Diabetes glossary

When you’re learning how to live with type 2 diabetes, it’s important that you understand the basic words that you see and hear every day.

The following is a list of commonly used words and terms that you should know. Knowing what they mean will help you understand more about diabetes, your management program, and how to take care of yourself.

Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which you have less than the normal number of red blood cells in the blood, resulting in less oxygen being carried throughout your body.

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Blood fats (triglycerides)
Blood fats, also called triglycerides, are a type of fat found in the bloodstream and fat tissue. After you eat, extra calories you don’t use are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat tissue for future use. High blood fat levels in the bloodstream may harden or narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for a heart attack or stroke.

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Blood glucose meter
A blood glucose meter is a handheld device that tests the level of glucose in the blood. A finger, leg, or arm is pricked, and a drop of blood is placed on a test strip. The meter “reads” and displays the amount of glucose in the blood at that time.

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See the following for specific blood glucose testing information

Diagnosing diabetes-Fasting plasma glucose test
SMBG
Fasting blood glucose
Postprandial blood glucose
Non-fasting (random blood glucose)
Glycosylated hemoglobin test (A1C)

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Blood glucose/blood sugar levels
The terms “blood glucose levels” and “blood sugar levels” mean the same thing and either one can be used to describe the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. You and your healthcare team will set goals for your blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association suggests general goals of 90 to 130 mg/dL before-meal fasting blood glucose, with a peak after-meal (postprandial) blood glucose goal of less than 180 mg/dL. Ask your health professional about your target goals for after meals. Your doctor can also test your blood glucose using something called an A1C test, which tests your average blood glucose levels over the past 2–3 months. The American Diabetes Association suggests a general A1C goal of less than 7%. Your doctor may recommend the stricter goal of less than 6%.

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Body mass index (BMI)
Body mass index (BMI) is a mathematical way to determine if an individual may be underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. The goal for most patients is a BMI that’s between 19 and 24.9. A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

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Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver. Cholesterol circulates in the blood, and your body uses it for making hormones and building cell walls. Low levels of HDL-C (“good” cholesterol) and high levels of triglycerides are often associated with type 2 diabetes.

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Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the muscles of the heart cannot pump blood through the body as well as it should. This condition is also simply known as heart failure.

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Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
DKA occurs almost exclusively in type 1 diabetes patients. DKA happens when there is not enough insulin in the blood, resulting in dangerously high blood glucose levels. Without insulin to allow the glucose to enter the cell, energy can’t be produced. The muscles feel starved and begin breaking down fat for energy, creating by-products called ketones. If ketones form faster than your body can get rid of them, they build up in your system and become harmful in the blood. The consequences of DKA can be severe, including coma, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and even death.

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Diagnosing diabetes—Fasting plasma glucose test
A fasting plasma glucose test is generally used to diagnose diabetes. You will be asked not to eat or drink anything other than water for 8 to 12 hours, and then blood is collected from a vein during your visit. The amount of glucose in your blood will be measured. If the reading is greater than 126 mg/dL, the health professional may suspect diabetes and repeat the test in a few days. If the reading is still greater than 126 mg/dL, the health professional will diagnose diabetes.

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Edema
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in various body tissues, causing swelling, is called edema. Edema can be a side effect of certain medications, including diabetes medications, and is sometimes associated with the beginning of insulin therapy.

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Fasting blood glucose
A blood glucose test is called a fasting test when you or your health professional check your blood glucose first thing in the morning after an overnight “fast.” Usually this means at least 8 hours without food or beverages that have calories. See diagnosing diabetes.

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Glossary Item 1
This is a test glossary item description

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Glossary Item 2
This is a description of Glossary Item 2

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Glucose (Sugar)
Glucose is a simple form of sugar. The food you eat is broken down in the digestive system and produces glucose. Glucose is also made by your liver when you are not eating. Glucose is carried through the blood to cells, where it is used to help the body work normally. The amount of glucose in the blood is called the “blood sugar,” or “blood glucose,” level.

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Glycosylated hemoglobin test (A1C)
The glycosylated hemoglobin test (A1C) gives you and your healthcare team information about your average blood glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months. This test should be repeated every 3 to 6 months. A1C measures the amount of glucose that is attached to hemoglobin—the oxygen-carrying component of your red blood cells. The percentage of glucose that attaches to these cells increases when blood glucose levels have been high. People without diabetes have a reading of about 5%. People with diabetes should aim for an A1C goal of less than 7%.

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HDL-C (“good cholesterol”)
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) functions as a transport system by removing cholesterol from the blood and transporting it to the liver. HDL-C is sometimes called “good cholesterol” because an increased level of HDL-C in the blood has been associated with cardiovascular benefits. Low levels of HDL-C and high levels of triglycerides (blood fats) are often associated with type 2 diabetes.

