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Diabetes, medically known as diabetes mellitus, is the condition in which the hormone insulin functions abnormally. Insulin is produced by the endocrine portion of the the pancreas and functions to diminish the blood glucose level when it rises above the acceptable level. In certain pathologic conditions, the the mechanism by which the hormone insulin works is disrupted, either by cessation of production, as in type one Diabetes, or by lack for insulin receptors on the cell surfaces, as in type two diabetes. In general, diabetes is defined as the state in which raised blood glucose level is observed in an individual.

In type one Diabetes Mellitus, the patient often has thin appearance due to burning away of fat tissues from the body. The comsumption of fat results from the hormonal imbalance between insulin and glucagon. The metabolism of fat tissues produces the characteristic fruity odour breath observed in diabetes mellitus type one. The fruity odour is derived from the fact that fatty acid metabolism yields the side product acetone, whihc is poorly metabolized into carbon dioxide and is removed from the body by direct diffusion from the lungs. The fruity odour can be a marker of ketoacidosis since acetone (the side product) of ketogenesis is observed. Another feature of type one diabetes is that the disease is most often not genetically determined, unlikely type two diabetes. Patients in the first category are often first affected by obesity, which results in excessive production of insulin by endocrine pancreas, and consequently end up as work overload. The insulin secretion capabilites are either reduced or gone, and the disease becomes fully developed. Type one diabetic patients cover around ninty percents in the entire diabetic group.

In type two Diabetes Mellitus, the patient most often has a fat appearance, due to the limited action of insulin that may still be present in parts. Due to this partial functioning of insulin, the fats are not burnt away as much as in type one. Due to the fact that the fatty acids are not mobilized and transformed into ketone bodies, the acetone breath is not present. Patients of type two Diabetes Mellitus are genetically pre-determined, and the sole treatment is the injection of the drug SU (sulfouronyl drug.) This medication stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin to make the receptors responsive to the release. Although the mechanism of the drug is not most desired, it still remains the best choice at this point in time. Type two patients cover the remaining ten percents in the diabetic population.

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