Diagnosis: what is diabetes?
People with diabetes mellitus have a relative or total absence of insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, a leaf shaped gland situated in the abdomen.
Diabetes presents in several different forms:
- Type 1- (formerly called insulin dependant diabetes)
- Type 2 – (formerly called non-insulin dependant diabetes)(most common accounts for about 90% of cases world wide)
- Gestational Diabetes.
- Other specific types (WHO 1999, pp25-30) (PDF, 1.7MB)
The two most common forms are
Type 1 diabetes:
This results from immunological selective beta cell destruction and people with this condition require insulin replacement by injection and are prone to ketoacidosis in a hyperglycaemic state.
"Type 1 includes those cases attributable to an autoimmune process, as well as those with beta cell destruction…..for which neither aetiology nor pathogenesis is known (idiopathic)" (WHO 1999, p11)
Type 2 diabetes:
This is a chronic, progressive disorder associated with "defect(s) in insulin secretion almost always with a major contribution from insulin resistance" (WHO 1999 p.11) and is a marker for cardiovascular disease.
Gestational Diabetes:
Carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with onset and first recognition during pregnancy.
MODY
This stands for Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young. It is not the same as type 2 diabetes in children, it is a genetic form of diabetes that passes down every generation. For further information please see Diabetesgenes.org.
Diabetes symptoms include:
- Increased thirst (Polydipsia)
- Increased urine production (Polyuria)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Repeat episodes of genital itching or thrush
- Slow healing of wounds.

