Diabetes mellitus, Hemoglobin A1c, CGM – if you know what all of these terms and abbreviations mean, you’re probably a diabetic. There’s a lot of diabetes terminology to learn, and it can seem as complicated as learning a foreign language.
If you’ve recently been diagnosed or know someone who has type 1 diabetes, all the medical jargon can be overwhelming. But learning the lingo is important – after all, you don’t want to be lost at your doctor’s visits or confused by diabetes conversations online.
Thankfully, we’ve got you covered! We’ve compiled the complete glossary of diabetes terminology, so you can learn all the medical terms, the diabetic community slang and abbreviations you need. Check it out below!
medical terminology for diabetes 101
These are the basics – diabetes types, insulins, and other need-to-know terms. Some are super common, while others are lesser-known but equally important. Click to toggle the ‘term’ to read it’s definition.
Here are our diabetes 101 terms:
The scientific name for diabetes, a disease where the body doesn’t properly produce or respond to the hormone insulin. This causes high levels of glucose in the blood and urine.
Although the name would suggest otherwise, diabetes insipidus is not a type of diabetes, nor is it related to diabetes. It’s actually a rare disorder where the body produces too much urine. Call it a “false friend” of the diabetes language – it sounds like it belongs, but it’s not the same diabetes we’re talking about.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, caused by the immune system destroying insulin-producing pancreatic cells. Type 1 diabetics are insulin-dependent. Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2, and is often (but not always!) diagnosed at a young age. It used to be commonly known as juvenile diabetes for this reason.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It occurs when the body can’t use insulin correctly because of insulin resistance, lack of insulin, or a combination of the two. Type 2 diabetes is treated with diet, exercise, medication, and/or insulin.
LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults), also known as type 1.5, is a type of diabetes that has characteristics of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The immune system slowly destroys insulin-producing cells, causing symptoms similar to type 2 diabetes. LADA is often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes because it’s much more common in adults than type 1, but type 2 diabetes isn’t an autoimmune disease. It also progresses more slowly than type 1 diabetes. There’s still a lot that we don’t understand about different types of diabetes and what triggers their onset.
Colloquial terms for LADA. The term diabetes encompasses several unique diseases, referred to as different “types” of diabetes. Some have suggested that each type should have its own name, since they’re distinct diseases with different causes and treatments. The term “diabetes” is so closely related to type 2 diabetes for most people that it’s hard to explain that type 1 and LADA are different.
A colloquial term for the relation between Alzheimer’s and diabetes. It’s not an official medical term, but some describe Alzheimer’s as a type of diabetes because it involves insulin resistance and deficiency confined to the brain.
Type 3c diabetes, also known as pancreatogenic diabetes, is a form of diabetes that occurs due to damage or disease of the pancreas, such as pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. This damage impairs insulin production and regulation, leading to high blood sugar levels.
MODY (Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young) is a rare, inherited form of diabetes caused by genetic mutations that affect insulin production. Often misdiagnosed as Type 1 Diabetes, it typically develops in adolescence or early adulthood and is often managed with oral medications or lifestyle changes rather than insulin.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy when the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar levels. It usually resolves after childbirth but increases the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.
Also express by the diabetes community as a ‘hyper’ or running ‘high’. Hyperglycemia happens when there is an excess of glucose in the bloodstream, also known as high blood sugar.
Often expressed by the diabetes community as a ‘hypo’ or running ‘low’. Hypoglycemia is experienced when there is a deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream, also known as low blood sugar. Sometimes people shorten this term and call a low blood glucose event a “hypo.”
Insulin is a hormone produced by the Beta cells from the pancreas that regulates blood glucose and helps turn carbohydrates (glucose) into energy. People with diabetes don’t make enough or any insulin or have insulin resistance.
Insulin that converts blood glucose into energy around 15-30 minutes after injection/bolus. It’s used for meals and correcting high blood sugar. Novolog, Humalog, and Apidra are all rapid-acting insulins.
Long-acting insulin is injected once or twice a day as a basal insulin. It provides your body with low levels of insulin throughout the day. Lantus, Levemir, and Tresiba are all long-acting insulins.
Expressed as ‘ blood sugars’ in the diabetes community. Blood Glucose is refering to the glucose level in your bloodstream. This stored energy requires insulin to deploy the energy. Higher-than-normal levels of blood glucose can lead to adverse effects such as DKA.
A hormone that raises blood glucose levels. Glucagon isn’t typically used as part of daily diabetes treatment. It’s usually used for emergencies when blood sugar levels start falling fast and there is still active insulin in the body. Your doctor can give you glucagon in the form of an injectable solution or a nasal spray for emergency use.
