ENDO: Diabetes Flashcards
Random plasma glucose level for diabetes
> 11 mmol/L
Fasting plasma glucose level for diabetes
> 7mmol/L
If a person has no symptoms how are they diagnosed as diabetic
- GTT (75mg) fasting > 7 or 2h value > 11mmol/L
HbA1c level for diabetes
> 48 mmol/mol
Clinical presentation of diabetes
- Thirst
- Polyuria
- Weight loss + fatigue
- Hunger
- Pruritis vulvae and balanitis
- Blurred vision
What causes polyuria
Osmotic diuresis
Why is there weight loss ann fatigue in diabetes
Lipid and muscle loss due to unrestrained gluconeogenesis
What causes pruritus vulvae
Vaginal candidiasis (fungal infection)
Why is vision blurred in diabetes
Altered acuity due to uptake of glucose/water into the lens
When does type I diabetes present
Childhood
Suggestive features of type I diabetes
- Lean body habitus
- Acute onset of osmotic symptoms
- Prone to ketoacidosis
- High levels of islet autoantibodies
What factor does type I diabetes presentation depend on
Rate of beta-cell destruction
What three features indicate type I diabetes and immediate insulin treatment for any age
- Weight loss
- Short history of severe symptoms
- Large urinary ketones
Suggestive features of type II diabetes
- Presents in over 30
- Gradual onset
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia positive
- Identical twins
What autoantibodies would I find in someone with type I diabetes
- Anti GAD (glutamate decarboxylase)
- Anti Pancreatic islet cell antibody
- Anti Islet antigen-2 Ab
What there autoimmune conditions are associated with diabetes mellitus
- Hypothyroidism
- Addisons
- Coeliac’s
What is the effect of reduced insulin in the body
Leads to fat breakdown and formation of glycerol (a gluconeogenic precursor) and free fatty acids
How do free fatty acids damage the body
- Impair glucose uptake
- Transported to the liver where they undergo gluconeogenesis
- Oxidised to form ketone bodies
What ketone bodies are produced from free fatty acids
- Beta hydroxybutyrate
- Acetoacetate
- Acetone
What is ketoacidosis
- Absence of insulin causes hyperglycaemia and rising ketones
- Glucose and ketones escape in urine but lead to osmotic diuresis and falling blood volume
- Increasing dehydration, hyperglycaemia and acidosis = circulatory collapse and death
Clinical presentation of ketoacidosis
Ketone sin the body cause anorexia and vomiting
Define Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Hyperglycaemia
- Raised plasma ketones
- Metabolic acidosis
What value is hyperglycaemia
<50mmol/L
What value is raised ketones
> 2+
What value defines metabolic acidosis
Plasma HCO3- < 15mmol/L
What causes Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Idiopathic
- Infection/MI
- Treatment errors (stoping insulin dose)
- Previously unknown diabetes
The triad features of DKA
1, Hyperglycaemia
- Ketones
- Acidosis
Symptoms of DKA
- Polyuria
- Polydipsia
- Nausea + vomiting
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Abdo pain (confused with surgical abdomen)
- Drowsiness and confusion
Signs of DKA
- Kussmaul breathing
- Dehydration (loss of 5-6 litres)
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
- Coma
What is Kussmaul breathing
Initially in DKA, breathing is rapid and shallow but deep, laboured gasping occurs when it gets worse - this pattern is Kussmaul breathing
How does Kussmaul breathing effect blood constituents
- Low CO2 and low HCO3-
Diagnostics of DKA
- Hyperglycaemia (<50 mol/L)
- K+ high on presentation despite total body K+ deficit
- HCO3- <15 mol/L
- Urea and creatinine raised due to pre-renal failure
- Urinary ketones > 2+
- Blood ketones >3.0
Why is K+ initially high on presentation of DKA
Acute shift of K+ out of the cell due to acidosis but will fall with rehydration
How is DKA managed
- Rehydration (3L in first 3 hours)
- Insulin
- Replacement of electrolytes (K+)
- Treat underlying cause
- Immediate treatment start!
Why is insulin given in DKA
- Inhibits lipolysis
- Inhibits vetogenesis
- Lowers acidosis
- Reduces gluconeogenesis
- Increase tissue glucose uptake
Complications of DKA
- Cerebral oedema
- Adult respiratory distress syndrome
- Thromboembolism
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Death
what there microvascular complications of diabetes do we get
- NEPHROPATHY (leads to chronic renal failure)
- RETINOPATHY
- NUEUROPATHY
- Cardiomyopathy
- Erectile dysfunction
What neuropathy is seen in diabetics
- Glove in stocking distribution which starts in the feet and moves into the hands
- Autonomic neuropathy
- Diabetic amyotrophy (muscle weakness due to neuropathy)
What happens in diabetic retinopathy
- Damage blood vessels are replaced buy weaker, poor-quality vessels in the retina.
- Causes macular oedema (vision loss and blindness)
How is type I diabetes treated
- Insulin twice daily (short/medium acting insulin)
- Basal bolus pumps (once or twice daily + pre-meal quick acting insulin)
- Ability to judge JHO intake
- Exercise
- Monitoring with blood glucose pens
What microvascular diseases are caused by diabetes
- Angina and MI
- Diabetic myonecrosis (muscle wasting in thigh due to infarcted muscle tissue)
- Peripheral vascular disease causing intermittent claudication
- Diabetic foot
- Female infertility
Why does insulin levels have to be closely monitored
Too high and this can cause hypoglycaemia
What part of the body is susceptible to hypoglycaemia
BRAIN - cerebral dysfunction (loss of concentration, confusion and coma)
What are two physiological defences against hypoglycaemia
- Release of glucagon, adrenaline
What symptoms are seen in hypoglycaemia
- Sweating, tremor, palpitations
2. Hunger and loss of concentration
At what glucose level is sweating, tremor and palpitations seen (autonomic symptoms)
3.8-2.8mM
What is seen at glucose levels of less than 2.8mM
Confusion, drowsiness, speech difficulty (neuroglycopenic symptoms)
What is seen at 1.5 mM glucose level
CONVULSIONS
COMA
HEMIPARESIS
What is HbA1c
- Haemoglobin that is covalently bonded to glucose
Over how long is HbA1c monitored
3 months
Why is the HbA1c test limited to 3 months
RBC lifespan is 120 days
What is the normal range of Hb1Ac
6.7 - 7.6%