Diabetes Care

Overview:

Unlike other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes occurs only in pregnant women. It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas that regulates sugar (glucose), to meet the demands of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes typically disappears after the baby’s birth, but woman who develop it have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Overview:

Monogenic diabetes is a rare form of diabetes that accounts for 2-5% of all diabetes cases. It’s caused by a mutation in a single gene and typically involves the body’s inability to produce enough insulin, a hormone that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy. It can also stem from insulin resistance, but this is rare.

In most cases, monogenic diabetes is inherited from a parent with the same condition. It typically affects young people under the age of 25. Because monogenic diabetes can develop at different ages, it’s categorized into two types: maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) and neonatal diabetes.

Overview:

Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to receive a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. A normal blood sugar level, based on an A1C test (average over three months), is below 5.7% while a diabetic level would be 6.5% or higher. Therefore, a prediabetic sugar level would be between 5.7 and 6.4%. To learn more about prediabetes and sign up for upcoming courses, visit our Patient Education Programs.

Unsure if you’re at risk of developing prediabetes? Take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out and learn how you can lower your risk.

Overview:

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the body. Insulin is a natural hormone made by beta cells in the pancreas that helps regulate sugar (glucose), the primary energy source for the body. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults.

Visit our Patient Education Programs for additional type 1 diabetes education information.

Overview:

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, often caused by lifestyle factors like obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. It usually begins when fat, muscle, and liver cells don't use insulin properly, a condition known as insulin resistance.

Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas naturally produces to control sugar (glucose) levels. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas initially keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin, but over time, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. Type 2 diabetes can affect both children and adults.

Visit our Patient Education Programs for additional type 2 diabetes education information.