Regulatory Malfunctions Flashcards
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disorder that affects the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose levels. There are two different types – type 1 and type 2.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, normally occurs suddenly in childhood.
The body is not able to produce its own insulin. This is thought to be auto caused by the immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. These cells are called islets of Langerhans.
How is type 1 diabetes treated?
Type 1 diabetes can be controlled with regular insulin injections and the careful management of diet and exercise.
Doctors can transplant a pancreas successfully, but it is expensive, risky and not enough donors.
Transplanting pancreatic cells from living and dead donors have been tried, but with limited success.
In 2008 we were able to genetically modify a mouse’s pancreas cells to produce insulin.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Frequent urination Unexplained weight loss Fatigue and weakness Blurry vision Fruity breath Mood swings
What type 2 diabetes?
Type II diabetes, also known as insulin-resistant diabetes, occurs mainly in people over 40, however it is becoming increasingly common in at all ages.
This condition is caused by body muscle and liver cells losing their responsiveness to insulin, or an inadequate supply of insulin from the pancreas.
What are some treatments of type 2 diabetes?
Type II diabetes can be controlled by careful regulation of diet and exercise and in some cases the use of glucose lowering medication.
Insulin has to be injected
Pump therapy
How is insulin used to treat type 2 diabetes?
Insulin has to be injected – it is a protein that cannot be broken down by your stomach juices if it was swallowed.
The majority of people take 4 injections a day. There are 2 types of insulin, short acting and long acting.
Short acting insulin is injected before the 3 main meals of the day. This is your bolus dose. The amount of insulin injected depends on the amount of carbohydrates eaten.
10 grams eaten = 1 unit of insulin
The long acting insulin is injected once a day which last for 24hrs. It acts as your back ground insulin. This insulin dose depends on your body mass, and height.
How is pump therapy used to treat type 2 diabetes?
An insulin pump delivers small amounts of insulin continuously around the clock. This gives you more stable blood sugar than with an insulin pen and you no longer have to administer injections every day. With the pump you are free to decide when to eat, sleep or exercise.
The Pump delivers insulin in 2 ways:
Bolus dose: a large dose of insulin injected with food or to correct high blood glucose.
Basal rate: the small continuous dosing of rapid-acting insulin to keep blood glucose stable when your not eating.
The pump more closely mimics a healthy pancreas.
Whats nephrotic syndrome?
An autoimmune disorder where there is a change in the glomeruli. They become more leaky, and so some proteins pass
through, leaving the body in urine. The main protein that leaks out is albumin which is quite a small protein and more
likely to leak through the glomeruli. Albumin helps keep fluid in the blood.
Symptoms of nephrotic syndrome?
Oedema –Tissue Swelling
High Fat levels in blood
Low thyroid hormone levels
Blood Clots
Tired , Decreased appetite, Nausea/Diarrhoea, Pain in the abdomen.
How do we monitor nephrotic syndrome?
Urine Tests – Dipstick
Blood Tests
Imagining Tests (Ultrasound, Chest X-Ray)
Kidney Biopsy
Regular Hospital trips and check ups
How do we treat nephrotic syndrome?
Low Salt Diet (High sodium can cause high blood pressure, increase pressure in kidneys)
Steroid Treatment (Can increase risk of infection)
Kidney Failure = Transplant or Dialysis (12 hours on machine/ 3 times a week)
How does kidney dialysis work?
In the absence of a suitable kidney donor, kidney dialysis is used
The patient needs to be on the machine for around 12 hours, repeated three times a week.
The patient needs to be careful what they eat & drink. Too much salt & protein between dialysis treatments can cause problems. Also the amount of fluid which may be taken is very restricted, as the body has no way of getting rid of it.
