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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Diabetes

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/nounCore term

In medicine, diabetes means: A long-term disease in which the body cannot control blood sugar properly, because it makes too little insulin or cannot use it well.

In Turkish: diyabet, şeker hastalığı

How it is used

Usually means diabetes mellitus, type 1 or type 2. Doctors check HbA1c to see how well it is controlled. Many clinicians now prefer 'a person with diabetes' to 'a diabetic'.

Example sentences

  1. Her diabetes is well controlled on metformin.

  2. Patients with type 1 diabetes need insulin from the time of diagnosis.

Common collocations

  • type 2 diabetes
  • poorly controlled diabetes
  • diabetes clinic
  • gestational diabetes
  • chronicLasting a long time, usually more than three months, or coming back again and again; used for diseases that are controlled rather than cured.
  • conditionAn illness or health problem, especially a long-term one; also the general state of a patient's health at a particular time.
  • hypertensionBlood pressure that stays higher than normal over time, which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.
  • managementIn clinical English, the overall plan for dealing with a patient's problem, including tests, treatment, monitoring and follow-up.

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.