Type 1 Diabetes
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes may also be known by a variety of other names, including the following:
- insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
- juvenile diabetes
- brittle diabetes
- sugar diabetes
There are two forms of type 1 diabetes:
- idiopathic type 1 diabetes - refers to rare forms of the disease with no known cause.
- immune-mediated diabetes - an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system destroys, or attempts to destroy, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
Immune-mediated diabetes is the most common form of type 1 diabetes, and the one generally referred to as type 1 diabetes. The information on this page refers to this form of type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children or young adults, but can start at any age.
Type 1 diabetes may cause the following:
- hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, sometimes called an insulin reaction) - occurs when blood sugar drops too low.
- hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) - occurs when blood sugar is too high, and can be a sign that diabetes is not well controlled.
- ketoacidosis (diabetic coma) - loss of consciousness due to untreated or under-treated diabetes.