Diabetes is a group of diseases that are characterized by high glucose levels that result either from the body’s inability to produce insulin, or the body’s inability to efficiently use the insulin it has produced. A triad of typical symptoms is represented by the 3 P’s: polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger). Additional signs and symptoms may include weight loss, unexplained fatigue, blurred vision and frequent infections. There are three principle types of diabetes.

Type I which affects roughly 5-10% of the people with diabetes which results from the body’s absolute failure to manufacture insulin; treatment requires the administration of exogenous insulin.

With Type II, which is the most common form of diabetes, the pancreas is able to make some insulin, but not enough--or produces some that is poor in quality or resistant. Maturity onset diabetes in the young (or MODY) is a form of Type II diabetes and is associated with the epidemic of overweight and obese children.

Gestational diabetes is a condition where high blood sugars are found in pregnant women who have never had elevated blood sugars before and represents about 4% of the diabetes population.

A more recent term, prediabetes, is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal--but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, a staggering 57 million Americans have this condition--a precursor to Type II diabetes. However, if the individual incorporates some significant lifestyle changes this condition does not need to progress to diabetes. Types I and II are chronic conditions that cannot be cured, but with appropriate patient and caregiver education they can be managed and controlled to reduce the acute complications of hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic non-ketotic syndrome.

A proper clinical assessment and diagnosis is essential to prevent or delay both microvascular (small vessel) complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, as well as macrovascular (large vessel) complications such as coronary artery, cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial disease.