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Diabetes definitions Flashcards

Diabetes definitions
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  • Diabetes Mellitus
    Chronic condition marked by high blood glucose due to insufficient insulin or ineffective insulin use.
  • Insulin
    Hormone from the pancreas that lowers blood glucose after meals by enabling cells to absorb glucose.
  • Pancreas
    Organ responsible for producing insulin and regulating blood glucose levels.
  • Hyperglycemia
    State where blood glucose levels are excessively high, posing risks like blindness and kidney failure.
  • Type 1 Diabetes
    Autoimmune disorder where immune cells destroy pancreatic beta cells, leading to little or no insulin production.
  • Type 2 Diabetes
    Condition where body cells become resistant to insulin, often developing gradually and linked to lifestyle factors.
  • Beta Cells
    Cells in the pancreas that produce insulin and are targeted in type 1 diabetes.
  • Insulin Resistance
    Reduced cellular response to insulin, causing glucose to remain in the bloodstream.
  • Autoimmune Disorder
    Condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues, such as beta cells in type 1 diabetes.
  • Blood Glucose
    Concentration of sugar in the bloodstream, regulated by insulin and affected in diabetes.
  • Insulin Therapy
    Treatment involving external insulin administration, essential for managing type 1 diabetes.
  • Glucose Transporters
    Proteins in cell membranes that enable glucose entry into cells in response to insulin.
  • Remission
    State where blood glucose returns to normal without medication, possible in type 2 diabetes with lifestyle changes.
  • Chronic Disease
    Long-term health condition, often lasting years or a lifetime, such as diabetes mellitus.
  • Complications
    Serious health issues like blindness, kidney failure, or limb amputation resulting from poorly managed diabetes.