Depending on the causes and its effects on the human body diabetes is mainly classified into two:

• Diabetes Mellitus – Caused by increased blood glucose level (Hyperglycemia, meaning high amount of sugar in blood) thus affecting the normal carbohydrate metabolism of the body.

• Diabetes Insipidus – Caused by either kidney or pituitary gland damage leading to excretion of large amount of diluted urine.

Generally the term “diabetes” points to Diabetes Mellitus, which is more common form of diabetes disease. The prominent characteristic of Diabetes Mellitus, hyperglycemia accounts for disrupted carbohydrate metabolism.

The blood sugar level in human body is maintained by a hormone called insulin. Hence any failure in secretion or utilization of insulin may result in disordered glucose level in the body leading to diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus is further classified into the following by refining the causes of increased blood sugar level.

1. Type 1 Diabetes - Inadequate insulin secretion caused by self destruction of insulin producing cells due to malfunctioning of body’s immune system.
2. Type 2 Diabetes - Caused by defective insulin secretion or insulin resistance by the body cells.
3. Type 3 Diabetes - Occurs during pregnancy usually caused by a combination of defective insulin secretion and insulin resistance by the body cells. This is also called as Gestational Diabetes.
4. Pre-Diabetes - Characterized by higher than normal blood sugar; but not high enough to be called as diabetes.

• Type 1 Diabetes or Juvenile Diabetes
• Diabetes Diagnosis