Diabetes Mellitus

Hyperglycemia, polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia

Genetic factors, auto-immune response, and environmental triggers

Viral infections, family history, and smoking

Random blood sugar of greater than 11.1 mmol/L and fasting plasma glucose of greater than 7.0 mmol/L

Genetic factors and environmental triggers

The characteristics of diabetes mellitus include hyperglycaemia, polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus can be caused by genetic factors located on chromosome 6, auto-immune response (T-cell mediated), and environmental triggers such as viral infections, diet, and stress in genetically susceptible people.

The risk factors for developing type 1 diabetes mellitus include viral infections, race/ethnicity, stress, geography, family history, other autoimmune diseases, lifestyle factors (smoking, lack of exercise), obesity (BMI > 27), hyperlipidaemia, and hypercholesterolaemia.

The WHO diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus include random blood sugar of greater than 11.1 mmol/L and fasting plasma glucose.

Diabetes mellitus refers to a number of disorders of carbohydrate metabolism caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors, characterized by total loss or inadequate secretion of insulin, or faulty utilization of insulin (insulin resistance).