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Hyperglycemia, hyperglycaemia, or high blood sugar is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. Hyperglycemia is primarily a symptom of diabetes in which there are elevated levels of blood sugar, or glucose, in the bloodstream. In type I diabetes, hyperglycemia results from malfunctioning in the supply of insulin, the chemical that enables cells to receive energy from glucose; type II diabetes is due to a combination of defective insulin secretion and defective responsiveness to insulin, often termed reduced insulin sensitivity. The term's origin is Greek: hyper-, meaning excessive; -glyc-, meaning sweet; and -emia, meaning "of the blood". It is usually, but not always, associated with diabetes. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to organ damage; acute hyperglycemia can result in life-threatening ketoacidosis. Six million US hospitalizations per year are accompanied by hyperglycemia.[1]