Diabetes Overview and Treatments

Questions and Answers

Diabetes is MOST accurately defined as a(n):

Disorder of carbohydrate metabolism (correct)

Mass excretion of glucose by the kidneys

Abnormally high blood glucose level

Lack of insulin production in the pancreas

Type 1 diabetes:

Is defined as a blood sugar level that is less than 120 mg/dL

Is typically treated with medications such as metformin (Glucophage)

Typically occurs in patients between 50 and 70 years of age

Is a condition in which no insulin is produced by the body (correct)

Patients with type 2 diabetes usually control their disease with all of the following, EXCEPT:

Supplemental insulin (correct)

Tolbutamide (Orinase)

Diet and exercise

Glyburide (Micronase)

Glipizide, a non-insulin-type medication, is another name for:

Glucotrol Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements regarding glucose is correct?

The brain requires glucose as much as it requires oxygen Signup and view all the answers

Insulin functions in the body by:

Enabling glucose to enter the cells Signup and view all the answers

Patients with uncontrolled diabetes experience polyuria because:

Excess glucose in the blood is excreted by the kidneys Signup and view all the answers

Excessive eating caused by cellular 'hunger' is called:

Polyphagia Signup and view all the answers

Ketone production is the result of:

Fat metabolization when glucose is unavailable Signup and view all the answers

A 37-year-old female with a history of diabetes presents with excessive urination and weakness. If this patient's condition is not promptly treated, she will MOST likely develop:

Acidosis and dehydration Signup and view all the answers

Kussmaul respirations are an indication that the body is:

Attempting to eliminate acids from the blood Signup and view all the answers

The normal blood glucose level, as measured by a glucometer, is between:

80 and 120 mg/dL Signup and view all the answers

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when:

Insulin is not available in the body Signup and view all the answers

A 28-year-old female patient is found to be responsive to verbal stimuli only. Her roommate states that she was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and has had difficulty controlling her blood sugar level. Based on this patient's clinical presentation, you should suspect that she:

Is significantly hyperglycemic Signup and view all the answers

Diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition that results from:

Hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, and dehydration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements regarding diabetic coma is correct?

Diabetic coma typically develops over a period of hours or days Signup and view all the answers

Common signs and symptoms of diabetic coma include all of the following, EXCEPT:

Cool, clammy skin Signup and view all the answers

The signs and symptoms of insulin shock are the result of:

Decreased blood glucose levels Signup and view all the answers

Insulin shock will MOST likely develop if a patient:

Takes too much of his or her prescribed insulin Signup and view all the answers

Hypoglycemic crisis tends to develop more often and more severely in children because:

They do not always eat correctly and on schedule Signup and view all the answers

Classic signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

Cool, clammy skin; weakness; tachycardia; and rapid respirations Signup and view all the answers

Assessment of a patient with hypoglycemia will MOST likely reveal:

Combativeness Signup and view all the answers

In contrast to insulin shock, diabetic coma:

Can only be corrected in the hospital setting Signup and view all the answers

A 75-year-old male with type 1 diabetes presents with chest pain and a general feeling of weakness. He tells you that he took his insulin today and ate a regular meal approximately 2 hours ago. You should treat this patient as though he is experiencing:

A heart attack Signup and view all the answers

You respond to a residence for a patient who is 'not acting right.' As you approach the door, the patient, a 35-year-old male, begins shouting profanities at you and your partner while holding a baseball bat. The man is confused and diaphoretic, and is wearing a medical identification bracelet. You should:

Retreat at once and call law enforcement Signup and view all the answers

A 29-year-old female presents with confusion and disorientation. Her respirations are rapid and shallow and her pulse is 120 beats/min and thready. She is markedly diaphoretic and has an oxygen saturation of 89%. You should:

Provide ventilatory support Signup and view all the answers

A man finds his 59-year-old wife unconscious on the couch. He states that she takes medications for type 2 diabetes. He further tells you that his wife has been ill recently and has not eaten for the past 24 hours. Your assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive. You should:

Open and maintain her airway and assess breathing Signup and view all the answers

You respond to a movie theater for a 70-year-old male who is confused. His wife tells you he has type 2 diabetes but refuses to take his pills. Your assessment reveals that the patient is diaphoretic, tachycardic, and tachypneic. Initial management for this patient should include:

Applying a nonrebreathing mask at 15 L/min Signup and view all the answers

When obtaining a SAMPLE history from a patient with diabetes, it would be MOST important to determine:

If he or she has had any recent illnesses or excessive stress Signup and view all the answers

When assessing an unconscious diabetic patient, the primary visible difference between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia is the:

Rate and depth of breathing Signup and view all the answers

You are treating a 40-year-old male with a documented blood sugar reading of 300 mg/dL. The patient is semiconscious and breathing shallowly, and is receiving assisted ventilation from your partner. You should recognize that definitive treatment for this patient includes:

Insulin Signup and view all the answers

A 19-year-old male complains of 'not feeling right.' His insulin and a syringe are on a nearby table. The patient says he thinks he took his insulin and cannot remember whether he ate. He is also unable to tell you the time or what day it is. The glucometer reads 'error' after several attempts to assess his blood glucose level. In addition to administering oxygen, you should:

Contact medical control and administer oral glucose Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions is the diabetic patient at an increased risk of developing?

Blindness Signup and view all the answers

Glutose is a trade name for:

Oral glucose Signup and view all the answers

To which of the following diabetic patients should you administer oral glucose?

A confused 55-year-old male with tachycardia and pallor Signup and view all the answers

Proper procedure for administering oral glucose to a patient includes all of the following, EXCEPT:

Ensuring the absence of a gag reflex Signup and view all the answers

Hemoglobin is:

Found within the red blood cells and is responsible for carrying oxygen Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements regarding sickle cell disease is correct?

In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells are abnormally shaped and are less able to carry oxygen Signup and view all the answers

A 30-year-old female presents with severe acute pain to the left upper quadrant of her abdomen. During your assessment, she tells you that she has sickle cell disease. You should suspect that:

Her spleen is enlarged because of red blood cell engorgement Signup and view all the answers

An acute accelerated drop in the hemoglobin level, which is caused by red blood cells breaking down at a faster rate than normal, occurs during a(n) __________ crisis.

hemolytic Signup and view all the answers

Patients with thrombophilia are at an increased risk for:

Pulmonary embolism Signup and view all the answers

During your assessment of a 19-year-old male, you are told that he is being treated with factor VIII. This indicates that:

He has hemophilia A Signup and view all the answers

A 42-year-old male is found unresponsive on his couch by a neighbor. During your assessment, you find no signs of trauma and the patient's blood glucose level is 75 mg/dL. His blood pressure is 168/98 mm Hg, his heart rate is 45 beats/min and bounding, and his respirations are 8 breaths/min and irregular. The patient is wearing a medical alert bracelet that states he has hemophilia. You should:

Suspect that he has intracranial bleeding, assist his ventilations, and transport rapidly to an appropriate hospital Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes