The pathophysiology of diabetes is characterized by the body’s ability to produce or use the insulin hormone to metabolize carbohydrates, specifically blood glucose. To understand diabetes pathophysiology, it is important to understand the different types of diabetes mellitus.

There are three specific types of diabetes that we will address. These are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Each of these conditions is caused by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) due to problems with insulin production or insulin absorption.

Diabetes Mellitus Pathophysiology

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin dependant/juvenile onset diabetes) is caused when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to properly metabolize blood sugar. The insulin hormone allows the fat cells and muscle cells in the body to absorb glucose and utilize it as fuel (energy). When the pancreas does not produce the insulin needed for this process, the levels of glucose in the blood …

Diabetes mellitus is usually referred to as diabetes.  It is a group of metabolic diseases in which are characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Normally glucose levels in the blood are controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Each form of diabetes mellitus results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The main types of mellitus diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus Definition

The word Mellitus has Latin roots. It means “honey sweet”. The Greek Physician Aretaeus was first to name the condition “diabetes”, which means ‘a flowing through’, as a description of the constant thirst, weight loss, and excessive urination caused by the disease. According to Diabetes.co.uk, the documented history of diabetes have been found to root back all the way back to 1550 BC; it is described on an …