A 45-year-old woman consulted at a clinic due to excessive thirst, fluid intake and urination. She has no signs and symptoms of urinary tract infection. She denies any medical cond... A 45-year-old woman consulted at a clinic due to excessive thirst, fluid intake and urination. She has no signs and symptoms of urinary tract infection. She denies any medical conditions but has not seen a doctor in many years. On examination, she is obese and has stable vital signs. Her physical examination is otherwise normal. Urinalysis revealed glucosuria (+4) and her random blood sugar level was 300 mg/dL. Given she has type 2 diabetes mellitus, describe the biochemical basis of the patient’s condition. Make it more wordy. Read more

In type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance causes high blood sugar. The pancreas compensates initially, but eventual failure leads to high glucose levels, glucosuria, and excessive thirst/urination.

The biochemical basis of the patient’s condition is related to insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, common in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Insulin resistance occurs when cells in muscles, fat, and liver do not respond effectively to insulin, leading to elevated blood glucose levels. The pancreas tries to compensate by producing more insulin, but over time it may not be enough, resulting in hyperglycemia. The glucosuria (+4) indicates that the renal threshold for glucose reabsorption is exceeded, causing glucose to spill into the urine. This results in osmotic diuresis, leading to excessive thirst and urination.