Glossary
Anorexia: Eating disorder, where the patient goes through prolonged periods without taking food.Anorexia nervosa: Loss of appetite caused by an emotional disturbance; it most often affects young women between 12 and 21 years old and can result in severe loss of weight and even death.
Bulimia: Eating Disorder where the patient eats excessively and then induces vomiting to bring it out.
Diabetes Mellitus: A group of disorders in which there is a defect in the transfer of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells, leading to abnormally high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Edema: The accumulation of fluid in part of the body.
Ketoacidosis: A disturbance of body chemistry seen in starvation or as a complication of insulin-dependent diabetes.
Hyperglycemia: High a level of glucose in the blood; a sign that diabetes is out of control. Many things can cause hyperglycemia. It occurs when the body does not have enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it does have to turn glucose into energy.
Hypoglycemia: Abnormally low blood sugar.
Insulin: Insulin is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets, and it is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body.
Ketonuria: Having ketone bodies in the urine; a warning sign of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Retinopathy: Disease of the small blood vessels in the retina that may cause deterioration of eyesight.
Nephropathy: Disease of the kidneys caused by damage to the small blood vessels or glomeruli.
Neuropathy: A problem in any part of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord. Neuropathies can be caused by infection, toxic substances, or disease.
