Endocrinology Flashcards
Definition of diabetes mellitus
- Clinical syndrome associated with chronic hyperglycaemia
- Results from relative insulin deficiency, peripheral tissue insulin resistance or both
Which hormones control blood sugar levels? Where are they released and what is their effect?
-Insulin
Decreases blood sugar levels
Released in hyperglycaemic conditions, inhibited in hypoglycaemic conditions
Produced in B cells of the islets of Langerhans
-Glucagon
Increase blood sugar levels
Released in hypoglycaemic conditions, inhibited in hyperglycaemic
Released from a cells of the Islets of Langerhans
-Cortisol
Steroid hormone of glucocorticoid class
Increases blood sugar levels
Released in stress and hypoglycaemic conditions
Released from zona fasciculta of the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland
Promotes gluconeogenesis
-Catecholamines eg adrenaline
Released in hypoglycaemic conditions, stress response and increase in sympathetic acitvity
Increases blood sugar levels
Released from the adrenal medulla
-Growth hormones
Increases blood sugar levels
Released from pituitary gland
Promotes gluconeogenesis
How does hyperglycaemia typically develop
- Imbalance of glucose homeostatic hormones
- For example, lack of insulin or excess of glucagon/cortisol and catecholamines
Two types of diabetes and definition
-Type 1 Diabetes
Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Results from an autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic B cells
Process occurs in genetically susceptible individuals
Autoantibodies directed against insulin
Association with other organ-specific autoimmune diseases
Sometimes secondary to pancreatitis or pancreatectomy, crushings dx or acromegaly, drugs eg steroids and thiazide diuretic
-Type 2 diabetes
Non-insulin dependent type diabetes
Environmental factors such as central obesity trigger the disease in genetically susceptible individuals
-B cell mass reduced by 50% so hyperglycaemia arrises by inadequate insulin secretion and peripheral tissues that become insulin resistant
Different between IDDM and NIDDM
in terms of
Epidemiology, onset, habitus, weight loss, serum insulin, ethnicity, fam history, aetiology and clinical
-Epidemiology Younger pts (10-20) for Type 1 Older pts (40+) for Type 2
-Onset
Acute for T1
Chronic for T2
-Habitus
Lean for T1
Obese for T2
-Weight loss
Usual for T1
V.rare for T2
-Serum insulin
Low/absent in T1
Normal at rest in T2
-Ethnicity
Often European in T1
Anyone in T2
-Fam history
Uncommon in T1
Frequent in T2
-Aetiology
Autoimmune/viral in T1??
No evidence of immune related in T2
-Clinical
Always require insulin (insulin deficient) in T1
Diet/oral hypoglycaemics as partial insulin deficient they occasionally need insulin in T2
Symptoms of hyperglycaemic
- Excess blood glucose beyond renal re-absorption limit so enters unine and:
- Osmotic diuretic leads to polyuria and thirst as excess fluid and electrolytes lost by the diuretic effect
- Weight loss, lethargy, fluid depletion and fat/protein breakdown as cells cant use glucose
In IDDM, weight loss may be the first symptom
- Blurred vision
- Ketoacidosis
In NIDDM, clinical features also include:
- obesity
- lichen planus, oral candidosis
- CV disease
- neuropathy
- retinopathy
- renal disease
Onset longer with milder signs and symtpoms in older cases
Youngsters can present with a shorter history
Diagnosis diabetes
-A random blood glucose finger-prick test of >11mmol/l is clear cut diabetes
If random is <8, then diabetes in unlikely
-A fasting blood glucose finger prick test of >6.7mmol/l is clear cut diabetes
If fasting is <5.5mmol/l then diabetes is unlikely
If unsure, you can do an equivocal test: Glucose tolerance test
-75g of glucose given orally after an overnight fast
-BG measured at the end of the fast and 2 hours after the glucose
-At the end of the fast:
A BG of >6.7mmol/l suggests diabetes
A BG of <6.7 suggests either normal or impaired glucose tolerance
-2 hours after the glucose:
A BG of >10 suggests DM
A BG of 6.7-10 suggests impaired glucose tolerance
A BG of <6.7 suggests normal
Management of hyperglycaemic patients
- Control and alleviate symptoms of hyperglycaemia
