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- Diabetes: The Silent Disease About 1 in every 20 people has diabetes, the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. Many don't even know they have it until they experience life threatening complications. The good news is that diabetes may be managed... more...
- Diabetes Glossary Discover the meaning meanings of important terms used for diabetes... more...
About Diabetes Monitoring Kits
Diabetes Glossary
Normal fasting glucose
level: The American Diabetes Association defines normal fasting
blood glucose levels as a value of 110 mg/dL (milligrams/deciliter).
Prediabetes: People
with fasting glucose values between 110 and 126 mg/dL are considered to have
impaired fasting glucose, or prediabetes, a risk factor for future diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
Diabetic glucose level: People with fasting glucose values
of 126 mg/dL or greater may have diabetes and should get additional testing.
Type 1 diabetes: An autoimmune
disease in which the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the
pancreas. This form of diabetes usually appears in childhood but can occur
at any age. Patients must take insulin by injection or pump to stay alive.
Approximately 5% to 10% of diabetics have type 1 diabetes. Risk factors for
type 1 diabetes may be autoimmune, genetic or environmental. There is no known
way to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes: A metabolic
disorder in which the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, a pancreatic
hormone that is essential especially for the metabolism of carbohydrates. Approximately
90% to 95% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes. It is highly preventable with
lifestyle changes.
Gestational diabetes: A condition that causes blood sugar
to rise in some pregnant women. Blood sugar levels usually return to normal
after delivery. However, women who have gestational diabetes are at increased
risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
More than 15 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, or about 1 in every 20 persons. A chronic disease with no known cure diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in our country. Particularly harsh is the fact that 34% of the people with diabetes never know they have it until they experience life-threatening complications.