Other names: Pancreatogenic Diabetes; T3cDM; Type 3c Diabetes

Type 3c diabetes (pancreatogenic diabetes) is a type of diabetes mellitus that is caused by disease or damage to the pancreas.

The pancreas is the organ that produces insulin and glucagon which keeps blood glucose levels balanced. Insulin helps reduce blood sugar levels if they are high, and glucagon helps increase the blood sugar levels if it starts getting low. A damaged or diseased pancreas does not produce enough insulin and glucagon when necessary, so the patient may have problems with controlling blood glucose levels which can result in high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). The pancreas also has a role in digestion and absorption so patients may suffer from abdominal problems, malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies. The most common causes of Type 3c diabetes is chronic pancreatitis with other causes being pancreatic cancer, hereditary hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis and diabetes after pancreatic surgery.

Drugs used to treat Diabetes, Type 3c