What Is Diabetes Mellitus?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Diabetes mellitus is a term used to describe a group of metabolic disorders characterized by persistently high blood sugar levels. This causes various issues and if left untreated, can cause many complications. Diabetes can occur when the pancreas is not producing adequate insulin or if there is insulin resistance.
Diabetes can be divided into type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. In 2017, the estimated global economic cost of diabetes related issues was US$727 billion. In the United States in 2012, diabetes cost almost US$245 billion. Diabetics have medical expenditure that is on average 2.3 times higher.
