Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a condition characterised by elevated blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

IFG is diagnosed when the fasting level is 6.0-7.0 mmol/L but the two-hour level is less than 7.8 mmol/L. People with IFG have a high risk of progression to type 2 diabetes over time.

Unit 6,

Reference: Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary (9th ed) Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN-13: 9780199687817, p1678

Impaired glucose tolerance is a condition in which an individual has higher than normal levels of glucose in the blood upon fasting or following a carbohydrate-rich meal or ingestion of a glucose test solution but not high enough to be diagnostic of diabetes mellitus.

IGT is diagnosed when the fasting level is less than 7.0 mmol/L and the two-hour level is 7.0-11.1 mmol/L. People with IGT have a high risk of progression to type 2 diabetes over time

Unit 1,

Reference: Oxford Concise Colour Medical Dictionary (7th Edition, Kindle Edition) Oxford University Press 2020 ISBN-13: 978-0198836629, p1553

Insulin is a protein hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas. Its primary function is to regulate blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells.

Unit 1,

Reference: Mayer JP, Zhang F, DiMarchi RD. Insulin structure and function. Biopolymers. 2007;88(5):687-713.

Insulin replacement refers to the administration of insulin to individuals with diabetes who either do not produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or do not use insulin effectively (Type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar (glucose) levels. In people with diabetes, the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin or the effectiveness of insulin in the body may be compromised, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Unit 4,

Reference: Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary (9th ed) Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN-13: 9780199687817, p2052

Insulin resistance, identified as an impaired biologic response to insulin stimulation of target tissues, primarily involves liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Impairs glucose disposal, resulting increased beta cell insulin production and hyperinsulinaemia.

Unit 1,

Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N. Insulin Resistance. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; August 17, 2023. 

A term derived from the Latin word ‘claudicare’ meaning to limp. A patient suffering with intermittent claudication experiences cramping in the legs due to a reduction in the arterial blood supply to the muscles, causing him or her to limp, usually due to poor blood flow in the calf muscles. 

Reference: Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary (9th ed) Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN-13: 9780199687817, 

Intimal hyperplasia is an abnormal accumulation of cells in the vascular tunica intima; the cell number is increased because of proliferation and/or migration of vascular wall cells, predominantly smooth muscle cells, often in response to a traumatic stimulus.

Reference:  Journal of Vascular Surgery. Volume 10, ISSUE 5, P591-592, November 1989

An ischaemic stroke occurs when there is a blockage or obstruction in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain. The blockage leads to a significant reduction or complete cessation of blood flow to a part of the brain, resulting in damage to brain tissue due to the lack of oxygen and nutrients. Ischaemic strokes are the most common type of strokes, accounting for about 87% of all stroke cases.

Unit 1,

Reference: Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary (9th ed) Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN-13: 9780199687817, p2412 

A group of autoantibodies directed against components of the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas. They are usually detectable in the blood of people presenting with type 1 diabetes. Antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in beta cells have become a more specific test for islet cell antibodies, to help confirm a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

Unit 4,

Reference: Oxford Concise Colour Medical Dictionary (7th Edition, Kindle Edition) Oxford University Press 2020 ISBN-13: 978-0198836629, p1772

The islets of Langerhans, often simply referred to as pancreatic islets, are regions of specialised cells located within the pancreas, an organ in the abdomen. These islets play a pivotal role in regulating blood sugar levels and are essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis in the body.

Unit 3,

References: Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary (9th ed) Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN-13: 9780199687817, p1046