Diabetes Glossary
A1C
A blood test that measures average blood sugar (glucose) over the past 2 to 3 months.
Beta Cells
Cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Blood Sugar
Glucose (sugar) found in the blood and the body's main source of energy. Also called blood glucose.
Blood Sugar Level
The amount of glucose (sugar) in a given amount of blood. It is reported as the number of milligrams of glucose in a deciliter of blood, or mg/dL.
Blood Sugar Meter
A hand-held machine that tests blood sugar (glucose) levels. A drop of blood, obtained by pricking a finger, is placed on a small strip that is inserted in the meter which measures and displays the blood sugar level.
Blood Sugar Monitoring
Checking blood sugar (glucose) levels on a regular basis in order to manage diabetes. A blood sugar meter is needed for frequent blood sugar monitoring.
Carbohydrate
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide carbohydrate include starches, breads, vegetables, fruits, milk products, and sugars.
Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
A healthcare provider with expertise in diabetes education who has met eligibility requirements and successfully completed a certification exam.
Dose
The amount of a medicine to be taken within a given period.
Fat
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide fat include butter, margarine, salad dressing, oil, nuts, meat, poultry, fish, and some dairy products. Excess calories are stored as body fat, providing the body with a reserve supply of energy.
Fixed Dose
A specific, unchanging amount of a medicine.
Glucagon
A hormone produced by the alpha cells in the pancreas. Glucagon raises blood sugar (glucose) by releasing glucose from the liver. Glucagon is also available as an injectable drug for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist
BYETTA is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which is a type of incretin mimetic.
Glucose
The sugar that the body makes from the three elements of food — proteins, fats, and carbohydrates — but mostly from carbohydrates. Glucose is the major source of energy for living cells. Because glucose is carried to each cell through the bloodstream, it is often called "blood glucose" or "blood sugar."
Hypoglycemia
Also called low blood sugar (glucose). Symptoms may include sweating, trembling, hunger, dizziness, moodiness, confusion, and blurred vision.
Incretin Mimetic
A class of type 2 diabetes drugs that "mimic" the effects of naturally occurring hormones from the intestines and can help the body make more of its own insulin. BYETTA is in this class of drugs.
Insulin
A hormone produced in the pancreas by beta cells, which is necessary for glucose to be able to enter certain cells of the body and be used for energy.
Insulin Resistance
The body's inability to respond to and use the insulin it produces. Insulin resistance may be linked to obesity, hypertension, and high levels of fat in the blood.
Liver
A large organ in the body that has many functions, including the production and storage of glucose.
Metformin
The generic name for an oral anti-diabetic medicine (brand name: Glucophage®) that works by decreasing the amount of glucose that your liver makes on its own. It also works by making the cells in your body more sensitive to the insulin in your body.
Pancreas
An organ located behind the lower part of the stomach that produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, and releases them into the bloodstream to help control blood sugar (glucose) levels. The pancreas also produces digestive enzymes.
Protein
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide protein include meat, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, dairy products, eggs, and dried beans. Proteins are also used in the body to build cells, to create insulin and other hormones, and other functions.
Sharps Container
A container for disposal of used needles and syringes; often made of hard plastic so that needles cannot poke through.
Sulfonylurea
A class of oral medicine for type 2 diabetes that lowers blood sugar (glucose) by helping the pancreas to make more insulin. Examples include Amaryl7® (glimepiride), Glucotrol® (glipizide), and Micronase® (glyburide).
Thiazolidinedione
A class of oral medicine for type 2 diabetes that helps lower blood sugar (glucose) by making cells more sensitive to insulin. Examples include Actos® (pioglitazone) and Avandia® (rosiglitazone).
Type 1 Diabetes
A condition characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels caused by a lack of insulin production. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes develops most often in young people but can appear in adults and affects 10% of people living with diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to sustain life.
Type 2 Diabetes
A condition characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels caused by either a lack of insulin or the body's inability to use insulin efficiently. Type 2 diabetes develops most often in middle-aged and older adults but can appear in young people, and is the most common form of diabetes.