Diabetes Flashcards
Which type of diabetes involves a complete absence of insulin production?
Type 1, none produced by pancreas, normally younger people. May lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) -> coma -> death
What is DKA?
Cannot use sugar as energy due to lack of insulin.
Body breaks down fat as an alternative fuel source.
What are the symptoms of DKA? (P.P.N.A.T.S)
Polyuria (Pee) Polydipsia (thirst) Nausea Abdominal pain Tiredness SoB
Why can smelling someone’s breath diagnose DKA?
Excess ketones in the body may be detected via fruit-smelling breath. (Only occurs for 20% of patients tho)
Which type of diabetes, if untreated, can lead to DKA?
Type 1.
How rapidly can DKA develop?
Over 1 day.
Why does DKA occur?
Insulin suppresses lipolysis, so an absence means that fat is broken down and converted to ketones in the liver which are acidic.
When does DKA commonly occur?
Not using insulin.
Illness/Infection.
Surgery.
Often the first sign someone has of being diabetic.
What is the first step to treating DKA?
Fluid replacement.
Then insulin and possibly glucose administration.
Why is fluid replacement necessary for DKA treatment?
Aims to correct hypotension by restoration of circulatory volume, clear the ketones and correct electrolyte imbalances.
What is the recommended replacement fluid for DKA and why?
0.9% sodium chloride, it needs to be crystalloid (balanced salt solutions that freely cross capillary walls) rather than colloid.
What is the recommended volume of fluid replacement and over what period?
6-8L, very patient dependent, over 24 hours.
What monitoring needs to take place of a patient receiving fluids for DKA?
BP, electrolytes.
Specifically Na and Ca.
Also: U&Es, HCO3, anion gap, Blood plasma glucose, venous pH, fluid balance, urine ketones, FBC, ECG, Chest X-ray.
How often does blood plasma glucose monitoring of a DKA patient need to occur?
Hourly
Why does an ECG investigation of DKA patients need to be performed?
Exclude MI
Why does a chest X-ray of DKA patients need to occur?
Exclude Pneumonia
For DKA, an intravenous insulin infusion given at what rate is recommended?
0.1 units/kg/hour OR 6 units per hour.
Why is a 6 units/hour regime of insulin infusion for DKA not recommended?
It doesn’t work well in the overweight or underweight.
The dose of insulin infusion would be increased in DKA treatment when blood ketones have not fallen by at least ______
Reduction of the blood ketone concentration by at least 0.5mmol/L/hr
The dose of insulin infusion would be increased in DKA treatment when glucose has not fallen by at least ______
if <5mmol/L/Hr reduction in glucose.
The dose of insulin infusion would be increased in DKA treatment when CAPILLARY glucose has not fallen by at least ______
<3mmol/L/hr
The dose of insulin infusion would be increased in DKA treatment when venous bicarbonate levels have not risen by at least_____
3mmol/L/hr
How is an insulin infusion for DKA treatment formulated?
Concentration of 1 unit/ml, mix 50 units of short acting insulin with 50ml normal saline. Put into pump and adjust rate to 6ml/hour or adjust based on weight.
If 6U/hour is not enough for DKA treatment, what can this be increased to?
8U/hr then 12U/hr then seek specialist.
If a patient has DKA, and we are administering large amounts of insulin, which electrolyte will be impacted the most?
K+.
Need to monitor it and maybe add more.
In what circumstances would the dose of insulin infusion be increased in DKA treatment? [4]
- if <5mmol/L/Hr reduction in glucose.
- <3mmol/L/hr rise in venous bicarbonate.
- <3mmol/L/hr drop in cap blood glucose
- If blood ketones have not reduced by at least 0.5mmol/L/hr
Insulin for DKA is given at a concentration of _____, which is done by mixing ____ of ______ insulin with _____ normal saline. That is then put into a pump and adjusted to _____ and then this might get adjusted depending on the patient.
Insulin for DKA is given at a concentration of 1 unit/ml, which is done by mixing 50 units of short acting insulin with 50ml normal saline. That is then put into a pump and adjusted to 6ml/hour and then this might get adjusted depending on the patient.
Why does insulin impact K+ levels?
Drives K+ back into cells, a short-term effect. Lowers potassium levels.
At what stage do we give a DKA patient glucose IV and what concentration recommended?
When blood glucose below 13mmol/L. 10% glucose until normal eating and drinking habits have returned.
Why would a VTE assessment of a DKA patient be undertaken?
Dehydration is a risk factor for VTE.
If a DKA patient takes long-acting insulin, can this be continued while receiving treatment?
Yes, not short-acting though.
If the patient is on basal-bolus schedule, the basal insulin is continued, but the DKA treatment is replacing the bolus part - we want the baseline insulin.
Blood glucose is monitored either _________, depending on how ill the patient is, and the insulin is adjusted according to that.
Blood glucose is monitored either every 20 minutes, 30 minutes or hourly, depending on how ill the patient is, and the insulin is adjusted according to that.
To prepare an insulin intravenous sliding scale, ________________ should be diluted up to ____________, so that a concentration of ______is achieved. The infusion rate is set depending on the last blood glucose value recorded.
To prepare an insulin intravenous sliding scale, Human Actrapid Insulin (short-acting insulin) 50 units should be diluted up to 50mls 0.9% sodium chloride solution, so that a concentration of 1unit/ml is achieved. The infusion rate is set depending on the last blood glucose value recorded.
What effect does infection have on glucose production?
Increases it, so insulin requirements go up.
What is hypoglycaemia defined as?
<4mmol/L glucose. Low glucose impairs brain function.
What are the typical causes of hypoglycaemia?
Too much insulin or not enough food.
Too much exercise or alcohol.
Long-acting insulin can cause morning hypoglycaemia.
Liver or kidney disease.
What are the signs of hypoglycaemia?
Feeling shaky, sweating, tingling in the lips, going pale, heart pounding, confusion and irritability.
How is hypoglycemia treated?
Oral sugar 10-20grams glucose (10g in 100ml of coke).
Glucagon IM
Glucogel
Follow-up with more carbohydrate rich meal.
What is a basal bolus insulin regimen?
Involves multiple daily injections: a long- or intermediate acting insulin is injected once or twice a day, PLUS a bolus injection of a short-acting insulin is injected before each meal.
Who would normally use a basal bolus insulin regimen?
T1DM.
What are the purpose of the different injections in a basal bolus insulin regimen?
The bolus injections of short-acting insulin control postprandial peaks.
The daily injections regulate basal hepatic glucose output.
What is a biphasic insulin regimen?
An alternative to the basal bolus regimen. Mixture or short- and long- acting insulin in fixed dose preps.
Injections twice a day.
What are the main types of insulin?
Rapid-acting insulin. Short-acting insulin. Intermediate acting insulin. Long-acting insulin. Biphasic insulin.
What is biphasic insulin.
Mixture of short or rapid acting and intermediate acting insulin. Useful for patients who do not want too many injections per day.
What is the difference between rapid-acting and short-acting insulin?
Rapid: reduced risk of severe hypoglycaemia, can be injected just before a meal.
More expensive than short-acting.