Diabetes Introduction Flashcards
What is diabetes mellitus?
A chronic condition characterised by abnormally raised levels of blood glucose.
What percentage of the NHS budget is estimated to be spent on managing patients with diabetes mellitus?
8%.
What are the main focuses of diabetes management?
Reducing the incidence of macrovascular and microvascular complications.
What is type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)?
An autoimmune disorder where the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed, leading to absolute insulin deficiency.
At what age do patients typically develop type 1 diabetes mellitus?
In childhood or early adult life.
What is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)?
The most common cause of diabetes, caused by a relative deficiency of insulin due to excess adipose tissue.
What is prediabetes?
A condition where patients do not yet meet the criteria for T2DM but are likely to develop it.
What is gestational diabetes?
Raised glucose levels that develop during pregnancy, which can lead to adverse outcomes if untreated.
What is maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY)?
A group of inherited genetic disorders affecting insulin production, leading to symptoms similar to T2DM.
What is latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA)?
A form of autoimmune diabetes that develops later in life, often misdiagnosed as T2DM.
What can cause diabetes besides autoimmune issues?
Pathological processes damaging insulin-producing cells, such as chronic pancreatitis and haemochromatosis.
What are the key symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus?
- Weight loss
- Polydipsia
- Polyuria
- Possible diabetic ketoacidosis.
What are the key symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus?
- Polydipsia
- Polyuria
- Often detected incidentally on routine blood tests.
What is the main mechanism causing polyuria and polydipsia in diabetes?
Osmotic effects of excess blood glucose being excreted in the urine.
What are the four main ways to check blood glucose?
- Finger-prick bedside glucose monitor
- One-off blood glucose test
- HbA1c test
- Glucose tolerance test.
What is the diagnostic fasting glucose level for diabetes?
Greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/l.
What is the diagnostic random glucose level for diabetes?
Random glucose greater than or equal to 11.1 mmol/l (or after 75g oral glucose tolerance test)
What HbA1c value is diagnostic of diabetes mellitus?
Greater than or equal to 6.5% (48 mmol/mol).
What is the first-line drug for managing type 2 diabetes?
Metformin.
What are the main side effects of insulin therapy?
- Hypoglycaemia
- Weight gain
- Lipodystrophy.
What is the mechanism of action of metformin?
Increases insulin sensitivity and decreases hepatic gluconeogenesis.
What are sulfonylureas used for?
Stimulating pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin.
What is the only currently available thiazolidinedione?
Pioglitazone.
What do DPP-4 inhibitors do?
Increase incretin levels which inhibit glucagon secretion.
What is the mechanism of action of SGLT-2 inhibitors?
Inhibit reabsorption of glucose in the kidney.
What are GLP-1 agonists known for?
Incretin mimetics that inhibit glucagon secretion.
True or False: Patients with type 1 diabetes always require insulin.
True.
Fill in the blank: The principle of managing diabetes mellitus includes ______ to normalise blood glucose levels.
[drug therapy].
