Understanding Diabetes Mellitus and Its Types

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition caused by relative or absolute insulin deficiency.

This insulin deficiency results in hyperglycaemia, which in the long term can affect many organs,

in particular the blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys (see Overview of

complications of diabetes). Diabetes can be classified as: type 1 diabetes—a

condition of insulin deficiency most commonly caused by immune-mediated destruction of the

insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells; see type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents

and type 1 diabetes in adults type 2 diabetes—a condition of relative insulin deficiency

caused by progressive loss of pancreatic beta-cell insulin secretion on a background of insulin resistance;