Diabetes Dictionary

fasting: To abstain from food or drink. Certain medical tests require fasting.

FDA: And abbreviation for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA was formed in order to protect consumers and overall public health.

fructose: A sugar that occurs naturally in honey and fruit.

gangrene: The death of soft tissue due to insufficient blood supply.

gestational diabetes: Glucose intolerance with the onset, or first recognition, during pregnancy.

glaucoma: Disease caused by pressure in the eyeball, resulting in damage and gradual vision loss.

glucose: Blood sugar, and a source of cell energy.

glycemic index: Measures how fast a food item raises the level of glucose in the blood.

HDL cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein. Sometimes called "good cholesterol" because it removes blood cholesterol from the blood to the liver.

hemochromatosis: A hereditary disease causing iron deposits to build up in the body. Left untreated, hemochromatosis causes heart disease, diabetes, cirrhosis, and arthritis.

hemoglobin: The iron-containing portion of red blood cells necessary to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

hereditary: Describes any condition passed from parents to children.

hormone: A substance produced by cells that can travel through body fluids to perform specific actions in other parts of the body.

hyperglycemia: A excessive amount of blood sugar.

hyperinsulinemia: Too much insulin in the blood.

hypertension: A disease of the arteries in which chronic high blood pressure is the primary symptom.

hypoglycemia: Insufficient levels of blood sugar.

immunosuppressive: Describes anything that suppresses the body's immune functions.

impotence: An inability for a man to maintain or have an erection.

insulin: A pancreatic hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

insulin inhaler: An insulin delivery device where insulin is inhaled, much like using an asthma inhaler.

insulin pen: An insulin delivery device that looks like a pen and holds insulin cartridges.

insulin pump: An insulin delivery device that provides a continuous amount of insulin.

islet cell: Also called the islets of Langerhans, islet cells are pancreatic cells that produce digestive and metabolism hormones.