- Achieve best control of blood glucose as near normal as possible
- Minimize long term complications
- Multi-disciplinary team including diabetologist, GMP, dietician, community nurses and GDP
- Improve gingival health
-Specific treatment for IDDM:
Hyperglycaemia controlled with insulin
3 types of insulin:
Actrapid- fast acting (onset 15-60 mins duration 4-6hrs)
Monotard- intermediate acting (12-24hrs) or long acting (>24hrs)
Mixtard- mixture of long and shorting insulins
-Specific tx for NIDDM:
Dietary control- help and encourage pts to lose weight
Oral Hypoglycaemics as shown below:
Sulphonylureas-increase B cell insulin secretions and reduce peripheral resistance to insulin action
Glibenclamide
Tolbutamide
Boguandines- MOST COMMON (METFORMIN)- decreases gut absorption and increases peripheral tissue insulin sensitivity. It also does not increase apetite so good for the obese. But may cause diarrhoea and lactic acidosis
Measuring control of blood glucose levels
-Fingerprick glucose:
Read by test strips or digital readout glucometer
-Urine dipstix:
Crude as glucose only appears in urine if blood glucose exceeds the renal threshold of that individual
Info often out of date as well because urine lags behind blood
-Lab serum glucose
More accurate
Gives accurate level at the time of test
But have to wait a while cus youre sending it off
-HbA1c
Long term control review is useful measure of average control over life of Hb molecule (6 weeks)
Examples of diabetic emergencies
-Acute Hypoglycaemia
-Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Both can lead to hypoglycaemic coma
Also diabetic collapse is an emergency
Acute Hypoglycaemia definition and causes
- Type 1 diabetic becoming hypoglycaemic
- Blood glucose<2.2mmol/l
- Frequent complication of insulin therapy
-Sometimes a problem with sulphonylurea drugs
-Liver and renal failure jeopardises hepatic and renal cortical gluconeogenesis
-Excess alcohol inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis
-Insulinomas produce an excess hormone
-Addison’s disease leads to low cortisone production which impairs gluconeogenesis
-Self-management problem:
Pt must match insulin dose to dietary intake
If pts vomits or skips meal then normal insulin dose can lead to relative overdose and hypoglycaemic risk
Signs and symptoms of acute hypoglycaemia
- Increased sympathetic tone
- Causes hunger, sweating, pallor and tachycardia
- Personality changes such as aggression, peripheral tingling and altered sensations
- Fits, hemiparesis and ultimately coma will supervene
What kind of pts are most at risk to acute hypoglycaemia and why
- Those with autonomic neuropathy
- They lose early warning signs such as sweating, pallor and hunger
Investigations of acute hypoglycaemia
- Finger prick blood glucose AND lab serum glucose
- But tx begins while awaiting the results
Tx for acute hypoglycaemia
-If patient is conscious, rapid ingestion of sugar is essential
-If pt is unconcious then IV glucose can be given (50ml 50% dextrose)
or glucagon (1mg through an intramuscular injection)
Never give glucagon twice
- Should be followed by in-patient care aimed at sustained glucose supply
- To match relative insulin excess
- Constant blood glucose monitoring
- Until the cause of hypo is identified and rectified
If you think a pt has collapsed because of hyperglycaemia but not 100% sure what should you give the pt
Dextrose
NEVER GIVE INSULIN IF IN DOUBT
Extra glucose does fuck all if hyperglycaemic but in hypoglycaemia it can become a fatality
Complication of diabetes
- Poorer control and earlier onset reduces life expectancy
- Main causes of death over 50 include heart disease, atheroma, stroke, peripheral vascular disease
-Macrovascular
Accelerated atheroma- additive with other large vessel disease risk factors (hypertensions, hyperlipidaemia and smoking)
Stroke (Ischaemic heart disease/MI or ischaemia limbs/gangrene)
-Microvascular (body wide but 3 main sites of danger)
1) diabetic retinopathy- blindness
2) diabetic nephropathy- renal failure
3) diabetic neuropathy- irreversible glove and stocking loss of peripheral sensation
autonomic system failures eg impotence, loss of joint and position sense
-Infection
