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from the body’s inability to use blood glucose for energy. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin. Therefore, blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy. In type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use insulin correctly.
12. Diabetes Prevention Program: a study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases conducted from 1998 to 2001 in people at high risk for type 2 diabetes. All study participants had impaired glucose tolerance, also called prediabetes, and were overweight. The study showed that people who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through a low-fat, low-calorie diet and moderate exercise (usually walking for 30 minutes 5 days a week) reduced their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. Participants who received treatment with the oral diabetes drug metformin reduced their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 31 percent.
13. Diabetic ketoacidosis: a serious medical condition in which glucose cannot go into the cells to be used for energy and the blood becomes acidic. Requires immediate medical attention.
14. Dialysis: the process of cleaning wastes from the blood artificially. This job is normally done by the kidneys. If the kidneys fail, the blood must be cleaned artificially with special dialysis equipment.
15. Dietitian: a healthcare professional who advises people about meal planning, weight control, and diabetes management.
16. Endocrine gland: a group of specialized cells that release hormones into the blood.
17. Endocrinologist: a doctor who treats diseases of the endocrine system, including diabetes.
18. Gastroparesis: delayed stomach emptying.
19. Gestational diabetes: diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. Usually disappears after giving birth.
20. Glucagon: a hormone produced by the alpha cells in the pancreas. It raises blood glucose. An injectable form of glucagon, available by prescription, may be used to treat severe hypoglycemia.
21. Glucose: the type of sugar the body uses as its main source of energy.
22. Glucose tablets: chewable tablets made of pure glucose for treating hypoglycemia.
23. Glycemic index (GI): a ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods based on the food’s effect on blood glucose levels.
24. Hemoglobin A1C: test that shows average blood sugar level over the course of two to three months; also called A1C.
25. Hyperglycemia: excessive blood glucose. Fasting hyperglycemia is blood glucose above a desirable level after a person has fasted for at least 8 hours. Postprandial hyperglycemia is a blood glucose above a desirable level 1 to 2 hours after a person has eaten.
26. Hypoglycemia: a condition that occurs when one’s blood glucose is lower than normal, usually less than 70 mg/dL. Signs include hunger, nervousness, shakiness, perspiration, dizziness, or light-headedness, sleepiness, and confusion. If left untreated, hypoglycemia may lead to unconsciousness. Hypoglycemia is treated by consuming a carbohydrate-rich food such as a glucose tablet or juice. It may also be treated with an injection of glucagon if the person is unconscious or unable to swallow. Also called an insulin reaction.
27. Immune system: the body’s system for protecting itself from viruses, bacteria, and foreign substances.
28. Insulin: a life-sustaining hormone created in the pancreas that allows glucose to be turned into energy.
29. Insulin pump: an insulin-delivering device about the size of a deck of cards that can be worn on a belt or kept in a pocket. An insulin pump connects to narrow, flexible plastic tubing that ends with a needle inserted just under the skin. Users set the pump to give a steady trickle of insulin continuously throughout the day or at mealtime.
30. Insulin resistance: when the body fails to use insulin to convert glucose into energy.
31. Juvenile diabetes: the former term for type 1 diabetes.
32. Ketone: a chemical produced when there is a shortage of insulin in the blood and the body breaks down body fat for energy. High levels of ketones can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and coma. Sometimes referred to as ketone bodies.
33. Ketosis: a ketone buildup in the body that may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. Signs of ketosis are nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Requires immediate medical attention.
34. Lancet: a spring-loaded device used to prick the skin with a small needle to obtain a drop of blood for blood glucose testing.
35. Liver: an organ in the body that changes food into energy, removes alcohol and poisons from the blood, and makes bile, a substance that breaks down fats and helps rid the body of wastes.
36. Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program: this program consists of 16 sessions of diabetes education sessions in a classroom-type setting where certified healthcare professionals provide long-term training in dietary changes, physical activity, and behavioral changes to help patients succeed in weight management goals. The goal is to encourage participants to lose 5 percent of their weight to stave off type 2 diabetes.
37. Metabolic syndrome: a group of health issues including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes or prediabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
38. Metabolism: the term for the way cells chemically change food so that it can be used to store or use energy and make the proteins, fats, and sugars needed by the body.
39. Nephropathy: damage to the kidneys due to elevated blood glucose levels.
40. Neuropathy: damage to nerve vessels all over the body that can create numbness and tingling, especially in the hands and feet.
41. Obesity: a condition in which a greater than normal amount of fat is in the body. Indicated by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.
42. Pancreas: an organ that makes insulin and enzymes for digestion. The pancreas is located behind the lower part of the stomach and is about the size of a hand.
43. Prediabetes: a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but are not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. People with prediabetes are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and for heart disease and stroke. Other names for prediabetes are impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose. Can sometimes be reversed with diet and exercise.
44. Retinopathy: damage to blood vessels in the eye that causes blindness.
45. Target range: the ideal range for your blood glucose levels and A1C, established by your doctor.
46. Type 1 diabetes: an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to convert glucose into energy.
47. Type 2 diabetes: this condition of hyperglycemia is accompanied by increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, and weight loss. It is often called a lifestyle disease (but is not always caused by lifestyle factors) and can be treated with medication as well as a healthy diet and regular exercise.