Diabetes mellitus constitutes a major health and economic burden in the society. The disease is highly controllable and if well managed, it’s complications would be eliminated forever.

Diabetes is caused by deficiency or lack of insulin or diminished effectiveness of insulin. Diabetes is associated by inappropriately raised blood sugars and a variety of end-organ complications.

Diabetes mellitus can be classified into type I, type II and secondary diabetes.

Type I diabetes: This is Juvenile onset diabetes. By this, it means it is insulin dependent diabetes. This occurs in young age group. A type 1 diabetic patient depends on exogenous insulin to prevent ketoacidosis and death.

Type II diabetes: This is maturity onset diabetes. It is non insulin dependent diabetes. Type II diabetics have measurable insulin and there is tendency towards insulin resistance. Type II diabetes mellitus occurs usually in older age and it’s associated with familial aggregation. It may or may not be associated with obesity.

Secondary diabetes: This is associated with pancreatic destruction, pancreatectomy, steroid excess, glucagonoma.

Diabetic Patients who have mild glucose intolerance face increased risk of diabetes. They tend to be obese.

Gestational Diabetes tend to have features of impaired glucose tolerance but is associated with pregnancy. The glucose tolerance test is normal outside pregnancies.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are grouped below:

Symptoms: Polyuria, Polydipsias, weight loss despite good appetite, invasion of ants of recently voided urine (presence of ketones in urine), skin irritation etc.

Signs: There may be no physical signs especially if uncomplicated.

Complicated diabetes mellitus may have dehydration, hypotension and tachycardia, acidotic breath, confusion, apathy, coma etc.

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