Diabetes Flashcards
What are the 2 types of diabetes?
- Type 1
- Type 2
What is type 1 diabetes?
- Auto-immune disease
- Idiopathic (unknown)
- Presents young
- Rapid onset
- Requires insulin for life
- Hallmark-ketones
What triggers type 1 diabetes?
The vast majority of type 1 cases are caused by the autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells, which results in the inability to produce insulin.
The immune system mistakenly identifies these cells as foreign and attacks and destroys them
The precise cause of this error in immune function is unknown, but experts think that some are born with a genetic susceptibility to it.
Then, at some point in their life, an environmental trigger such as a virus or a toxin activates this genetic susceptibility to bring on the immune response that produces type 1 diabetes.
What are some symptoms of hyperglycaemia?
- Increased thirst (polydipsia)
- Increased urination (polyuria)
- Blurry vision
- Fatigue/tiredness
- Slow healing of cuts or wounds
- More frequent infections
- Weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
What complications can arise from chronic hyperglycaemia
- Retinopathy
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Nephropathy
- Autonomic neuropathy
- Peripheral neuropathy
What are some more detailed complicates of hyperglycaemia under retinopathy?
- Macular edema
- Capillary non-perfusion
- Angiogenesis
- Haemorrhage
- Glaucoma
What are some more detailed complications of hyperglycaemia with heart disease?
- Atherosclerosis
- Endothelial dysfunction
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
- Procoagulant state
- Antifilbrinolitic state
- Vascular inflammation
What are some more detailed complications of Hyperglycaemia under nephropathy?
- Damaged Glomeruli
- Hyperfiltration
- Renal damage
What are some more detailed complications for Hyperglycaemia under Peripheral neuropathy?
- Nerve damage
- Ulceration
- Necrosis
What are some more detailed complications for Hyperglycaemia under autonomic neuropathy?
- Nerve damage
- Gastrointestinal dysfunction
- Genitourinary dysfunction
What are some of the causes for Hyperglycaemia?
- Insufficient insulin or oral diabetes medication
- Not injecting insulin properly or using expired insulin
- Diet
- Being inactive
- Illness or infection
- Certain medications, eg steroids, beta blockers
- Injury or surgery
- Experiencing emotional stress, such as family conflict or workplace challenges
What is the definition of Hypergylcaemia?
High Blood Glucose (Blood sugar)
- when the body has not have enough insulin or can’t use it properly
What is the definition of Hypoglycaemia?
Low blood glucose (blood sugar)
Describe Hypoglycaemia
- Always a medical emergency
Consequences include: Sympathetic arousal, collapse, confusion, seizure, coma, death. - Needs IMMEDIATE treatment
- Once the patient stabilised, consider the cause and try to prevent a recurrence.
Name some early symptoms of hypoglycaemia
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Dizziness
- Hunger
- Pins and needles around mouth
- Palpitations
- Headache
How do you prevent Hypoglycaemia?
- Frequent BSL monitoring
- Monitor and encourage food intake
- Anticipate changes in insulin requirements eg. fasting, changes in activity level
- Give dextrose with insulin infusions* (Hospital)
- Educate them about symptoms of hypoglycaemia and encourage them to report these promptly.
- Ask patients on insulin about their experience of hypoglycaemia and awareness threshold.