About Diabetes and Related Conditions

Illustrated Pancreas

Diabetes mellitus is a descriptive term for a family of metabolic disorders that are characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and the development of long-term complications, which affect a person’s:

  • Large blood vessels (e.g., accelerated atherosclerosis);
  • Small blood vessels (e.g., nephropathy and retinopathy); and
  • Nervous system (e.g., neuropathies)

There are more than 40 different types of diabetes overall. Excluding gestational diabetes, however, the most common forms of diabetes are type 1 (~10 percent of all cases) and type 2 diabetes (~90 percent of all cases). Other specific types of diabetes may account for ~3 percent or more of all cases of diabetes.

Below you will find some general information about diabetes. Please visit the tabs to the left to find more information and resources that are available. If you have specific questions related to your plan of care, you should contact your care provider.

Monitoring Your Blood Sugar

Everyone who has diabetes should check their blood glucose (sugar) level between visits to their diabetes care provider.