There are two main kinds of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes

  used to be called “juvenile” or “insulin dependent” diabetes. It usually occurs in childhood or adolescence. Everyone with type 1 diabetes requires regular insulin injections. Less than 10% of all people with diabetes have type 1.

• Type 2 diabetes

  used to be called “adult-onset” or “non-insulin independent” diabetes. It usually occurs in people over 40 years of age. People with type 2 diabetes usually have a family history of the condition and are most often overweight. Although initially managed with changes in diet and lifestyle, many people with type 2 diabetes will require oral medications and eventually insulin injections to control their blood glucose. More than 90% of all people with diabetes have type 2.

Some people with type 2 diabetes develop a condition called impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) before being diagnosed with diabetes. IGT means that the body has become less sensitive to the effects of insulin, and has to work harder to control blood glucose levels. A person with IGT has blood glucose (sugar) levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to say they have diabetes. As in type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin, but there may be less of it, or it may not work properly.

Studies have shown that keeping blood glucose as close to the normal range as possible can help prevent the long-term health problems associated with diabetes, such as coronary artery (heart) disease, kidney disease, and blindness.Whichever type of diabetes you have, you’ll need to follow a treatment plan your blood glucose frequently and to keep your blood glucose under control.

Your doctor and pharmacist can show you how to monitor blood glucose levels.

• See our disease database articles on diabetes for more information.