Diabetes Flashcards
What cBG is hypoglycaemia?
<2.5mmol/L
What cBG is normoglycaemia?
3-5mmol/L fasting
7-8mmol/L post-prandial
What cBG is hyperglycaemia?
> 10mmol/L
How is insulin synthesised?
From proinsulin. 23 amino acids removed to make insulin
Insulin half life
3-5 mins
What do the different cells in the Islets of Langerhans produce
β-cells; release insulin α-cell; release glucagon δ-cells; release somatostatin ε-cells; release ghrelin PP-cells; release pancreatic polypeptide
How is insulin release triggered by presence of glucose?
- Uptake by B cells
- K channels close, depolarisation
- Ca2+ influx
- release of insulin
How is insulin release triggered by gut hormones?
- rise in serum GLP-1
- activation of GLP-1 receptor on B cells
- cell signalling
- insulin release
What is ghrelin?
Hunger hormone
What effect does insulin have on cells?
- binds to insulin receptor on cell surface
- conformation change, switch on kinase activity of receptor (phosphorylates)
- activates many processes in the cell - cascade
- activates (and increases number of) transporters in the membrane, to increase glucose uptake
How does insulin reduce blood sugar?
- increased glucose uptake into cells
- convert glucose to glycogen
- decrease glycogen breakdown
- increase fat stores
- increase protein production
Which systems increase food intake (towards hyperglyc.)?
GI tract and CNS (through hunger)
Which systems increase glucose production?
Liver and adipocytes
Which systems increase glucose reabsorption?
Kidneys
Which tissues increase glucose utilisation?
All of them. Especially liver and skeletal muscle
Which systems increase glucose storage?
Liver and adipocytes
Which systems increase glucose loss?
kidneys
How to adipocytes control blood glucose?
Lipolysis, glucose uptake, leptin
Definition of Diabetes?
When the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body cannot use it. Leads to hyperglycaemia
Non-medical causes of hypoglycaemia?
- inadequate food intake
- insulin overdose
- sulfonylurea overdose
Medical causes of hypoglycaemia?
- insulinoma
- hyperinsulinism
- nocturnal hypo with T1
- gastric bypass associated hypo
- transient neonatal hypo
Symptoms of hypoglycaemia?
Autonomic: hunger, sweating, shaking, heart rate increased, nausea, headache
Neuroglycopaenic: confusion, drowsiness, odd behaviour, incoherent speech, poor co-ordination
When to use glucagon therapy?
Severe hypoglycaemia when oral glucose not possible or desired
What form is glucagon therapy in?
Injection (iv, im, sc). Must be reconstituted
Side effects of glucagon therapy?
Headache and nausea
What is diazoxide therapy?
For severe hypoglycaemia. Reverses the depolarisation effect that glucose has on B cells
Side effects of diazoxide?
Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, hypotension, oedema, tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertrichosis (prolonged use)
4 T’s of Type 1 Diabetes?
Toilet, Thirst, Tired, Thinner
How do the majority of T1 diabetics present?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
What is DKA?
Response to absense of insulin
- hyperglycaemia
- increased urine output - dehydration
- suppressed lipolysis –> ketones
Why is DKA dangerous?
profound acidosis (often <7), severe dehydration
Symptoms of DKA
tachypnoea, altered mental state (drowsiness/coma, mistaken for drunkenness), nausea, vomiting, abdo pain
Fluid Resuscitation in DKA
First hour - isotonic only, give slowly (rapid leads to cerebral oedema and death)
Insulin administration in DKA
Given on a sliding scale (0.05-0.1unit/kg/hour), monitor cBG hourly, maintenance fluid once cBG <15
DKA Maintenance fluid amount in adults?
Max 2L / day
What fluid should be given for DKA management?
isotonic, glucose containing, with KCl (for kidneys, insulin lowers potassium)
At what point can you reduce iv insulin in DKA?
<3mmol/L (increase glucose and insulin if not dropping)
Correct order of treatment once a DKA patient is ready to eat?
- Eat and give sc insulin
- wait 30 minutes
- stop glucose iv
- stop insulin sliding scale
DKA in children - fluids?
50% volume of normal.
10kg - 2mL/kg/hour, 10-40kg - 1mL/kg/hour. >40kg, 40mL/hour (not weight based).
