Practice Questions Flashcards
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes Mellitus refers to a group of metabolic disorders in which persistent hyperglycaemia (random plasma glucose- the oral glucose tolerance test- more than 11 mmol/L or the fasting glucose is 7 mmol/l or more) is caused by deficient insulin secretion, resistance to the action of insulin, or both.
Insulin deficiency and insulin resistance lead to the abnormalities of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism that are characteristic of diabetes mellitus.
What is a health belief?
A health belief is a idea or concept held by an individual which may not have a factual basis to it.
EG) Although they are overweight they are not as bad as other people
EG) They have stressful lives and deserve to enjoy their food
What are the Zola’s triggers for consultation?
- The occurrence of an interpersonal crisis: like divorce/death
- Perceived interference with social or personal relations: can’t play golf anymore
- Perceived interference with vocational or physical activity: can’t do job
- “Temporalising” - setting a personal deadline.
- “Sanctioning” - pressure from other people to consult.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
- age – being over the age of 40
- ethnicity- the risk increases from over 25 for people of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean or black African origin
- genetics – having a close relative with the condition, such as a parent, brother or sister
- weight – being overweight or obese
- women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy also have a greater risk of developing diabetes later in life.
- women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome ( PCOS)
Briefly outline the pathophysiology that leads to polydipsia and polyuria in diabetes?
Worsening symptoms of thirst and needing to pass urine all the time. This is because her kidneys can’t remove all the excess glucose from the blood and then reabsorb it again. This means the excess glucose is excreted in the urine, as glucose leaves it makes water leave too due to osmosis. The excess water removed causes excess urine and thirst. She felt tired a lot of the time:this may be due to dehydration, and duet to the body’s inability to use the sugar in the blood. Vaginal thrush twice in the last month: high levels of glucose in the urine may help yeast to grow causing vaginal infection.
How does Metformin work? What are the most common side effects experienced by patients?
Metformin works in two ways:
It helps to stop the liver producing new glucose
It helps to overcome insulin resistance by making insulin carry glucose into muscle cells more effectively.
Most common side effects of this medication include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Unusual taste, lack of appetite, abdominal pain
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of the micro and microvascular damage caused by diabetes.
Uncontrolled hyperglycaemia induces changes to the microvascular system affecting the retina, nerves, kidney by the following mechanisms:
- extracellular protein matrix synthesis
- thickening of the basement membrane
- advanced glycation end products
- oxidative stress
- low grade inflammation
Damage to the macrovascular system is mainly through the process of atherosclerosis, but it is thought that microangiopathy of the vasa vasorum accelerates the development of atherosclerosis.
19-year-old male presents to the emergency department after suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for the past three days and has been unable to tolerate any oral intake for the past 24 hours. Despite this he is still passing lots of urine. He feels weak and tired. He looks unwell, dehydrated and there is a sweet, fruity smell to his breath. What is the class of diabetic medication that this could be a rare but major side effect of.
Dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitors
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists
Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors
Sulfonylureas
Thiazolidinedione
A 19-year-old man with type I diabetes visits the GP. He is concerned about his recent blood glucose measurements, which over the last three days have been between 12-13mmol/L. He normally has well-controlled diabetes, and his blood glucose normally measures between 6-8mmol/L. Other than his diabetes, he has significant past medical history. He self-administers insulin, and takes no other medication.The patient is found to have an upper respiratory tract infection. The GP explains that illness can cause blood glucose measurements to become more difficult to control.Please select the most appropriate temporary measure that the GP could recommend to the patient, until his illness subsides.
- Decrease insulin dose
- Decrease sugar intake
- Increase insulin dose
- Increase sugar intake
- Stop taking insulin
- Decrease insulin dose
- Decrease sugar intake
- Increase insulin dose
- Increase sugar intake
- Stop taking insulin
A number of diseases are associated with deficiencies in the enzymes involved in glycolysis. Select the enzyme directly involved in glycolysis whose deficiency is linked to enzyme-deficient haemolytic anaemia.
- Glucokinase
- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
- Glycerol kinase
- Pyruvate dehydrogenase
- Pyruvate Kinase
Aldolase B deficiency is a serious defect of fructose metabolism. Select the symptom that is NOT normally associated with Aldolase B deficiency.
- Fructosuria
- Hepatomegaly
- Kidney failure
- Nausea
- Severe hypoglycaemia
.
An 8-year-old boy was brought to the emergency department with drowsiness, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased thirst and high volume urine output. He is normally fit and well and takes no regular medication. His physical examination was unremarkable, however the examining doctor noted the patient’s sweet-smelling breath. On investigation, his blood glucose was found to be 19mmol/L with high levels of ketones in his urine. Select the mechanism most likely to be responsible for this patient’s condition.
- Deficiency in the production of endogenous insulin
- Increased elimination of endogenous insulin by the liver
- Increased production of endogenous insulin
- Insensitivity of normal insulin receptors to endogenous insulin
- Presence of abnormal insulin receptors
- Deficiency in the production of endogenous insulin
- Increased elimination of endogenous insulin by the liver
- Increased production of endogenous insulin
- Insensitivity of normal insulin receptors to endogenous insulin
- Presence of abnormal insulin receptors
Appetite is controlled is in a number of ways. Importantly hormones can signal states of hunger, inducing feeding, or satiety, suppressing feeding. Select the hormone that is inhibited by a full (stretched) stomach.
- Cholecystokinin (CCK)
- Ghrelin
- Insulin
- Leptin
- Peptide YY
- Cholecystokinin (CCK)
- Ghrelin
- Insulin
- Leptin
- Peptide YY
Assuming optimal conditions, what is the number of NADH that will be produced by complete oxidation of one glucose molecule by glycolysis, oxidative decarboxylation and the TCA / Krebs cycle.
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Fatty acid oxidation defects such as medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiencies (MCADD) can lead to severe hypoglycaemia. Select a metabolic explanation of this phenomenon in MCADD.
- Beta-oxidation of fatty acids provide excess ATP meaning that glucose is converted to glycogen
- Gluconeogenesis is inhibited by a build of medium chain fatty acid derivatives that inhibit gluconeogenic enzymes
- Ketoacidosis inhibits the production of glucose by gluconeogenesis
- Ketones bodies are overproduced meaning that glucose is not required
- The lack of fatty acid oxidation results in increased glycogenesis
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