Topic overview

Start with the big picture

The lesson organizes diabetes mellitus by classification and pathogenesis, covering type 1, type 2, and other forms such as gestational and secondary diabetes. It reviews diagnostic thresholds and the role of autoantibodies in distinguishing type 1 from type 2. Acute complications include diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, and treatment-associated hypoglycemia. Chronic complications are grouped into microvascular disease—retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy—and macrovascular disease, including atherosclerotic outcomes. The topic also addresses infection susceptibility and dermatologic findings. Examples such as the progression of diabetic nephropathy and the distinction between non-proliferative and proliferative retinopathy help illustrate how complications present and progress.