Diabetes Management Quiz

Diabetes is a condition where the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use it properly, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Diabetes can be caused by various factors, including genetics, autoimmune disorders, viral infections, and lifestyle choices like obesity and stress.

Diabetes can lead to serious complications, both short-term and long-term, affecting various organs like the heart, kidneys, and nerves.

Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to enter cells for energy.

Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar levels by breaking down stored energy in the body.

A blood test that measures the average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months by looking at how much glucose is attached to hemoglobin in red blood cells.

A blood test that measures blood sugar levels after an overnight fast, reflecting how well the body regulates glucose without eating.

A blood test that measures blood sugar levels regardless of when someone last ate, reflecting how well the body regulates glucose at any given time.

A blood test that measures blood sugar levels after drinking a sugary drink, reflecting how well the body can metabolize and regulate glucose after a sugary load.

Insulin that is produced outside the body and administered to individuals with diabetes.

Insulin that is given to mimic the body's natural, steady, background production of insulin.

Insulin that is given to cover the rise in blood sugar after meals, mimicking the body's natural spike in insulin after eating.

Insulin that starts working quickly, usually within 15 minutes, and lasts for a short period.

People who take insulin or medications that increase insulin levels should monitor blood sugar closely before, during, and after exercise. Blood sugar can be lowered for up to 48 hours after activity. It's recommended to eat before exercising and have fast-acting carbohydrates available for hypoglycemia.

Alcohol can hinder the body's glucose production, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia for people on insulin or medications that increase insulin production. Consuming alcohol with metformin may lead to lactic acidosis. It is recommended to limit alcohol to 1-2 drinks per day, eat food while drinking, use sugar-free mixers, and stick to dry or light wines.

A primary acute complication of diabetes is hypoglycemia, which occurs when blood sugar drops below 4 mmol/L.

Hypoglycemia can happen in people on insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, primarily due to a mismatch in timing between food intake and the peak action of these medications. Too much insulin, not enough food, or a delay in meal timing can all contribute to low blood sugar.

Hypoglycemia can progress to irritability, difficulty speaking, confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and death. Not everyone experiences these symptoms, and hypoglycemic unawareness can occur due to autonomic neuropathy.

Insulin administration requires a physician's order, often a mix of sliding scale and scheduled doses. Due to its potential for serious adverse effects, it's considered a high-risk medication and may require a co-signature.

When a patient has their own insulin pens or glucometers, it's important to assess the site of insulin injections for signs of infection or lipodystrophy, a condition that can alter insulin absorption.

Potential adverse events of insulin administration include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), Somogyi effect (rebound hyperglycemia after hypoglycemia), and Dawn Phenomenon (naturally occurring rise in blood sugar in the morning).

OHAs are medications used to manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They work by increasing insulin production, enhancing insulin sensitivity, reducing glucose production in the liver, and slowing down carbohydrate absorption.

OHAs achieve their effect by various pathways including: increasing insulin production, enhancing insulin sensitivity, reducing glucose production in the liver, slowing down carbohydrate absorption, and allowing certain hormones, like Incretin, to stay in the bloodstream longer.

Nutritional therapy for diabetes aims to regulate blood sugar, control serum lipid levels, and manage blood pressure. It often involves carb counting and utilizes a balanced diet.

A balanced diet for diabetes includes reducing total fat (especially saturated fat), increasing fiber, decreasing simple sugars, and consuming small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.

The glycemic index (GI) diet takes into account how specific carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. Foods with a higher GI cause a faster and higher rise in blood sugar, requiring more insulin.

Diabetes can lead to various chronic complications, primarily due to vascular damage, affecting various organs like the eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

Diabetes can cause damage to the small blood vessels in the eyes, leading to retinopathy, a condition that can cause vision loss.

People with diabetes are at a much higher risk of developing foot complications, including ulcers, gangrene, and amputation, due to poor blood flow and nerve damage.

People with diabetes should examine their feet daily, care for their nails, wear proper fitting shoes, test bath water temperature, and dry their feet thoroughly after washing.

Annual foot screenings are recommended for people with diabetes to identify early signs of foot complications and prevent serious problems.

A condition where blood sugar levels drop too low, often caused by excess insulin, insufficient food intake, or intense physical activity.

Treat quickly with glucose, like sugar, juice, or candy to raise blood sugar. Monitor blood sugar levels and investigate the cause.

A serious complication of diabetes where the body starts breaking down fat for energy, leading to high blood sugar, ketones in the blood, and acidosis.

DKA symptoms include: frequent urination, thirst, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, fruity breath, rapid breathing, and dehydration.

A serious condition marked by extremely high blood sugar, dehydration, and mental confusion, but without the ketones seen in DKA. Occurs usually in people with type 2 diabetes.

