Diabetology
Encyclopedia
Diabetology is the clinical science of diabetes mellitus
, its diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. It can be considered a specialised field of endocrinology
.
The term diabetologist is used in several ways. In North America over the last 40 years it is most often used for an internist who through practice and interest develops expertise in diabetes care without having formal training or board certification in endocrinology. Diabetology is not a recognized medical specialty and has no formal training programs leading to board certification. In other contexts the term diabetologist refers to any physician, including endocrinologists, whose practice and/or research efforts are concentrated mainly in diabetes care.
Apart from regulating medication (e.g. insulin
) dosage and timing, a diabetologist will also concern himself with the potential consequences of diabetes, e.g. retinopathy
, nephropathy
and peripheral neuropathy
.
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
, its diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. It can be considered a specialised field of endocrinology
Endocrinology
Endocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
.
The term diabetologist is used in several ways. In North America over the last 40 years it is most often used for an internist who through practice and interest develops expertise in diabetes care without having formal training or board certification in endocrinology. Diabetology is not a recognized medical specialty and has no formal training programs leading to board certification. In other contexts the term diabetologist refers to any physician, including endocrinologists, whose practice and/or research efforts are concentrated mainly in diabetes care.
Apart from regulating medication (e.g. insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
) dosage and timing, a diabetologist will also concern himself with the potential consequences of diabetes, e.g. retinopathy
Retinopathy
Retinopathy is a general term that refers to some form of non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye. Frequently, retinopathy is an ocular manifestation of systemic disease.-Pathophysiology:Causes of retinopathy are varied:...
, nephropathy
Nephropathy
Nephropathy refers to damage to or disease of the kidney. An older term for this is nephrosis.-Causes:Causes of nephropathy include administration of analgesics, xanthine oxidase deficiency, and long-term exposure to lead or its salts...
and peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of or trauma to the nerve or the side-effects of systemic illness....
.