An acid that your liver produces when the body is using fats for energy instead of glucose. High levels of ketones in the blood can be dangerous and lead to ketoacidosis.
Tech Terms
Diabetes tech is a type 1 diabetic’s best friend, but do you know all the technology terminology? Take a look at the words below to familiarize yourself with diabetes tech terms!
An insulin pump is a device that delivers insulin under the skin. It’s an alternative treatment for multiple daily injections. An insulin pump administers rapid-acting insulin in small doses throughout the day, eliminating the need for long-acting insulin. Pump users can input insulin dosages for meals and blood-sugar corrections. Some insulin pumps deliver automatic boluses to correct high blood sugars.
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) monitors your blood sugar constantly, so you don’t have to check it with a traditional blood glucose monitor as frequently. It consists of a sensor with a small filament that sits beneath your skin and reads the glucose in your interstitial fluid. The sensor is attached to a transmitter that connects via Bluetooth to a receiving device, usually a smartphone with an app that shows your blood sugar readings.
An automated insulin delivery system combines an insulin pump, CGM, and an algorithm that anticipates blood sugar levels and automatically adjusts insulin delivery. These systems typically deliver automatic corrections when blood sugar levels start to rise and stop insulin delivery when blood sugar levels drop. They are also known as artificial pancreases, hybrid closed-loop pumps, or closed-loop pumps.
Although the name suggests that they completely automate insulin delivery, AID systems currently still require some user input.
Diabetes treatment where the diabetic uses injections to administer insulin for meals, corrections, and basal.
Looping, hybrid closed-loop, closed-loop is an AID system where the CGM, pump, and algorithm work together to automatically adjust basal insulin and administer corrections.
At the Doctor's Office
Do you stare at your doctor in confusion when they talk about A1cs and retinopathy screenings? These terms are for you!
Hemoglobin A1c is a measurement from a blood test that provides an average of your blood sugars over the last two to three months. Many doctors recommend that people with type 1 diabetes aim for an A1c of less than 7%, which means maintaining their average blood sugar around 120-150 mg/dL.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a serious complication from diabetes caused by a lack of insulin and high levels of ketones in the bloodstream. Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, increased urination, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Nerve damage, a diabetes complication caused by persistent high blood sugars. There are several types of diabetic neuropathy, including peripheral, autonomic, proximal, and focal neuropathy.
Damage to the retina. Diabetic retinopathy happens when uncontrolled high blood sugars damage blood vessels in the retina, leading to vision impairment or loss. Regular diabetic eye screenings can detect diabetic retinopathy before it seriously affects your vision.
Diabetic nephropathy, also known as diabetic kidney disease, is caused by persistent high blood sugar levels damaging blood vessels in the kidneys, resulting in a gradual loss of kidney function. If not properly treated, it can lead to kidney failure.
An Endocrinologist is a specialist in hormones and assists people with diabetes with their insulin calculations and glucose management helping to prevent complications
The desirable place a person with diabetes has their blood glucose levels. Out side of this ‘in range’ positioning will lead to the blood glucose levels being to high or to low. Being out of range to often leads to diabetes complications
The term ‘Diabletes Complications’ refers to short-term and long-term issues a perons with diabetes experiences when their blood glucose is out-of-range (see In Range). Short-term effects are the result of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (see ketoacidosis). Long-term effect of poor diabetes management damages small and large blood vessels, resulting in complications.
The diabetes Community
As in all communities, there is a common language used to communicate to each other. Below are some terms and phrases you might encounter when interacting with individuals with diabetes online and in the real world.
Yes, apparently using the term diabetic is the politically incorrect way to describe a ‘person with diabetes’. However the term is used widely and affectionately throughout the DOC
Diabetes Online Community – is made up of people with all types of diabetes connecting in diabetes forums, online groups, advocates & influencer’s comment sections – sharing experience, memes, ideas and insights around diabetes. If you have or are closely affiliated with someone with diabetes and you like, comment, and share content about diabetes – YOU are part of the DOC. People with Type 1 may also affectionately refer to the community as the ‘dead pancreas gang’, ‘sugarless army’, ‘insulin junkies ‘ or ‘T1D community’.
A (best) friend who also has diabetes. Friends formed through the shared experience of having diabetes.
” I only share my hypo snacks with my Diabestie”
A kickass legendary human who doesn’t let their diabetes slow them down. One who embodies I>^v meaning.
