Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus is a rare disease in which the kidneys stop filtering urine normally. Types of diabetes insipidus include central, nephrogenic, dipsogenic, and gestational. Common symptoms include excessive urination and increased thirst. A diabetes insipidus diagnosis is based on a series of tests, and should not be confused with diabetes mellitus, which results from insulin deficiency or resistance, leading to high blood glucose.

 

Diabetes Insipidus: An Introduction

Diabetes insipidus is a medical condition that occurs when the kidneys stop filtering urine normally. This results in a person urinating large volumes of fluid and always being thirsty. Diabetes insipidus is a rare disease.
 

Diabetes Insipidus Versus Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes insipidus should not be confused with diabetes mellitus, which results from insulin deficiency or resistance, leading to high blood glucose.
 Diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus are unrelated, although they can have similar signs and symptoms, like excessive thirst and excessive urination.
 
(Click Symptoms of Diabetes for more information on the common symptoms of diabetes mellitus.)
 
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is far more common than diabetes insipidus and receives more news coverage. DM has two forms, referred to as type 1 diabetes (formerly called juvenile diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or IDDM) and type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes, or noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or NIDDM). Diabetes insipidus is a different form of illness altogether.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD