Phase 2 - endocrine Flashcards
What occurs in the fasting state in a non-diabetic human
All glucose from liver (some from kidney)
- breakdown of glycogen
- gluconeogenesis
glucose delivered to insulin independent tissues, brain and RBCs
Insulin levels are low
Muscle uses free fatty acids for fuel (even low levels of insulin will prevent unrestrained breakdown of fat)
alpha cells unrestrained so glucagon secretion
What occurs after feeding (post prandial) in a healthy human
Physiological need to dispose of a nutrient load
- Rising glucose (5-10 min after eating) stimulates insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon
- Ingested glucose helps to replenish glycogen stores both in liver and muscle
- High insulin and glucose levels suppress lipolysis and levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA or FFA) fall (don’t produce any more ketones)
* Alpha cells kept in state of chronic inhibition (via local insulin release from beta cells)
What % of ingested glucose normally goes to which tissues?
40% of ingested glucose goes to liver and 60% to periphery, mostly muscle
Define diabetes mellitus
A group of chronic disorders characterised by the body’s impaired ability to produce or respond to insulin resulting in abnormal glucose metabolism leading to HYPERGLYCAEMIA
Types of diabetes mellitus
- Type 1
- Type 2
- GESTATIONAL (occurs during pregnancy - usually goes after birth)
- MATURITY ONSET DIABETES OF THE YOUNG (MODY) - autosomal dominant (range of types but usually affects production of insulin)
- NEONATAL diabetes
- WOLFRAM syndrome (rare genetic disorder associated with diabetes mellitus, insipidus, optic atrophy and deafness)
- ALSTROM syndrome (rare genetic syndrome with retinal degradation (first feature noticed in childhood), hearing loss, cardiomyopathy, obesity, type 2 diabetes et more)
- LATENT AUTOIMMUNE DIABETES IN ADULTS (LADA or type 1.5 diabetes - looks similar to type 1 but with some characteristics of type 2)
- Type 3 diabetes (another disease damages pancreas e.g. cancer)
- STEROID INDUCED diabetes (steroids can increase blood glucose levels)
- CYSTIC FIBROSIS diabetes (build up of mucus can lead to inflammation and scarring of pancreas which can damage cells producing insulin) - DUE TO PANCREATITIS
Risk factors for type 1 diabetes
Northern European - esp Finnish
Family history of DM T1
Genetic predisposition- HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4 / HLA DQ8 (heuman leukocyte antigen genes - name of mhc in humans) in > this occurs in 90% of cases
ENVIRONMENTAL factors- exposure to a specific virus
Family or personal history of autoimmune disease
What is the pathophysiology of diabetes type 1
Glucose is unable to enter the cells of the body as the GLUT transporter (specifically GLUT4) is insulin dependent. This means without insulin, the GLUT4 dont bind to the cell membrane and glucose cannot be transported into cells. All the glucose then stays in the blood which causes hyperglycaemia.
As the cells are unable to access the glucose, the body thinks it is in a fasting state and gluconeogenesis occurs which increases the hyperglycaemia.
What is the typical presentation (Sx) of type 1 diabetes mellitus?
Manifests in CHILDHOOD. Commonly present with DKA.
Get polydipsia (extreme thirst), polyuria, sudden unexplained weight loss
Why is polydipisa a sign/symptom of diabetes mellitus
Excessive water excretion (due to osmotic diuresis from presence of increased glucose) leaves the body thirsty as the thirst centre in the hypothalamus is stimulated.
Explain why polyuria and glycosuria are signs/symptoms of diabetes mellitus?
Glucose draws water into the urine by osmosis this is called osmotic diuresis.
There is high levels of glucose in the blood and not enough glucose can be reabsorbed as kidneys have reached the renal maximum reabsorptive capacity of glucose.
Thus excessive levels of glucose and water are excreted
Why is weight loss a symptom/sign of diabetes mellitus?
Excessive fluid depletion and the accelerated breakdown of fat (lipolysis) and muscle (proteolysis) secondary to insulin deficiency causing weight loss. Sudden weight loss is more common in T1 DM as there is absolute insulin deficiency which means lipolysis and proteolysis occur much more suddenly/quickly compared to T2 DM as T1 has no insulin so no glucose can enter the cells whereas in T2 DM insulin is still produced (relative insulin deficiency) so not as much lipolysis and proteolysis occur until Diabetes is more advanced.
