When a blood glucose is more than the maximum number in a blood glucose target range.

A list of the actions to take and things to consider in order to reach a goal.

Accident and emergency department

A substance that can be used to sweeten food or drink instead of sugar.

The word ‘app’ is short for application (in computing). An app is typically a small, specialised program downloaded onto a mobile device. 

A condition where the body’s immune system makes a mistake and starts to attack some of its own cells in the body.

Damage to the autonomic nerves that control the automatic functions of internal organs, like heart rate, breathing and digestion.

Long-acting insulin that keeps BG steady when not eating and provides 24-hour coverage. Examples include: detemir, glargine, human isophane, degludec.

When a blood glucose is less than the minimum number in a blood glucose target. BG targets can be a range or a minimum number.

Blood glucose

Basal insulin

The amount of glucose in your blood, measured in mmol/L. Often shortened to BG.

Body mass index

A measure that compares body weight to height. Used as an indicator of health risk. Adults should aim for a BMI of between 18 and 25 kg/m².

A machine used to check BG, then uses the BG to work out a dose of QA based on a planned amount of carbohydrate, specified BG targets and correction factor.

Another name for QA.

Sugar-free sweeteners that contain carbohydrate, but will not raise the BG. Food labels will include the carbohydrate content in the ‘total carbohydrate’ section, but this should not be matched with insulin.

A small plastic tube that delivers insulin from an insulin pump into a person’s body.

Carbohydrate-free

Working out the amount of carbohydrate in your food.

Provides information on the amount of carbohydrate in food. Types of carbohydrate counting resources include books, smartphone apps and websites.

Used to work out the amount of carbohydrate in a portion: C ÷ W × M.

A meal or snack consisting of foods that do not contain any carbohydrate.

One carbohydrate portion is the same as 10 g carbohydrate. Often shortened to CP.

Carbs & Cals

Factors that affect how likely it is that someone will experience heart disease and stroke. Factors include age, whether they are male or female, family history, smoking status and blood pressure.

Continuous glucose monitoring system

Coronary heart disease

A type of lipid. A fatty substance produced naturally in the body and found in some foods. High levels in the blood can contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The flow of blood in blood vessels around the body.

Medical problems that can occur as a result of diabetes. Complications can affect many parts of the body. Examples include retinopathy, affecting the eyes, and neuropathy, affecting the nerve endings.

BG can be monitored all the time if a BG sensor is worn on the skin at all times. This will check the BG every few minutes and display the most recent BG on a small screen. This is known as a continuous glucose monitoring system, or CGMS.

© is the symbol used to indicate that an item is protected by copyright.

How sensitive a person is to insulin. Also known as the sensitivity factor. For most people the correction factor is a reduction of BG by 2.0 to 3.0 mmol/L for every 1 unit of QA.

Changes that bring the BG into target if it is above or below target. Corrections can be made with QA or with CPs.

Carbohydrate portion

A correction to a BG below target, made by eating carbohydrate unmatched with QA. In most people 1 CP unmatched with insulin increases the BG by 2.0 to 3.0 mmol/L.

CP counting resource provided by Chello Publishing Ltd.

Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating. A structured education programme for adults with type 1 diabetes.

A website also available as an app on Android and Apple platforms run by DAFNE graduates. Gives access to the DAFNE handbook and CP guide, as well as providing a forum for DAFNE graduates to exchange messages.

A step-by-step guide to help individuals to adjust their insulin doses safely and effectively.

A natural increase in BG during sleep from 03:00. onwards, occurring in around 30% of people with type 1 diabetes. It is caused by natural hormones that work against insulin. Using twice-daily BI can help to overcome this effect in some people.

Diabetes Control and Complications Trial 1993

A hypo that can occur up to 24 hours after an event such as exercise or alcohol.

A condition where the level of glucose in the body is too high because there is not enough insulin in your blood.

A life-threatening condition that occurs due to a severe lack of insulin. It is marked by high levels of toxic ketones in the blood. Often shortened to DKA.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

A change made to an insulin dose.

A method of taking small amounts of CPs continuously to keep the BG from falling during endurance exercise.

The length of time of an action. For example, how long an insulin keeps working (in relation to insulin profiles), or how long an exercise session will last.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Abbreviation for ‘for example’.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (relates to kidney function).

When a man is not able to achieve or maintain an erection.

Abbreviation for et cetera

Carbohydrate taken for exercise.

When a female experiences problems with sexual desire or arousal, or feels pain during sexual activities.

Forum for Injection Technique

BG meters are now available that you can use to check your glucose level simply by passing them over a sensor that is worn on your skin on the back of your arm. The sensor does not measure BG, but the glucose in the fluid around your body’s cells. This is known as flash glucose monitoring or flash GM.

A graphical representation of a set of steps to be followed and the order in which they should be followed.

Pictures of meals on a plate.

Abbreviation for gram

Gestational diabetes mellitus

A kit that contains an injection of the hormone glucagon. It is used to raise BG in a person who is unconscious from a hypo. It should only be used by people who have been shown how to inject it correctly.

A hormone that has the opposite effect to insulin. It releases glucose that is stored in the liver, to increase the BG.

A type of sugar that is an important source of energy for your body.

General practitioner

A measure of weight, abbreviated to ‘g’. There are 1000 g in 1 kilogram (kg).

> symbol denoting one thing is greater than another.

≥ symbol denoting one thing is greater than or equal to another.

