IDDM
Abbreviation for Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus , the former term for Type 1 Diabetes .
immune system
(ih-MYOON): the body’s system for protecting itself from viruses and bacteria or any "foreign" substances.
immunosuppressant
(ih-MYOON-oh-suh-PRESS-unt): a drug that suppresses the natural immune responses. Immunosuppressants are given to transplant patients to prevent organ rejection or to patients Read more»
immunosuppressive drugs
drugs that block the body’s ability to fight infection or foreign substances that enter the body. A person receiving a kidney or pancreas transplant Read more»
impaired fasting glucose
(IFG): a condition in which a blood glucose test, taken after an 8- to 12-hour fast, shows a level of glucose higher than normal Read more»
impaired glucose tolerance
(IGT): a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but are not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. IGT, also called Read more»
implantable insulin pump
(im-PLAN-tuh-bull): a small pump placed inside the body to deliver insulin in response to remote-control commands from the user.
impotence
(IM-po-tents): the inability to get or maintain an erection for sexual activity. Also called erectile (ee-REK-tile) dysfunction (dis-FUNK-shun).
incidence
(IN-sih-dints): a measure of how often a disease occurs; the number of new cases of a disease among a certain group of Read more»
incomplete proteins
one having a ratio of essential amino acids different from that of the average body protein.
incontinence
(in-KON-tih-nents): loss of bladder or bowel control; the accidental loss of urine or feces.
inhaled insulin
an experimental treatment for taking insulin using a portable device that allows a person to breathe in insulin .
injection
(in-JEK-shun): inserting liquid medication or nutrients into the body with a syringe. A person with diabetes may use short needles or pinch Read more»
injection site rotation
changing the places on the body where insulin is injected. Rotation prevents the formation of lipodystrophies.
injection sites
places on the body where insulin is usually injected.
insulin
a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy. The beta cells of the pancreas make insulin. When the body cannot make enough insulin, insulin is Read more»
insulin adjustment
a change in the amount of insulin a person with diabetes takes based on factors such as meal planning, activity, and blood glucose levels Read more»
insulin allergy
when a person’s body has an allergic or bad reaction to taking insulin made from pork or beef or from bacteria, or because Read more»
insulin antagonist
something that opposes or fights the action of insulin . Insulin lowers the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, whereas glucagon raises it; therefore, Read more»
insulin binding
when insulin attaches itself to something else. This can occur in two ways. First, when a cell needs energy, insulin can bind with Read more»
insulin pen
a device for injecting insulin that looks like a fountain pen and holds replaceable cartridges of insulin. Also available in disposable form. Read more»
insulin pump
an insulin-delivering device about the size of a deck of cards that can be worn on a belt or kept in a Read more»
insulin reaction
when the level of glucose in the blood is too low (at or below 70 mg/dL ). Also known as hypoglycemia .
insulin receptors
areas on the outer part of a cell that allow the cell to bind with insulin in the blood. When the cell Read more»
insulin resistance
the body’s inability to respond to and use the insulin it produces. Insulin resistance may be linked to obesity , hypertension , and high Read more»
insulin shock
Common name for Hypoglycemia
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
(IDDM): former term for type 1 diabetes .
insulin-induced atrophy
small dents that form on the skin when a person keeps injecting a needle in the same spot. They are harmless. See Read more»
insulinoma
a tumor of the beta cells in the pancreas . An insulinoma may cause the body to make extra insulin , leading to hypoglycemia Read more»
intensive management
a form of treatment for insulin -dependent diabetes in which the main objective is to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels as close to the normal range as possible. Read more»
intensive therapy
a treatment for diabetes in which blood glucose is kept as close to normal as possible through frequent injections or use of an insulin pump ; meal Read more»
intermediate-acting insulin
a type of insulin that starts to lower blood glucose within 1 to 2 hours after injection and has its strongest effect 6 to 12 Read more»
intermittent claudication
(IN-ter-MIT-ent CLAW-dih-KAY-shun): pain that comes and goes in the muscles of the leg. This pain results from a lack of blood supply Read more»
intramuscular injection
(in-trah-MUS-kyoo-lar): inserting liquid medication into a muscle with a syringe . Glucagon may be given by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection for hypoglycemia Read more»
islet cell autoantibodies
(EYE-let aw-toe-AN-ti-bod-eez) (ICA): proteins found in the blood of people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes . They are also found in people who may be Read more»
islet transplantation
moving the islets from a donor pancreas into a person whose pancreas has stopped producing insulin . Beta cells in the islets make the insulin Read more»
islets
groups of cells located in the pancreas that make hormones that help the body break down and use food. For example, alpha cells Read more»
islets of Langerhans
Alternate name for Islets .
