diabetes mellitus

Noun

1.

diabetes mellitus - diabetes caused by a relative or absolute deficiency of insulin and characterized by polyuria; "when doctors say `diabetes' they usually mean `diabetes mellitus'" Synonyms: DM

Pronunciation: (MELL-ih-tus)

A disease that occurs when the body is not able to use blood glucose (sugar). Blood sugar levels are controlled by insulin, a hormone in the body that helps move glucose (sugar) from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. [See definitions].

adult-onset diabetes, adult-onset diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diabetes, chemical diabetes, diabetes, DM, growth-onset diabetes, IDDM, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, juvenile diabetes, juvenile-onset diabetes, ketoacidosis-prone diabetes, ketoacidosis-resistant diabetes, ketoacidosis-resistant diabetes mellitus, ketosis-prone diabetes, ketosis-resistant diabetes, ketosis-resistant diabetes mellitus, latent diabetes, mature-onset diabetes, maturity-onset diabetes, maturity-onset diabetes mellitus, NIDDM, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type I diabetes, type II diabetes