Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin or to use the insulin produced in the proper way. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death among Americans; over 15 million Americans suffer from one form or another of this disease.

After a meal, a portion of the food a person eats is broken down into sugar (glucose). The sugar then passes into the bloodstream and to the body's cells via a hormone (called insulin) that is produced by the pancreas.