Callus: A small area of skin, usually on the foot, that has become
thick and hard from rubbing or pressure.
Capillary: The smallest blood vessel. Capillary walls are so thin that
oxygen and glucose can pass through them and enter the cells. Waste products,
such as carbon dioxide, pass back into the bloodstream via the capillaries to be
carried away and expelled from the body.
Capsaicin: An ingredient in hot peppers that can be found in ointment
form for use on the skin to relieve pain from diabetic neuropathy.
Carbohydrate: One of the major sources of calories in the diet. It
comes primarily from sugar (found in refined fruits and vegetables) and starch
(found in grains and legumes). Carbohydrate breaks down into glucose during
digestion and raises blood glucose levels.
Cardiologist: A doctor who treats people who have heart problems.
Cataracts: A grey-white film that can cover the lens of the eye,
obscuring vision. They tend to occur in people over 50 years of age, but can
occur at a younger age and advance more rapidly in the presence of diabetes. If
left untreated, cataracts can cause blindness.
Certified Diabetes Educator: A CDE is a health care professional with
expertise in diabetes education. This individual must have met eligibility
requirements and successfully completed a certification exam.
Chlorpropamide: An oral medicine used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It
lowers blood glucose levels by helping the pancreas make more insulin and by
helping the body better use the insulin it makes.
Cholesterol: A type of fat produced by the liver and found in the
blood; it is also found in some foods. Cholesterol is used by the body to make
hormones and build cell walls.
Chronic: Describes something that is long-lasting. Chronic is the
opposite of acute.
Circulation: The flow of blood through the body's blood vessels and
heart.
Coma: A sleep-like state in which a person is not conscious. A coma
may be caused by hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia (low blood
glucose) in people with diabetes.
Combination Oral Medicines: A pill that includes two or more different
medicines.
Combination Therapy: The use of different medicines together (oral
hypoglycemic agents or an oral hypoglycemic agent and insulin) to manage the
blood glucose levels of people with Type 2 diabetes.
Complications of Diabetes: Diabetes effects may include: damage
to the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, teeth and gums, feet and
skin, or kidneys.
Conventional Therapy: A term used in clinical trials where one group
receives treatment for diabetes in which A1C and blood glucose levels are kept
at levels based on current practice guidelines. However, the goal is not to keep
blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible, as is done in intensive
therapy. Conventional therapy includes use of medication, meal planning and
exercise, along with regular visits to health care providers.
C-Peptide: "Connecting peptide," a substance the pancreas
releases into the bloodstream in equal amounts to insulin. A test of C-peptide
levels shows how much insulin the body is making.
Creatinine: A compound present in the muscles and blood that is passed
in the urine. A 'creatinine clearance test' is a diagnostic test for kidney
function.
