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Here are some quick d-finitions of diabetes-related words. These words are defined in terms of diabetes so they're very focused on how it relates to diabetes. It may not give you a full and complicated definition of the word.

If you don't see a word you'd like to see, send us an email at youth@diabetes.org.

Throughout the Web site, you will see the D-fine it! text for words in this glossary

Autoimmune disease Diabetes mellitus Insulin Rapid-acting Insulin
Basal Diabetic ketoacidosis Insulin-dependent Reservoir
Beta cells Diabetes care team Insulin pump Retinopathy
Blood glucose Dietitian Insulin resistance Short-acting insulin
Bolus Endocrine System Intermediate-acting Insulin Site Rotation
Buccal Endocrinologist Ketones Target Range
Cannula Fiber Ketoacidosis
Carbohydrates Glucagon Lipohypertrophy
Cells Glucose Long-acting Insulin
Cell wall Heart Disease Nephropathy
Certified Diabetes Educator Hormone Neuropathy
Continuous glucose monitor Hypoglycemia Nutritionist
Control Solution Hyperglycemia Protein
  • Autoimmune disease: Your immune system usually attacks germs that get into your body and make you sick. For example, it helps get rid of viruses that cause colds. For some reason, your immune system gets confused and thinks your body's own cells are germs. They attack and destroy them. In type 1 diabetes, your beta cells get attacked.
  • Basal: The amount of constant insulin that is needed to maintain your blood glucoses in between meals and overnight. In a pump, a basal rate is programmed to constantly deliver doses of insulin 24/7 to maintain stable blood glucose.
  • Beta cells: Cells in your pancreas that makes insulin
  • Blood glucose (AKA blood sugar): The amount of glucose that is in the blood
  • Blood glucose meter: A small device that can measure the amount of glucose in your blood. You have to prick your finger or forearm (follow the instructions for your meter) to get a small drop of blood that you put on a test strip.
  • Bolus: The amount of insulin used to cover the carbohydrates you are eating or to correct for a high blood glucose. You usually bolus before a meal or snack.
  • Buccal: Getting medication like insulin by spraying the medicine in the mouth. It gets absorbed by in your mouth and back of your throat.
  • Cannula: The tip of the tube that comes from the reservoir of your insulin pump and connects to you. The cannula sits right under your skin so you're connected to the pump all the time.
  • Carbohydrates (AKA Carbs): Another word for sugars. The main source of energy for the body. Carbs get digested quickly and easily into glucose. Carbs are the foods that affect blood glucose the most. Examples of carbs are fruits, starchy vegetables, breads, pastas, rice, sugar, syrup and honey.
  • Cells: The tiniest living unit that we are made up of. Cells are alive and need glucose (food) for energy to survive.
  • Cell wall: Cells have a protective wall around them so just anything can't get in. In order for glucose to get through the cell wall and into the cell, it needs the help of insulin.
  • Certified Diabetes Educator: A person who is an expert in diabetes and can help you manage your diabetes.
  • Continuous glucose monitor: A new device that is attached to you right under your skin. This device is always checking your interstitial glucose (it
  • measures glucose but not in the blood) and may help to alert you when you are going too low or too high.
  • Control Solution: Your meter comes with a control solution. If you're not sure if your meter or test strips are working correctly, you can use the control solution to test your meter and test strips.
  • Diabetes mellitus: A disease where the body does not make or use insulin properly. Without insulin, the body cannot use the food you eat as energy.
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): When your blood glucose gets too high for too long, your body starts to make ketones. Ketones are poisonous to your body. If too many ketones build up in your body, you can get very, very sick. DKA usually happens when there is not enough insulin or when you're already sick with the cold or flu.
  • Diabetes care team (AKA: D-Team): Anyone who is working with you to help you manage your diabetes. This could be your doctor, nurse, CDE, nutritionist, mom, dad, etc.
  • Dietitian: The same as a nutritionist. A person who has expertise in food and how it affects your blood glucose.
  • Endocrine System: The system of your body that deals with hormones and metabolism.
  • Endocrinologist: A doctor who specializes in diabetes care.
  • Fiber: The part of food that is hard to digest. Foods high in fiber take longer to digest and therefore affect your blood glucose more slowly (i.e. whole wheat bread, prunes and other vegetables).
  • Glucagon: The opposite of insulin. Glucagon is a hormone that acts to raise your blood glucose. You get a glucagon injection if your blood glucose dropped dangerously low and needed to bring it up quickly.
