Dawn Phenomenon: The early-morning (4 a.m. to 8 a.m.) rise
in blood glucose level.
Dehydration: A state in which there is excessive loss of water from
body tissues. It can occur when the blood sugar levels are high for long periods
of time. It can also result from inadequate water intake, or excessive sweating,
vomiting or diarrhea. Symptoms of dehydration can include extreme thirst,
irritability, confusion and flushed or dry skin.
Dextrose: Simple sugar found in blood that serves as the body's main
source of energy.
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT): A study by the
National Ai Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, conducted
from 1983 to 1993 in people with Type 1 diabetes. The study showed that
intensive therapy compared to conventional therapy significantly helped prevent
or delay diabetes complications. Intensive therapy included multiple daily
insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump with multiple blood glucose
readings each day. Complications followed in the study included diabetic
retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy.
Diabetes Insipidus: A condition characterized by frequent
and heavy urination, excessive thirst and an overall feeling of weakness. This
condition may be caused by a defect in the pituitary gland or in the kidney. In
diabetes insipidus, blood glucose levels are normal.
Diabetes: A condition in which the body either cannot produce insulin
or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Diabetes Mellitus: A condition characterized by
hyperglycemia resulting from the body's inability to use blood glucose for
energy. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin and therefore
blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy. In Type 2 diabetes,
either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use
insulin correctly.
Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP): A study by the National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases conducted from 1998 to 2001 in
people at high risk for Type 2 diabetes. All study participants had impaired
glucose tolerance, also called pre-diabetes, and were overweight. The study
showed that people who lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through a
low-fat, low-calorie diet and moderate exercise (usually walking for 30 minutes
5 days a week) reduced their risk of getting Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.
Participants who received treatment with the oral diabetes drug metformin
reduced their risk of getting Type 2 diabetes by 31 percent.
Diabetic Diarrhea: Loose stools, fecal incontinence, or both that
result from an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine and diabetic
neuropathy in the intestines. This nerve damage can also result in constipation.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis: An emergency condition in which extremely high
blood glucose levels, along with a severe lack of insulin, result in the
breakdown of body fat for energy and an accumulation of ketones in the blood and
urine. Signs of DKA are nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, fruity breath odor
and rapid breathing. Untreated DKA can lead to coma and death.
Diabetic Mastopathy: A rare fibrous breast condition occurring in
women, and sometimes men, with long-standing diabetes. The lumps are not
malignant and can be surgically removed, although they often recur.
Diabetic Myelopathy: Damage to the spinal cord found in some people
with diabetes.
Diabetic Retinopathy: A disease in which the small blood vessels
(capillaries) in the back of the eye (retina) may bleed or form new vessels.
This condition usually occurs in people with long-standing diabetes. Regular eye
examinations are an important part of diabetes management.
Diabetogenic: Causing diabetes. For example, some drugs cause blood
glucose levels to rise, resulting in diabetes.
Diabetologist: A doctor who specializes in treating people with
diabetes.
Diagnosis: The determination of a disease from its signs and symptoms.
Dialysis: The process of cleaning wastes from the blood artificially.
This job is normally done by the kidneys. If the kidneys fail, the blood must be
cleaned artificially with special equipment. The two major forms of dialysis are
hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Dietitian: A health care professional who advises people about meal
planning, weight control and diabetes management. A registered dietitian (RD)
has more training.
D-Phenylalanine Derivative: A class of oral medicine for
Type 2 diabetes that lowers blood glucose levels by helping the pancreas make
more insulin right after meals.
Dupuytren's Contracture: A condition associated with diabetes in which
the fingers and the palm of the hand thicken and shorten, causing the fingers to
curve inward.
