Primary diabetes mellitus

The common primary diabetes mellitus syndromes are:

• insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (Type I Diabetes)
• non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (Type II Diabetes)

The distinction between IDDM and NIDDM is clinical:

• if insulin therapy is required to prevent ketoacidosis the the patient has IDDM
• if insulin therapy is not required to prevent ketoacidosis then the patient has NIDDM
• if the patient has NIDDM but insulin is required to maintain acceptable glycaemic control then the patient has insulin-treated NIDDM

Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a rare primary diabetes mellitus syndrome.