Final answer:
Diabetes mellitus is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insufficient insulin production or cellular resistance to insulin. It includes type 1 and type 2 diabetes, where type 1 requires insulin administration and type 2 involves insulin resistance and/or impaired insulin production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The disease characterized by a high blood glucose due to a deficiency of insulin production or failure of cells to respond to insulin is diabetes mellitus. There are two main forms of this condition: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the beta cells of the pancreas, leading to an absence of insulin production. Patients require synthetic insulin administration.
In type 2 diabetes, there is typically a combination of resistance to the effects of insulin by the target cells and an impaired insulin production. This form of diabetes is multifactorial and is characterized by cells that are 'starving in a sea of plenty' because glucose remains in the bloodstream and is not transported into cells, leading to a state of malnutrition. Over time, uncontrolled diabetes can lead to complications such as nerve damage, kidney damage, and cardiovascular problems.