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Summary
Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. You can also have prediabetes. This means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. Having prediabetes puts you at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.
Blood tests can show if you have diabetes. One type of test, the A1C, can also check on how you are managing your diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. You should also monitor your blood glucose level and take medicine if prescribed.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
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A1C: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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At-Home Medical Tests
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Blood Glucose Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Diabetes Tests and Diagnosis
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Glucagon Blood Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Glucose in Urine Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Ketones in Blood
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Ketones in Urine
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
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How to Prevent Diabetes: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
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Diabetes Medicines: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Living With
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Changing Your Habits for Better Health
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes and Digestion (American Heart Association)
- Diabetes and DKA (Ketoacidosis) (American Diabetes Association)
- Diabetes and Mental Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Diabetic Diet: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Healthy Weight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Managing Diabetes in the Heat (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Take Diabetes to Heart
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
- Tips for Traveling with Diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Your Diabetes Care Team (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Related Issues
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A1C Test and Race/Ethnicity
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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Healthy Living with Diabetes
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
- Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- People at Higher Risk of Flu Complications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Prediabetes:MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Speak Up -- Diabetes: Five Ways to Be Active in Your Care at the Hospital (Joint Commission) - PDF
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Symptoms and Causes of Diabetes
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
- Vaccinations for Adults with Diabetes (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF
Genetics
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17q12 deletion syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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6q24-related transient neonatal diabetes mellitus: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Congenital generalized lipodystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Familial partial lipodystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
- Genetics of Diabetes (American Diabetes Association)
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Maternally inherited diabetes and deafness: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Maturity-onset diabetes of the young: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Monogenic Forms of Diabetes: Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus and Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Type A insulin resistance syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
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Wolfram syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Test Your Knowledge
- Type 2 Diabetes Facts Quiz (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
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Diabetes in America, 3rd Edition
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Diabetes Interactive Atlas (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- FastStats: Diabetes (National Center for Health Statistics)
- National Diabetes Statistics Report (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Native Americans with Diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Recent Advances (in Diabetes Research) (American Diabetes Association)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetes Mellitus
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effect of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin on new-onset diabetes mellitus in patients...
- Article: 2023 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diabetes Management in Korea: Full Version...
- Article: The impact of mobile telenursing on fasting blood glucose levels in...
- Diabetes -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Common Terms (American Diabetes Association)
Find an Expert
- American Diabetes Association
- Find a Diabetes Educator (Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists)
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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NIDDK Information Clearinghouses and Health Information Center
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Older Adults
- Diabetes (AGS Health in Aging Foundation)
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Diabetes in Older People
(National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- A1C test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Blood sugar test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes - keeping active (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes - when you are sick (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes and exercise (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes myths and facts (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Diabetes tests and checkups (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Giving an insulin injection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- High blood sugar - self-care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Low blood sugar - self-care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish