26 - Diabetes Flashcards
Fasting blood glucose target for adults
4-7
Fasting blood glucose target for children
- 4-8
- Consider target of 6-10 in children who have had severe or excessive hypoglycemia
2h post-prandial BG for aduts
5-10
2h post-prandial BG for children
5-10 (same as adults)
What can happen from BG levels that are too high?
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Body can’t take up glucose that is there b/c not enough insulin => high BG levels
- Levels of 13-13.5 mmol/L causes body to start producing ketones, which are then filtered through kidneys and appear in urine
Why is it important to keep BG and A1c in recommended levels?
- Can become symptomatic on day-to-day basis
- Can cause microvascular complications
Describe the possible microvascular complications of diabetes
- Nephropathy (kidney damage)
- Retinopathy = leading cause of blindness in Canada
- Neuropathy (lack of sensation in extremities)
What are the most common neuropathies of diabetes?
- Diabetic gastroparesis = neuropathy in GI tract so normal movement is impaired (feeling of food being stuck when swallowing)
- Erectile dysfunction
What is the RRR for glucose control for microvascular complications?
- 60% of nephropathy and retinopathy
- 45% of neuropathies
___ is a major complication of type 1 diabetes
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Major causes of diabetic ketoacidosis
- Failing to take insulin
- Poor sick day management
Do you still need to take insulin on sick days?
Cold or flu causes stress that causes hormone release (norepinephrine, cortisol, and glucagon) that causes blood glucose to increase
Risk factors for diabetic ketoacidosis in children
- Children w/ poor control or previous episodes of DKA
- Peripubertal and adolescent girls (insulin causes weight gain)
- Children on pumps or long-acting insulin
- Children w/ psychiatric disorders
- Those w/ difficult family considerations
What is A1C?
Glycated hemoglobin
What are the various A1C targets?
- 6.5% or less in adults w/ T2DM who are at low risk of hypoglycemia to reduce risk of CKD & retinopathy
- 7.0% or less in most adult’s w/ type 1 or 2 DM
- 7.1-8% = functionally dependent
- Goal 7.1-8.5% in px w/ recurrent severe hypoglycemia and/or hypoglycemia unawareness, limited life expectancy, or frail elderly and/or w/ dementia
What are the A1C targets for children and why?
- A1c targets more relaxed for children b/c being too stringent increases risk of hypoglycemia (has been shown to cause more learning difficulties and cognitive difficulties in children following a tight glucose control)
- < 18 y/o A1c = 7.5% or less
Is a 2% change in A1C a big deal?
- YES!!
- Going from 7% to 9% is huge and has much greater risk of complications
What is the initial dosing range of insulin for type 1 diabetes?
0.5-1 U/kg/day
When may insulin dosing decrease?
- Dose may decrease during a “honeymoon phase” (when insulin causes body to increase insulin production) which can last weeks to months after the initial diagnosis
- 0.2-0.5 U/kg/day
When may insulin dosing increase?
- Dose may increase for children as they enter puberty
- 0.5-1.5 U/kg/day
What should the ratio be for long-acting and rapid-acting insulin?
Typically dosing is approx. 50% basal and 50% rapid-acting split between 3 meals
of insulin units are adjusted based on ____
- BG readings
- Amount of carbs consumed at each meal
- Expected exercise
- Presence of illness
- Changes in age and weight over time
Who requires a basal amount of insulin?
Everyone
What is basal insulin? Give examples
- Long-acting (detemir, glargine; should be clear, throw away if cloudy)
- Intermediate-acting (NPH; should be cloudy)
- Both are given 1-2 times/day
Onset and duration of long-acting insulin
- Onset 90 min
- Duration 16-24 h (detemir) or 24 h (glargine)
- Gives a small amount of insulin for 24 h, doesn’t have a peak
- Glargine is pH dependent (formulated at pH 4)
When should detemir insulin be given and why?
At bed time and in the morning b/c doesn’t last until next bedtime dose if only given at bedtime
Onset and duration of intermediate-acting insulin
- Onset 1-3 h
- Duration < 18 h
Which insulin therapy is preferred for adults and type 1 diabetics?
Basal-bolus insulin therapies (multiple daily injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion)
When should a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion be considered?
If glycemic targets not met w/ optimized multiple daily injections