Insulin Administration Quiz: Master the Essentials

Study Notes

Blood Glucose Monitoring

Eat a snack at the end of exercise sessions and at bedtime to monitor blood glucose levels.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) enables patients to make decisions about diet, exercise, and medication.

Insulin Therapy

Exogenous insulin is required for type 1 diabetes and prescribed for type 2 diabetes patients who can't control blood glucose through other means.
Types of insulin differ in onset, peak action, and duration, and are characterized as rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting.
Insulin storage:
- Do not heat or freeze insulin.
- Lantus can only be stored for 28 days.
- Extra insulin should be refrigerated.
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight or vigorous shaking.
Insulin administration:
- Cannot be taken orally due to breakdown by digestive juices.
- Self-injection of insulin is necessary.

Acute Complications of Diabetes

Hypoglycemia:
- Causes: too much insulin, missed medication doses, oral hypoglycemic agents, too little food, too much food, lack of physical activity, excessive physical activity.
- Symptoms: weakness, headache, hunger, diaphoresis, sweat, pallor, tachycardia, palpitations, tremors, nervousness, diplopia, numbness of lips and tongue, aphasia, vertigo, confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and convulsions.
Hyperglycemia/DKA:
- Causes: gradual onset, polyuria, polyphagia, polydipsia, glycosuria, dehydration, fever, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, acidosis, breakdown of fat into ketone bodies, mental changes, seizure, and coma.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia:
- Abnormally low blood glucose level (below 50-60 mg/dL).

Insulin Injection Administration

Abdomen is the preferred site for insulin injection due to fastest absorption.
Other sites: back of arms, thighs, and buttocks, but with slower absorption.
Rotate injections within one particular site to avoid problems.
Avoid injecting in sites that will be exercised.

Problems with Insulin Therapy

Hypoglycemia
Allergic reactions
Lipodystrophy:
- Lipoatrophy: loss of subcutaneous fat, appearing as slight dimpling of SC fat.
- Lipo-hypertrophy: fibro-fatty masses at the injection site, caused by repeated use of an injection site.
Resistance to injected insulin: common with obesity, can be overcome by weight loss.
Morning hyperglycemia: elevated blood glucose level in the morning, caused by an insufficient level of insulin.

Description

Test your knowledge on insulin injection administration including sites for self-administration, absorption rates, rotation of injection sites, and common problems with insulin therapy like hypoglycemia and allergic reactions.