Diabetes mellitusis a metabolic disease characterised by a disorder of carbohydratemetabolism. Its intrinsic component is a state of hyperglycaemia, i.e. an elevated blood glucose concentration, which results from a lack or insufficient amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that lowers blood glucose concentrations. In type 1 diabetes, which is more common in children, the pancreatic islands that produce insulin are mostly destroyed. With this condition, glucose concentrations cannot be properly regulated.