A test that measures the amount of glucose that has stuck to the haemoglobin (red blood cells) in the last 8 to 12 weeks. It gives an idea of the average BG readings over that period of time. Research has shown that people with an HbA1c above target have a higher chance of developing diabetes complications. Often shortened to HbA1c.

Glycated haemoglobin

Healthcare professionals

In type 1 diabetes this can occur soon after treatment begins, but not everyone will get it. It occurs when the pancreas briefly recovers and starts to make small amounts of insulin again. Insulin injection doses may be small during this time. Eventually the pancreas will stop making insulin altogether and the person will then need to inject more standard doses of insulin.

Hours

A BG above target.

BG 3.5 mmol/L or above, but below target range.

A BG level of less than 3.5 mmol/L. Often shortened to hypo.

The body’s way of warning a person that they are having a hypo.

Abbreviation for that is.

International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and laboratory medicine

Impaired hypoglycaemia awareness

A loss of, or reduced recognition of, hypo warning symptoms. This may happen all the time or only some of the time.

A hormone made in the pancreas that helps the body use glucose for energy.

Types of insulin that are manufactured from synthetic human insulin, with minor differences, to give them different properties.

An insulin pump feature that indicates how much insulin is still active in the body.

Provides information on how insulin works in the body, e.g. onset, peak and duration.

An insulin delivery device that is worn 24 hours a day and delivers insulin continuously.

An excess of insulin caused by an overlap of insulin doses. Can lead to a hypo. This is why correction doses are not advised between meals, except during the sick day rules.

A BG is in target when it is inside the BG target range (if the target is a range), or it is at or above the minimum number (if the target is a minimum number).

How much a person exerts themself during exercise. For example, a 100 m sprint is more intense than a 100 m walk, as sprinting requires more effort.

A substance produced when there is not enough insulin in the body and the body breaks down its own fat and muscle for energy.

Abbreviation for kilogram

A measure of weight, abbreviated as ‘kg’. There are 1000 g in 1 kg.

< symbol denoting one thing is less than another.

≤ symbol denoting one thing is less than or equal to another.

Another name for fats in the blood.

An area of thickened fatty tissue under the skin, caused by injecting insulin into the same area over and over again, or by using injection needles more than once.

Something a person would like to achieve over a long period of time, for example 12 months.

Detection of a very small amount of protein in the urine. This can be an early sign of nephropathy, and is sometimes reversible.

A hypo that a person is able to treat themselves. A BG less than 3.5 mmol/L is hypo, whether the person has symptoms or not.

Abbreviation for millilitre

A condition where the kidneys are showing signs of damage, such as protein in the urine or not being able to filter out waste products properly.

A condition where the nerves are damaged.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Neutral Protamine Hagerdorn (isophane insulin)

Sugar-free sweeteners that contain carbohydrate, but will not raise the BG. Food labels will include the carbohydrate content in the ‘total carbohydrate’ section, but this should not be matched with insulin.

When something starts. For example, when insulin starts working after an injection (in relation to insulin profiles).

Maintaining HbA1c as close to 48 mmol/mol as possible.

Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating in Australia.

Something that repeats itself. For example, a hypo after lunch two days in a row.

The time that the insulin is most active and working the hardest (in relation to insulin profiles).

The symbol for percentage is % and means out of every 100. For example, 1% means 1 part out of every 100 parts.

Nerves that join the brain and spinal cord to the arms, hands, legs and face.

A condition where there is damage to the peripheral nerves.

The amount of food a person chooses to eat. For example, half a tub of yoghurt or 25 grams of biscuits.

Quick-acting insulin

A correction made by taking more or less QA in order to bring the BG back into target.

The number of units of QA needed to match each CP eaten, written as QA : CP.

Insulin that starts to work between 15 and 30 minutes of injection. QA is used before meals and snacks, for corrections and during illness and sick days. Examples of QA include: aspart, lispro, human insulin and glulisine.

Carbohydrate foods that increase BG very quickly and are suitable for hypo treatment.

The seeing part of the eye.

Photographs taken annually to check for diabetes complications in the retina. In the UK this is organised nationally.

A diabetes complication caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye.

Republic of Ireland

Tests and examinations done to screen for early signs of diabetes complications.

See ‘Correction factor’.

A hypo that a person cannot treat themselves. A person can remain conscious or become unconscious during a severe hypo.

Severe hypoglycaemia

Small steps along the way that help someone to reach a long-term goal.

Carbohydrate foods that increase the BG slowly, and might need a lower dose of insulin than expected.

Self Management Questionnaire

Food that a person may choose to eat in between meals or before bed. Snacks may or may not contain carbohydrate.

Questions that are used in a systematic and logical way to encourage critical thinking.

A group of people who get together to share information and experiences.

A family member, friend or trusted colleague who knows the person with diabetes. Ideally, a support person can check BG and knows the symptoms of, and treatment for, a hypo.

A button on scales that resets the scales to zero. Allows for weighing of food without the weight of the food container. Sometimes also called zero.

Total daily dose

The total of all the insulin (both QA and BI) that a person has per day. Often shortened to TDD.

Therapeutic patient education

A type of diabetes in which the pancreas does not make any insulin, or only makes very small amounts of insulin.

United Kingdom

The distance around a person’s waist. Used as an indicator of health risk.

A measure of how heavy something is. Weight is measured in grams (g).

A button on scales that resets the scales to zero. Allows for weighing of food without the weight of the food container. Sometimes also called tare.