Diabetes or diabetes mellitus (sometimes called sugar diabetes) is a disease that is characterized by high blood sugar (glucose). More than 180 million people in the world have diabetes, and roughly 3 million people a year die from the disease. Diabetes is the leading cause for blindness, kidney failure, and (foot,leg) amputations in the United States. Diabetes mellitus " is a disease where either insulin is not produced (type 1 diabetes) or where insulin does not work properly (type 2 diabetes).
Diabetes insipidus or water diabetes is a different and rare disease of urine production.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas by the body's own immune system. People with type 1 diabetes most often experience onset before the age of 30, typically during childhood. Type 1 disease must be treated with insulin. There is currently no cure for type 1 diabetes, but promising research is in progress.
Type 2 diabetes is approximately nine times more common than type 1 diabetes, and is due to a relative lack of insulin due to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs as a result of heredity, obesity, or a combination of the two. Changes in diet and activity levels can sometimes help the insulin to work normally and return blood glucose levels to the normal range. Most patients can be treated with medications to improve how insulin works (such as metformin, or pioglitazone for example), or medications that increase the amount of insulin that is produced (such as glipizide, glyburide or sitagliptin). Many people with type 2 diabetes will ultimately need to be treated with natural human insulin. Type 2 diabetes is not curable, but can be readily treated so that patients with type 2 diabetes can lead a long and healthy life.
Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and causes high blood sugars. Since high blood glucoses can be harmful to a developing baby, gestational diabetes needs to be treated (generally with insulin) to normalize the blood sugar level. Gestational diabetes generally resolves after pregnancy, but can continue in some people. Screening for the disease is recommended.
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