1 - diabetes and its treatment Flashcards
negative consequences of diabetes
decreases life expectancy
contributes to kidney failure and CV diseases (MI and stroke)
diabetes mellitus type 1
hyperglycemia due to insufficient insulin secretion by the pancreas
relative percentages of people with T1 or T2 diabetes
10% of people with diabetes are Type 1
90% are T2
monogenic causes of diabetes
single gene defects of beta cells
MODY
maturity onset diabetes of the young
types of monogenic causes of diabetes
MODY (autosomal dominant gene mutation) neonatal diabetes (e.g. mutation in K+ATP channel)
properties of people with T2 diabetes
often older, overweight, commonly genetic cause
thirsty
polyuria
tiredness
lifestyle treatment for T2 diabetes
better diet
more exercise
pharmaceutical treatment for T2 diabetes
drugs to improve insulin sensitivity
e.g. metformin
drugs to stimulate insulin secretion
e.g. GLP-1 agonist
drugs to promote glucose excretion via kidneys
type 2 diabetes
long-term metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin
type 1 diabetes
autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells
signs of T1 diabetes
presence of autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells
total loss of beta cells within an islet
alpha cells remain intact
targets of autoreactive T cells in T1 diabetes
islet cells or their antigenic constituents
properties of people suffering from type 1 diabetes
young
rapid onset
thin/underweight at diagnosis
treatment of T1 diabetes
insulin replacement therapy
- injections or pump
monitoring of blood glucose
carbohydrate counting
transplantation of pancreas/islets
biomarkers for diabetes
HbA1c
anti-GAD
serum c-peptide
HbA1c testing
long-term –> tests average blood glucose over last 2-3 months
high HbA1c –> too much blood glucose
normal range for diabetes = 48 mmol/mol
who gets their HbA1c tested
patients that know they have diabetes already
what is HbA1c
Haemaglobin A1c
(glycated haemaglobin)
secreted when glucose builds up and sticks to blood vessels
anti-GAD as a diagnostic test
presence of anti-GAD identifies someone with T1 diabetes
–> suggestive of autoimmunity
blood test (from the arm) measuring whether the body is producing antibodies targeted to destroy its own GAD cells
what is GAD
glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme
acts as an autoantigen –> stimulates antibodies to be released
which test determines which type of diabetes someone has
anti-GAD blood test
serum c-peptide test