Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from

defects in insulin secretion ,insulin action or both.The chronic hyperglycaemia of diabetes is

associated with long term damage ,dysfunction and failure of various organs, especialy the eyes,
kidneys,nerves, heart and blood vessels
EPIDEMIOLOGYThe worldwide prevalence of diabetes has risen dramatically over the past two decades,from
an estimated 30 million cases in 1985 to 285 million in 2010.Based on current trends, the
International Diabetes Federation projects that 438 million individuals will have diabetes by
the year 2030.
India leads the world with largest number of diabetic subjects earning the dubious distinction of
being termed the diabetes capital of the world. According to the Diabetes Atlas 2006 published
by the International Diabetes Federation, the number of people with diabetes in India currently
around 40.9 million is expected to rise to 69.9 million by 2025 unless urgent preventive steps are
taken
HISTORYDiabetes is one of the oldest known diseases. It was documented in the writings of Hindu
scholars as long as in 1500 BC. They had already described a mysterious disease causing thirst,
enormous urine output, and wasting away of the body with flies and ants attracted to the urine of
people.
The term diabetes was probably coined by Apollonius of Memphis around 250 BC, which
literally meant to go through or siphon as the disease drained more fluid than a person could
consume. Later on, the Latin word mellitus was added because it made the urine sweet.
The first description of diabetes was given by Arataeus of Cappadocia in Asia Minor in the
second century AD. Aretaeus said- the fluid does not remain in the body, but uses the mans body
as a channel whereby to leave it. His graphic account of the disease highlighted the incessant
flow of urine, unquenchable thirst, the melting down of the flesh and limbs into urine, and short
survival.
The Hindu physicians, Charaka and Sushrutha, wrote between 400 and 500 BC were probably
the first to recognize the sweetness of diabetic urine. Indeed, the diagnosis was made by tasting
the urine or noting that ants congregated round it. Charaka and Sushrutha noted that the disease
was most prevalent in those who were indolent, overweight and gluttonous who indulged in
sweet and fatty foods.
In 1869, Paul Langerhans discovered islands of cells scattered through the glands parenchyma
of pancreas.