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Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose)
When blood glucose levels are too high, the condition is called hyperglycemia. The symptoms of hyperglycemia include frequent urination, increased thirst, and unexplained weight loss.

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Hyperinsulinemia
When there is too much insulin in the blood, the condition is called hyperinsulinemia. It usually denotes insulin resistance—a common problem in type 2 diabetes.

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Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose)
When blood glucose levels drop too low (generally below 70 mg/dL), the condition is called hypoglycemia, or insulin reaction. Hypoglycemia can occur when you take a medication that increases insulin levels in the blood. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include shakiness or dizziness, numbness, mental confusion, and moodiness. If untreated, hypoglycemia can become severe and cause unconsciousness.

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Impaired glucose tolerance or pre-diabetes
In some people, blood glucose levels fall between normal levels and diabetic levels. People with this condition are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance is also called “pre-diabetes.”

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Insulin
Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is a hormone that helps the body use and store glucose. Insulin allows glucose to enter the cells to help them work normally. It also helps store the glucose not needed right away in body tissues.

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Insulin deficiency
When the body cannot produce the amount of insulin needed to keep glucose levels in a healthy range, the condition is called insulin deficiency.

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Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is an important defect of type 2 diabetes that occurs when insulin is available but cells do not respond to the insulin’s action. As a result, glucose can’t enter the cells and starts to build up in the blood (hyperglycemia). Over 90% of patients with type 2 diabetes have insulin resistance.

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Insulin sensitizer
The term “insulin sensitizer” is another name for a type of oral diabetes medications called thiazolidinediones (TZDs). Insulin sensitizers make muscle cells more sensitive to insulin.

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Insulin therapy
Insulin therapy is used to deliver insulin to cells so they can use glucose. Some patients with type 2 diabetes are not able to produce enough insulin and must begin insulin therapy.

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LDL-C (“bad cholesterol”)
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) carries cholesterol to different tissues in the body. LDL-C is sometimes called “bad cholesterol” because a high level of LDL-C in the blood has been associated with cardiovascular disease.

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Metformin
Metformin is a type of oral diabetes medicine that works mainly by lowering the amount of glucose made by your liver.

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Non-fasting (random) blood glucose
Blood glucose tests can be done at various times of the day, without fasting. If you have symptoms of diabetes, and the blood glucose test is at or above 200 mg/dL, please see your doctor. Because everyone is different, you should talk with your health professional about your goal levels, or take-action levels, for each of these times.

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Oral diabetes medications
If healthy eating and physical activity do not lower blood glucose levels to the target range in people with type 2 diabetes, the health professional may prescribe an oral diabetes medicine—a medicine taken by mouth. Oral diabetes medicines can help lower blood glucose levels. Different oral diabetes medicines work in different ways to lower the levels, so several oral medicines may be prescribed for the same person. Healthy eating and physical activity plans are continued no matter what medicines are prescribed.

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Postprandial blood glucose
A blood glucose test is called postprandial when you or your health professional check your blood glucose 1 to 2 hours after a meal. The peak postprandial blood glucose level set by the American Diabetes Association is less than 180 mg/dL. Ask your health professional about your target goals for after meals.

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SMBG
The abbreviation SMBG stands for Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose. Self-monitoring your blood glucose levels keeps you in touch with day-to-day blood glucose changes. These immediate results help you and your healthcare team know how healthy eating, physical activity, and medications, if prescribed, are affecting your blood glucose levels and guide changes in therapy to help improve and control these levels.

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Sulfonylureas
Sulfonylureas are a type of oral diabetes medication that cause your pancreas to make more insulin. Sulfonylureas do not directly address insulin resistance.

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Thiazolidinediones (TZDs)
A class of oral diabetes medications, often called TZDs for short, thiazolidinediones are a diabetes medication known to directly address insulin resistance. By making your muscle cells more sensitive to insulin, TZDs help prevent the harmful buildup of glucose in your blood.

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Triglycerides (blood fats)
Triglycerides, also called blood fats, are a type of fat found in the bloodstream and fat tissue. After you eat, extra calories you don’t use are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat for future use. High blood fat levels in the bloodstream may harden or narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for a heart attack or stroke.

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While ACTOplus met may provide some lipid benefits, ACTOplus met is not intended as a substitute for cholesterol medications.

The effects of these lipid changes on morbidity and mortality have not been determined.

Management of type 2 diabetes should also include nutritional counseling, weight reduction as needed, and exercise.

Please see Important Safety Information, including warnings about heart failure and lactic acidosis, below.