Diabetes Mellitus: Classification

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is world's largest growing metabolic disorder and presently affecting a large population around the globe. The growing prevalence of in societies worldwide is widely recognized as among the greatest threats to global health in the coming century. DM is broadly divided in Type1 and Type 2. Type 1 is commonly seen in juveniles, characterized by failure to produce insulin due to autoimmune destruction of β-cells of the pancreas while type 2 is usually adult-onset and is associated with insufficient production of insulin and loss of responsiveness by cells to insulin. st century A.D.) of Cappadoica, who described as melting down of flesh and limbs into urine. The word is taken from Greek diabainein, which literally means passing through, or siphon, a reference to one of the major symptoms of excessive urine discharge seen in diabetes. The word becomes diabetes from the English adoption of the Medieval Latin diabetes. In 1675 Thomas Willis added mellitus to the name (Greek mel, Honey sweet) which he noted that a diabetics urine and blood has a sweet taste (5). DM is a disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, proteins and fat metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The characteristic symptoms include such as thirst, polyuria, blurring of vision, and weight loss. In its most severe forms, ketoacidosis or a non- ketotic hyperosmolar state may develop and lead to stupor, coma and, in absence of effective treatment, death. The progressive development of the specific complications of retinopathy with potential blindness, nephropathy that may lead to renal failure, and/or neuropathy with risk of foot ulcers, amputation, charcot joints, and features of autonomic dysfunction, including sexual dysfunction are some of its long term effects. People with are at increased risk of cardiovascular, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular disease. Several pathogenic processes include destruction of the β cells of the pancreas with consequent insulin deficiency, and others that result in resistance to insulin action. The abnormalities of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism are due to deficient action of insulin on target tissues resulting from insensitivity or lack of insulin.