|
|
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
|
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Acanthosis:
A skin condition characterized by darkened skin patches; common in people whose body is not responding correctly to the insulin that they make in their pancreas (insulin resistance). This skin condition is also seen in people who have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
ACE inhibitor:
An oral medicine that lowers blood pressure; ACE stands for angiotensin (an-gee-oh-TEN-sin) converting enzyme. For people with diabetes, especially those who have protein (albumin) in the urine, the drug also helps slow down kidney damage.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Acesulfame:
A dietary sweetener with no calories and no nutritional value. Also known as acesulfame-K. (Brand name: Sunett.)
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Adhesive capsulitis:
A condition of the shoulder associated with diabetes that results in pain and loss of the ability to move the shoulder in all directions.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Adult-onset diabetes:
Former term for type 2 diabetes.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
AGEs:
Stands for advanced glycosylation endproducts. AGEs are produced in the body when glucose links with protein. They play a role in damaging blood vessels, which can lead to diabetes complications.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Albuminuria:
A condition in which the urine has more than normal amounts of a protein called albumin. Albuminuria may be a sign of nephropathy (kidney disease).
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Alpha cell:
A type of cell in the pancreas. Alpha cells make and release a hormone called glucagon. The body sends a signal to the alpha cells to make glucagon when blood glucose falls too low. Then glucagon reaches the liver where it tells it to release glucose into the blood for energy.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Amylin:
A hormone formed by beta cells in the pancreas. Amylin regulates the timing of glucose release into the bloodstream after eating by slowing the emptying of the stomach. Now available for treatment of diabetes (brand name: Symlin).
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Amyotrophy:
A type of neuropathy resulting in pain, weakness, and/or wasting in the muscles.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Anemia:
A condition in which the number of red blood cells is less than normal, resulting in less oxygen being carried to the body's cells.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Angiopathy:
Any disease of the blood vessels (veins, arteries, capillaries) or lymphatic vessels.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Antibodies:
Proteins made by the body to protect itself from "foreign" substances such as bacteria or viruses. People get type 1 diabetes when their bodies make antibodies that destroy the body's own insulin-making beta cells.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
A1C:
A test that measures a person's average blood glucose level over the past 2 - 3 months. Hemoglobin (HEE-mo-glo-bin) is the part of a red blood cell that carries oxygen to the cells and sometimes joins with the glucose in the bloodstream. Also called hemoglobin A1C or glycosylated (gly-KOH-sih-lay-ted) hemoglobin, the test shows the amount of glucose that sticks to the red blood cell, which is proportional to the amount of glucose in the blood.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
ARB:
An oral medicine that lowers blood pressure; ARB stands for angiotensin (an-gee-oh-TEN-sin) receptor blocker.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Arteriosclerosis:
Hardening of the arteries.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Artery:
A large blood vessel that carries blood with oxygen from the heart to all parts of the body.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Aspart insulin:
A rapid-acting insulin. On average, aspart insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 10 - 20 minutes after injection. It has its strongest effect 1 - 3 hours after injection but keeps working for 3 - 5 hours after injection.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Aspartame:
A dietary sweetener with almost no calories and no nutritional value. (Brand names: Equal, NutraSweet.)
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Atherosclerosis:
Clogging, narrowing, and hardening of the body's large arteries and medium-sized blood vessels. Atherosclerosis can lead to stroke, heart attack, eye problems, and kidney problems.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Autoimmune:
Disorder of the body's immune system in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys body tissue that it believes to be foreign.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Autonomic neuropathy:
A type of neuropathy affecting the lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, bladder, or genitals.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Background retinopathy:
A type of damage to the retina of the eye marked by bleeding, fluid accumulation, and abnormal dilation of the blood vessels. Background retinopathy is an early stage of diabetic retinopathy. Also called simple or nonproliferative (non-pro-LIF-er-uh-tiv) retinopathy.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Basal rate:
A steady trickle of low levels of longer-acting insulin, such as that used in insulin pumps.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Beta cell:
A cell that makes insulin. Beta cells are located in the islets of the pancreas.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood glucose:
The main sugar found in the blood and the body's main source of energy. Also called blood sugar.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood glucose level:
The amount of glucose in a given amount of blood. It is noted in milligrams in a deciliter, or mg/dL.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood glucose meter:
A small, portable machine used by people with diabetes to check their blood glucose levels. After pricking the skin with a lancet, one places a drop of blood on a test strip in the machine. The meter (or monitor) soon displays the blood glucose level as a number on the meter's digital display.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood glucose monitoring:
Checking blood glucose level on a regular basis in order to manage diabetes. A blood glucose meter (or blood glucose test strips that change color when touched by a blood sample) is needed for frequent blood glucose monitoring.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood sugar:
See blood glucose.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN):
A waste product in the blood from the breakdown of protein. The kidneys filter blood to remove urea. As kidney function decreases, the BUN levels increase.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Blood vessels:
Tubes that carry blood to and from all parts of the body. The three main types of blood vessels are arteries, veins, and capillaries.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Body mass index (BMI):
A measure used to evaluate body weight relative to a person's height. BMI is used to find out if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Bolus:
An extra amount of insulin taken to cover an expected rise in blood glucose, often related to a meal or snack.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Borderline diabetes:
A former term for type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Brittle diabetes:
A term used when a person's blood glucose level moves often from low to high and from high to low.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
BUN:
See blood urea nitrogen.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Bunion:
A bulge on the first joint of the big toe, caused by the swelling of a fluid sac under the skin. This spot can become red, sore, and infected.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Callus:
A small area of skin, usually on the foot, that has become thick and hard from rubbing or pressure.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Calorie:
A unit representing the energy provided by food. Carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol provide calories in the diet. Carbohydrate and protein have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9 calories per gram, and alcohol has 7 calories per gram.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Capillary:
The smallest of the body's blood vessels. Oxygen and glucose pass through capillary walls and enter the cells. Waste products such as carbon dioxide pass back from the cells into the blood through capillaries.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Capsaicin:
An ingredient in hot peppers that can be found in ointment form for use on the skin to relieve pain from diabetic neuropathy.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Carbohydrate:
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide carbohydrate are starches, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and sugars.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Carbohydrate counting:
A method of meal planning for people with diabetes based on counting the number of grams of carbohydrate in food.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Cardiologist:
A doctor who treats people who have heart problems.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Cardiovascular disease:
Disease of the heart and blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries).
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Cataract:
Clouding of the lens of the eye.
Click a word on the left and the definition will appear here:
Cerebrovascular disease:
Damage to blood vessels in the brain. Vessels can burst and bleed or become clogged with fatty deposits. When blood flow is interrupted, brain cells die or are dama
