Diabetes mellitus, also called diabetes, is a chronic metabolic condition in which the hormone insulin is not produced by the pancreas in sufficient quantities or is not utilized effectively by the body to control blood glucose levels. As a result, blood glucose levels are abnormally high (hyperglycaemia). Chronic uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to long-term target organ damage, such as: retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy (microvascular complications); stroke, coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease (macrovascular complications).