Diabetes Glossary
A1C
A blood test that measures average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months.
Adult-Onset Diabetes
Outdated term for type 2 diabetes.
Alpha Cells
A type of cell in the pancreas that makes and releases a hormone called glucagon.
Beta Cells
Cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Blood Glucose
The main sugar found in the blood and the body's main source of energy. Also called blood sugar.
Blood Glucose 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 Glucose Meter
A hand-held machine that tests blood 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 glucose level.
Blood Glucose Monitoring
Checking blood glucose (blood sugar) levels on a regular basis in order to manage diabetes. A blood glucose meter is needed for frequent blood glucose 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 professional with expertise in diabetes education who has met eligibility requirements and successfully completed a certification exam.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
An emergency condition in which extremely high blood glucose levels, along with a severe lack of insulin, result in the breakdown of body fat for energy and an accumulation of ketones in the blood and urine. DKA can cause nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, fruity breath odor, and rapid breathing. Untreated DKA can lead to coma and death.
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 glucose by releasing glucose from the liver. Glucagon is also available as an injectable drug for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).
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."
Hyperglycemia
Also called high blood glucose. Hyperglycemia can happen when the body does not have enough insulin or when the body can't use insulin properly. Symptoms may include excessive thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, blurred vision, and fatigue.
Hypoglycemia
Also called low blood 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.
Insulin
A hormone produced in the pancreas by beta cells, which is necessary for glucose (blood sugar) to be able to enter certain cells of the body and be used for energy.
Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)
Outdated term for type 1 diabetes.
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.
Ketones
Chemical substances that are made by the body when fat is used as a fuel source instead of glucose. When ketones build up to a great extent in the body, serious illness or coma can result.
Liver
A large organ in the body that has many functions, including the production and storage of glucose.
Non-Insulin–Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)
Outdated term for type 2 diabetes.
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 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 glucose by helping the pancreas to make more insulin. Examples include Amaryl® (glimepiride), Glucotrol® (glipizide), and Micronase® (glyburide).
Thiazolidinedione
A class of oral medicine for type 2 diabetes that helps lower blood glucose by making cells more sensitive to insulin. Examples include Actos® (pioglitazone) and Avandia® (rosiglitazone).
Type 1 Diabetes
A condition characterized by high blood 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 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.
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