Diabetes mellitus is a medical disorder characterized by persistent variable hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels), resulting either from inadequate secretion of the hormone insulin, an inadequate response by the body's cells to insulin, or a combination of these factors.

The most common forms of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 (10% of cases) is due to destruction of the islets of Langerhans, which produce insulin; it can only be treated with insulin injections. In type 2 (90% of cases) the main problem is decreased sensitivity of the body's cells to insulin, known as insulin resistance, although insulin production is often affected in the later stages; as well as diet and exercise, treatment usually is with tablets, or eventually with insulin injections. Gestational diabetes may develop during pregnancy and is similar to type 2 in its mechanism; it may affect fetal health and 40% of women with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes later on in life.

Since the discovery of insulin (1921) diabetes has been a treatable but chronic condition, and the main risks to health are its characteristic long-term complications. These include cardiovascular disease (doubled risk), chronic renal failure (it is the main cause for dialysis in developed world adults), retinal damage which can lead to blindness and is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly in the developed world, nerve damage, erectile dysfunction (impotence), to gangrene with risk of amputation of toes, feet, and even legs.

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did you know that if you sleep less than 6.5 hours a night you are upping your diabetes risk by up to 40 percent??
curlygurl576 (Corina Garcia) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:44:25 -0000
did you know that if you sleep less than 6.5 hours a night you are upping your diabetes risk by up to 40 percent??
lol back from the diabetes thing to hear loud christmas music! it was my bro lol
curlygurl576 (Corina Garcia) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:43:19 -0000
lol back from the diabetes thing to hear loud christmas music! it was my bro lol
Mi papá hace una ensalada de frutas increíble, cuyo tagline debería ser "su consumo excesivo puede provocar diabetes"..
panchoavila (Pancho Ávila) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:42:06 -0000
Mi papá hace una ensalada de frutas increíble, cuyo tagline debería ser "su consumo excesivo puede provocar diabetes"..
raised $165 to help fight diabetes. Not too shabbbyyyyy (:
ohbamBURTNEY (Brittany Foley) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:41:07 -0000
raised $165 to help fight diabetes. Not too shabbbyyyyy (:
Let's set the record straight. I have type 1 diabetes, which does not happen as a result of poor diet, it just happens. http://bit.ly/50S9t
kkingdomm (kkingdomm) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:40:28 -0000
Let's set the record straight. I have type 1 diabetes, which does not happen as a result of poor diet, it just happens. http://bit.ly/50S9t
@RodrigoDelgado Nos toca exponer en el día mundal de la diabetes, en Plaza Altamirano
Batiestel (Estelle Duhart) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:38:46 -0000
@RodrigoDelgado Nos toca exponer en el día mundal de la diabetes, en Plaza Altamirano

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