“Sally just guessed the carbs, shot up, ate a pizza, and the diabadass didn’t even go out of range.”
Using that you have diabetes as an excuse or leverage in a situation.
‘I was feeling tired, so I pulled the diabetes card to get out of chores.’
After a great night in range a diabetic wakes up their blood glucose mysteriously rising. It is rumoured to be the liver releasing glucose into the bloodstream to give you energy – but as insulin is required to receive this this boost of energy, this can be frustrating. (see rage bolus)
“But why?! Now I have to get up, just to deal with this Dawn Phenomenon – more like waking nightmare”
An emotional insulin bolus/injection due to the frustrations of suffering high blood glucose (see hyperglycemia). A rage bolus usually results in an hypo (see hypoglycemia) unless by some miracle you catch a unicorn.
“My glucose levels just wouldn’t come down – so I Rage Bolus’d. Have you seen my jellybeans?”
A deliciously sweet treat (often found on or near a person with diabetes) used to treat hypoglycemic attacks (see hypoglycemia).
“Sally, you better not catch you eating all my hypo snacks“
When blood glucose is is not stable, resulting in multiple corrections. As seen in Rage Bolus, sometime diabetes doesn’t go to plan. The rollercoaster ride often starts from an incorrect dose of insulin resulting in either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, and over correcting glucose levels will causes the opposite hyper/hypo moments later.
“We are out of hypo snacks – don’t ask – today my glucose has been rollercoasting“
The rare and celebrated moment when a person with diabetes gets the perfect blood glucose reading. The target 100mg/dL (5.5mmol/L) is considered the unicorn blood glucose level.
“Holy smokes, I just got a unicorn! Has anyone seen Sally?
DxD is shorthand for asking or sharing the Date of diabetes Diagnosis.
” My DXD was on May 4th 2024“
Diaversary is the day to celebrate that you survived another year with this life threatening condition. The DxD is a significant moment in life and it’s often marked in the calendar but instead of calling it another-year-with-diabetes, it is often seen as levelling up. (see Diabetic Level)
“Yes, I can eat cake, it’s my diaversary… What? Oh, may the force be with you too.”
Used by people with type 1 diabetes, your diabetic level reflects how many years you have lived with diabetes. Or how many times you have celebrated your diaversary.
“Sally is a level 12 diabetic. She reminds me every day.”
Diabetes burnout is the state of mental, emotional and physical exhaustion cause by diabetes. The rollercoasting doesn’t just happen during daylight hours, many night sleeps are interrupted with blood glucose falling out of range. Burnout symptoms include low energy, fatigued, emotionally vulnerable and negative thoughts. All a valid reason to pull the diabetes card and take the time to rest and look after yourself.
You will spot this symbolism used throughout the DOC. Either on a tee, as jewellery, or a tattoo. I>^v stands for ‘I am greater than my highs and lows’ – in reference to the struggles with diabetes and rollercoasting blood glucose readings.
Abbreviations
There are a ton of abbreviated diabetes terms, so it’s important to remember some of the most common ones. We’ve explained the following terms throughout the article, but here’s a quick review of all the diabetes abbreviations and their unabbreviated form:
- T1D: Type 1 diabetes
- T2D: Type 2 diabetes
- LADA: Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults
- DM: Diabetes mellitus
- MDI: Multiple daily injections
- AID: Automated insulin delivery
- CGM: Continuous glucose monitor
- DKA: Diabetic ketoacidosis
- DXD: Date of diagnosis
- DOC: Diabetes Online Community
If you’re new to diabetes terminology, don’t worry! Familiarize yourself with the terms above, and you’ll be talking like a diabetic in no time.
Have more questions about diabetes terminology? Let us know over on NJAP Instagram!
If you’re a T1D using a CGM or an AID system (and understand what all of those abbreviations mean!), check out our comfortable, hypoallergenic patches!
Haleigh Sparks
Professional Content Writer | LinkedIn | haleighsparks.com
Haleigh has had type 1 diabetes since 2002 and is passionate about the diabetes community and emerging management technologies. She hopes her writing can help and inspire other type 1 diabetics to live their best lives. When she’s not writing, she loves hanging out with her rescue dog, trying new recipes, and traveling the world.
Jackson Sinclair
Marketing & Content Creator | Instagram | YouTube
Jackson has had type 1 diabetes for over 20 years. He creates content to inspire diabetics and only works with companies that put people before profits. When not saving the world, he contemplates getting a rescue dog whist sneaking a second serving of cake with Sally.