HHS shares high blood sugar and dehydration with DKA, but unlike DKA, it doesn't involve ketones, and often occurs in people with type 2 diabetes.

HHS is often triggered by insufficient fluid intake, increasing mental depression, and excessive urination, often in people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

Blood glucose levels in HHS are extreme (>34 mmol/L), serum osmolality is increased, and there are little to no ketones present.

Drinking alcohol can significantly increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia in individuals taking insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) that increase insulin production. This is because alcohol inhibits glucose production in the liver, leading to lower blood sugar levels.

To minimize the risk of hypoglycemia, individuals with diabetes should limit alcohol intake to no more than 1-2 drinks per day, eat food while drinking, use sugar-free mixers, and choose dry or light wines. Consistent communication with healthcare providers is essential.

Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below 4 mmol/L. This is usually caused by a mismatch between insulin or OHA dosage and food intake, leading to too much insulin in proportion to glucose in the blood.

Untreated hypoglycemia can progress to irritability, difficulty speaking, confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and even death. This is because the brain requires a constant supply of glucose to function properly.

Hypoglycemic unawareness is a condition where individuals with diabetes do not experience the usual warning signs of low blood sugar. This is often associated with autonomic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes affecting the nerves.

Measures how well the body metabolizes glucose after a sugary drink, highlighting insulin production and response.

Clear insulin (short/rapid acting) should be drawn up before cloudy insulin (intermediate acting) to prevent mixing and altering the insulin's action.

Insulin administration is classified as a high-risk medication due to the potential for severe complications like hypoglycemia.

Common adverse events associated with insulin administration include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), Somogyi effect (rebound hyperglycemia after hypoglycemia), and Dawn Phenomenon (natural rise in blood sugar in the morning).

Nutritional therapy aims to regulate blood sugar levels, control lipids in the blood (serum lipid), and manage blood pressure.

The glycemic index (GI) diet considers how different carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. Foods with a higher GI cause a faster and higher rise in blood sugar, requiring more insulin.

The Somogyi effect is a rebound hyperglycemia that occurs after a period of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

The Dawn Phenomenon is a naturally occurring rise in blood sugar levels in the morning, often seen in people with diabetes.

Pre-exercise assessment helps to assess the individual's risk of hypoglycemia during exercise and develop a safe exercise plan.

Treat hypoglycemia promptly with fast-acting carbohydrates like glucose tablets, sugar, juice, or candy. Monitor blood sugar levels and investigate the cause of the low blood sugar episode.

People with diabetes are 20 times more likely to be hospitalized for non-traumatic leg amputations due to factors like poor blood flow, clotting issues, weakened immunity, and nerve damage.

You should check your feet daily for wounds, cut nails evenly, use mild soap and dry thoroughly after washing, wear properly fitting shoes, and test bath water before stepping in.

Damage to the small blood vessels in the eyes caused by diabetes, leading to vision loss.

A byproduct of glucose metabolism, sorbitol accumulates in blood vessels, particularly affecting nerve cells.

Excessive free radicals damage the retina, leading to diabetic retinopathy.

Treat quickly with glucose, like sugar, juice, or candy, to raise your blood sugar levels. Monitor blood sugar and find the cause.

A serious complication of diabetes where your body starts breaking down fat for energy, leading to high blood sugar, ketones in your blood, and acidosis.

Symptoms include frequent urination, thirst, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, fruity breath, rapid breathing, and dehydration.

A serious condition with extremely high blood sugar, dehydration, and mental confusion, but without ketones like DKA.

HHS involves extremely high blood sugar and dehydration like DKA, but lacks ketones, and often affects people with type 2 diabetes.

Triggered by insufficient fluid intake, increasing mental depression, and excessive urination, often in people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

In HHS, blood glucose levels are extremely high (>34 mmol/L), serum osmolality is increased, and there are few to no ketones present.

Insulin is a hormone responsible for helping glucose enter cells for energy. It lowers blood sugar levels.

Glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol work against insulin by increasing glucose production and release, raising blood sugar levels.

An autoimmune disorder where the body destroys its own insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to absolute insulin deficiency.

A condition where the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use it properly (insulin resistance), leading to high blood sugar levels.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, prediabetes, PCOS, certain psychiatric disorders, sleep apnea, and acanthosis nigricans.

Certain cultural groups, like Indigenous, Latin American, South Asian, Asian, and African populations, have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes often has a gradual onset, with symptoms like fatigue, recurrent infections, slow wound healing, vision changes, and painful neuropathy in the feet.

People with diabetes need to manage their blood sugar levels through medication, diet, exercise, and monitoring.