Poorly controlled diabetes reduces polymorph function so can lead to increased risk of UTI and skin infections
-Skin
Lipodermatosclerosis- fatty lumps at repeatedly over used injection sites
Necrobiosis liopoidica diabeticorum= red waxy brown deposits on the shins
Granuloma annulare= fleshy nodules over extensor surfaces of the fingers
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Dont understand this need to look it up
Special circumstances of DM
-If pregnant
Poorly controleld diabetic women run greater risk of congenital defects in pregnancy
-If undergoing surgery
Smooth diabetic control minimizes the risk of hypo/hyperglycaemic infections
Provides the best control/balance to starvation and body’s catabolic response to surgery
For IDDM:
First on op list
Convert long to short acting insulins 1-2 days before
5% dextrose/insulin given during surgery and until normal eating is resumed
Either by infusions or a sliding scale
For NIDDM:
Convert long to short acting drugs prior to surgery date
Consider IV regimes if procedure too long or wont allow post op eating
Dental Relevance of Diabetes Mellitus
- Increased incidence of caries and other dental infections
- Predisposed to oral candidasis
- Periodontal disease
- Xerostomia
- Sialosis
- Oral hypoglycaemia may be associated (lichenoid reactions)
- Peripheral mononeuropathy may present in the facial and oropharyngeal area
- Timings of appointments is important to minimize risk of a hypoglycaemic event occuring
- Dental procedure may be complicated by long-term medical problems of diabetes including ischaemic heart disease, chronic renal failure and autonomic and peripheral neuropathy
- Avoid appointments at the end of the day in case a complication occurs
- routine tx under LA should be undertaken so that completion of the dental procedure and recovery occurs before a meal is due
- For GA, appropriate referral to a specialist center is necessary
Adrenal gland functional parts and respective functions
-Adrenal medulla (inner)= involved in catecholamine (adrenaline) production
-Adrenal Cortex (outer) consists of 3 parts:
zona glomerulosa- aldosterone
zona fasciculata- glucocorticoids (cortisol)
zona reticularis- sex hormones
Functions of glucocorticoids and what is the main glucocorticoid
- Increase protein catabolism
- Increase gluconeogenesis
- Increase glycogenolysis
- Sensitize arterioles to noradrenaline action which is vital to blood pressure maintenance
-Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid
How is glucocorticoid secretion regulated
- Higher centres lead to increased secretion of CRF from hypothalamus
- Leads to increased ACTH from the anterior pituitary gland
- CRF release has a circadian rhythm which is minimal at midnight and peaks at 8am
-ACTH leads to increased production and release of cortisol from the cortex of the adrenal gland
Outline syndromes related to glucocorticoid secretions
- Deficiency of ACTH is a sign of secondary adrenal insufficiency (suppressed production of ACTH due to an impairment of pituitary gland or hypothalamus)
- Addison’s syndrome occurs when adrenal gland production of cortisol is chronically deficient (primary adrenal insuficiency), leading to chronically elevated ACTH levels
- Cushing’s syndrome occurs in prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol
Cushing’s disease v Cushing’s syndrome
- Cushing’s syndrome encompasses all the signs and symtpoms due to prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol
- Many causes including medication (most commonly) and due to a pituitary adenoma (2nd most common)
- If the cause is related to an increase in ACTH (often caused by a pituitary adenoma), then it is known as Cushing’s disease
Cushing’s syndrome definition and aetiology
-Persistant and inappropriately high plasma cortisol levels
- Most commonly caused by exogenously supplied steroid eg. asthma, Rh A and MS (medications)
- Cushing’s disease is different- refers to glucocorticoid excess secondary to inappropriate ACTH secretion only (often due to a pituitary adenoma)
-Can also be ACTH-independent such as an adrenal adenoma or adrenal carcinoma, which would secrete more cortisol independent of ACTH levels