  • Glucose: The food you eat gets digested and broken down into a sugar your body's cells can use. This is glucose.
  • Heart Disease: Diabetes can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This can lead to heart attack and stroke.
  • Hormone: A chemical made by your body.
  • Hypoglycemia: Occurs when blood glucose goes too low and you have more insulin in your system than your body needs.
  • Hyperglycemia: Occurs when blood glucose goes too high and you don't have enough insulin in your system.
  • Insulin: A hormone made by beta cells in your pancreas that acts like a key so glucose can get into your cells. Without insulin to unlock the door into your cells, glucose from the food you eat can't get into your cells and they starve. Insulin is made by the beta cells in your pancreas.
  • Insulin-dependent: An old term that meant the same as type 1 diabetes. This term is not used anymore.
  • Insulin pump: A small device that holds insulin and attaches to you right under your skin. Because you are always connected to insulin, you usually don't need to give yourself insulin injections with a syringe unless the insulin pump is not working. Instead, you can tell your pump how much insulin to release and it goes automatically into your skin.
  • Insulin resistance: For some reason, your body is not able to use the insulin in your body. This occurs most often in people with type 2 diabetes but people with type 1 diabetes can have insulin resistance, too.
  • Intermediate-acting Insulin (AKA: NPH): This is insulin mixed with something that makes the body absorb the insulin more slowly. That's why this type of insulin looks cloudy and has to be mixed before it's injected. It takes longer (2-4 hours) to start working, it peaks 4-10 hours after injection, and keeps working for 10-16 hours.
  • Ketones: An acid that is produced when your body is starving for energy. Your body starts digesting fat to try to get energy. When it digests fats, it produces ketones. Ketones are poisonous to your body.
  • Ketoacidosis (AKA: DKA): When your cells don't get the energy they need from glucose, your body starts to make ketones. Ketones are bad for your body. If too many ketones build up in your body, you can get very, very sick. DKA usually happens when there is not enough insulin, not enough glucose, or when you're already sick with the cold or flu.
  • Lipohypertrophy: If you inject insulin in the same spot over and over again, the area can develop fatty deposits under your skin. It makes it hard for the insulin you inject to get into your system. This is called lipohypertrophy. You should rotate your insulin injection sites to prevent this.
  • Long-acting Insulin: AKA glargine (Lantus®) or detemir (Levemir®) is like a marathon runner – lasting the longest. This insulin starts working in 2-4 hours and can stay in the body for 24 hours with no peak. These insulins are clear and usually taken before bed.
  • Nephropathy: A complication of diabetes that damages the kidneys.
  • Neuropathy: A complication of diabetes that causes damage to the nerves. This can lead to amputations.
  • Nutritionist: A person who is an expert in food and how different foods affect your blood glucose.
  • Pancreas: A small organ located right behind your stomach. The pancreas is where insulin is made.
  • Protein: Is a source of energy for your body, but it takes twice as long as carbs for protein to become glucose. Proteins are good for building muscle. Good sources of protein are lean meats, fish, milk, nuts and some beans.
  • Rapid-acting Insulin: AKA lispro (Humalog®), aspart (NovoLog®), or glulisine (Apidra®) are the fastest of all insulins. Once you inject it, it starts to work in about 5 minutes and works hardest about an hour after injection. Take it right before meals. By the time your meal is digested and glucose is beginning to move into the bloodstream, rapid-acting insulin is working the hardest at moving the glucose into the cells. It's clear – like water. This is the kind of insulin that is most commonly used in insulin pumps, to cover the carbohydrates in meals, and to correct for high blood glucose.
  • Reservoir: The part of the insulin pump that holds your supply of insulin.
  • Retinopathy: A complication of diabetes that causes damage to the eyes. This can lead to blindness.
  • Short-acting insulin: AKA "regular" insulin is sometimes used around mealtime. It takes longer to work than rapid-acting insulin does. It is taken about 30-45 minutes before a meal and it peaks about two or three hours later. It's clear – like water.
  • Site Rotation: Regularly changing the site where you inject yourself with insulin to prevent lipohypertrophy.
  • Target Range: The range in which you and your D-Team have decided would be best to keep your blood glucose. This range may be different for everyone.