How is diabetes mellitus 1 diagnosed in a symptomatic patient
Symptoms of diabetes mellitus AND
RAISED PLASMA GLUCOSE detected ONCE
- if fasting glucose measured it should be >/= to7mmol/L of glucose
- if random glucose measured: >/= 11.1 mmol/L
What is the normal blood sugar range?
When fasting: 4.0 -5.4 mmol/L (less than 3.9 mmol/L is low and less than 3.0 mmol/L is dangerously low; cause for immediate action)
2 hours after eating: up to 7.8mmol/L
What would a diagnostic blood test for diabetes yield if done on a healthy person?
Random glucose: Below 11.1 mmol/L
Fasting glucose: Below 5.5 mmol/L
2 hour post prandial: Below 7.8mmol/L
How is diabetes diagnosed in an asymptomatic patient
MUST show raised glucose on 2 SEPERATE occasions
- if fasting glucose measured it should be >/= to7mmol/L of glucose
- if random glucose measured: >/= 11.1 mmol/L
- if Oral Glucose tolerence test done:
* Fasting: ≥7mmol/L
* 2 hrs after glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L
What HbA1c level is indicative of DM
≥6.5% (≥48 mmol/mol)– don’t tend to use for T1 as T1 is sudden onset and HbA1c gives average for the last 3 months
42-47 mmol/mol or 6-6.4% is indicative of pre-diabetes
Why is it recommended that patient’s cycle their insulin injection sites
Injecting into the same spot can cause a condition called “lipodystrophy”, where the subcutaneous fat hardens and patients do not absorb insulin properly from further injections into this spot.
A 3-year-old boy with a history of Type 1 diabetes mellitus presents to Accident and Emergency with vomiting and lethargy. On examination, he appears dehydrated. Capillary blood gas and capillary blood ketone tests are performed, which confirm a diagnosis of moderate diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Which of the following treatments should be commenced first?
IV insulin infusion
IV sodium bicarbonate
IV 0.9% sodium chloride
Oral fluids and subcutaneous insulin
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pump
Initial management of DKA involves FLUID AND POTASSIUM replacement in order to correct the hypovolaemia, acidosis, ketonemia and total body hypokalaemia associated with this condition. So IV 0.9% sodium chloride is right ans.
It is important to note that fluid replacement, though vital to treatment, should be cautious as there is also an increased risk of cerebral oedema with fluid overload in DKA patients. Therefore, fluid boluses should be avoided if possible and fluid should be replaced at a slightly reduced rate
Define diabetic ketoacidosis
a life threatening, medical emergency. It is defined by its diagnosis
To diagnose DKA you require:
Hyperglycaemia (i.e. blood glucose > 11 mmol/l)
Ketosis (i.e. blood ketones > 3 mmol/l)
Acidosis (i.e. pH < 7.3)
normal pH range of human insides
7.35 - 7.45
Normal blood ketone level
less than 0.6 mmol/L
Causes/risk factors for DKA
*Untreated T1DM or Interruption of insulin therapy
*Undiagnosed DM
*Infection/Illness
*Myocardial Infarction (which is also at increased risk of happening in a low glucose, high ketone/fatty acid environment)
Pathophysiology of DKA
- Ketoacidosis: state of uncontrolled catabolism associated with insulin deficiency
COMPLETE absence of insulin -> unrestrained increased hepatic gluconeogenesis and decreased peripheral glucose uptake -> (hyperglycaemia) -> osmotic diuresis (icreased glucose in urine pulls more water into urine) by kidneys -> DEHYDRATION/loss of electrolytes
Peripheral lipolysis -> increased circulating free fatty acids -> FFAs undergo ketogenesis -> converted to ketone bodies in mitochondira -> acummulate causing METABOLIC ACIDOSIS
POTASSIUM imbalance: insulin normally drives potassium into cells. In DKA serum potassium high or normal (excess lost via urine) but total body potassium low (no potassium stored in cells)
What is a potential danger that can occur once insulin treatment is started after being diabetic ketoacidotic
Severe hypokalaemia can occur quickly as K+ can now be transported into cells via increased sodium-potassium pump activity as insulin is present leaving less K+ in serum. This can lead to fatal arrhytmias and weakness (heart and muscles struggle to contract)