What to Know About Diabetes

Diabetic mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high glucose levels (glucose) levels that result from defects in insulin secretion, or its action, or both. Diabetic mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes (as it will be in this article) was first identified as a disease associated with "sweet urine," and excessive muscle loss in the ancient world
. Elevated levels of blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) lead to spillage of sugar into the urine, hence the term sweet urine.

Normally, sugar levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level . When the blood glucose levels elevates (for example, after eating food), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the sugar level. In patients with diabetes, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetic mellitus is a chronic medical condition, meaning that although it can be controlled, it lasts a lifetime.