Replace deficit over 48 hours not 24
When to start sc insulin in children with DKA?
cBg <14mmol/L, ketones <3mmol/L, resolved acidosis, oral fluids tolerated
What are the complications of DKA?
fatality 0.15-0.31% of children. Most common cause is cerebral oedema (>4mL/kg/h, hypotonic fluid).
symptoms: bradycardia, dilated pupils, altered mental state
What insulin regimens are available for T1 Diabetics?
Basal bolus or biphasic
What is basal bolus insulin?
Long acting insulin OD or BD, plus rapid acting insulin with meals
What types of insulins are available for basal bolus?
Rapid acting, short acting, intermediate acting, long acting, super long acting
Onset time of short acting insulin?
30 mins - 1 hour
Peak time for short acting insulin?
2-3 hours
Duration of action for short acting insulin?
8-10 hours
Examples of short acting insulins?
Human Actrapid, Humulin S, Insuman Rapid
Onset time of rapid acting insulins?
5-15 mins
Structural changes to rapid acting insulins?
Changed last few amino acids - quicker penetration through s/c tissue
Peak time for rapid acting insulins?
30-90 mins
Duration of action for rapid acting insulins?
4-6 hours
Examples of rapid acting insulins?
Humalog (insulin lispro), Novorapid (insulin aspart), Apidra (insulin glulisine)
What is the insulin balancing act?
Decreased BG: exercise and insulin
Increased BG: Food and stress hormones
Onset time of intermediate acting insulins?
2-4 hours
Peak time for intermediate acting insulins?
4-10 hours
Duration of action for intermediate acting insulins?
12-18 hours
Examples of intermediate acting insulins?
Human insulatard
Humulin 1
Insuman Basal
Onset time of long acting insulins?
2-4 hours
Peak time of long acting insulins?
no peak, mimics basal output in non-diabetics
Duration of action of long acting insulins?
20-24 hours
Examples of long acting insulins?
Insulin Glargine (Lantus or Abasaglar), Detemir (Levemir)
NICE indication for ultra long acting insulins?
3rd line when other long acting have failed
Duration of action of ultra long acting insulins?
up to 42 hours
When are ultra long acting insulins beneficial?
Troublesome nocturnal hypos, or non-adherent patients who forget their insulin
When is non-human insulin used?
Rarely. Only for patients who have used historically, or unable to tolerate human insulin
When should blood glucose be monitored?
before meals, before bed
Blood glucose monitoring requirements for driving?
Check before, then every 2 hours
Which dose would need to be adjusted if cBG was abnormal before breakfast?
evening long acting
Which dose would need to be adjusted if cBG was abnormal before dinner?
lunch quick acting
How much support should patients get in the first 6 months?
lots. help with dose titration based on cBG diaries
When can’t patients move to self adjustment?
Non-adherent or those on biphasic insulins
What does DAFNE stand for?
Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating
What does DAFNE involve?
Calculating insulin dose based on carb content of meals
What are the benefits of DAFNE?
Saves NHS money, patients can eat more freely, reduced complications, reflects natural insulin response
What is biphasic insulin made up of?
Short or rapid acting insulin in a protamine suspension
Some in a complex so isn’t immediately released
Onset time for biphasic insulins?
approx 30 minutes
Duration of action of biphasic insulins?
12 hours
Peak time for biphasic insulins?
1-2 hours
What patients is biphasic insulin suitable for?
Those that struggle with multiple injections, those unable to carb count
Examples of biphasic insulins?
Humulin M3, Insuman Comb 15,25, 50, Humalog Mix 25, 50, Novomix 30
Biphasic insulin regime?
2 injections a day, breakfastand evening meal
What is hypoglycaemia for people with medication controlled diabetes?
<4mmol/L
What to do when diabetic patient is hypoglycaemic?
Lucozade or other sugary drink, meal or snack.
If in hospital, dextrose tabs/glucogel, meal or snack.
If unconscious, Glucagon IM followed by 10% glucose 100mL/h
What 4 things need to be remembered on Sick days?
S - sugar. check every 2-3 hours
I - insulin. continue to avoid DKA
C - carbs. continue to take sugar to avoid hypo.
K - ketones. check urine, take rapid acting if present. drink plenty of water.
What route is insulin administered via?
S/c injection
Which insulins should always be timed with food?
short, biphasic or intermediate
When in relation to meals should insulin be given?
30 mins before, rapid acting can be given 5 mins after
When can IV insulin be given?
in hospital for close control - DKA or peri-op
How to remove air from the needle?
Eject 2 units
What angle should it be injected?
90 degrees
What types of insulin device can you get?
refillable pens, pre-filled pens, single use needles + vials (rarely used out of hospital)