Type 1 diabetes Flashcards
It is an autoimmune disease: True or False
True
Are there beta cells present?
No
- therefore no insulin is produced
Definition
Autoimmune condition where the body is unable to produce it’s own insulin
Absolute insulin deficiency
Cause
No insulin so glucose homeostasis cannot be maintained
Who gets it?
Young children
Pre-puberty
Are you more likely to develop Type 1 diabetes if your mother OR father suffers from it?
Father
Pathogenesis
Destruction of pancreatic beta cells
Presence of anti-GAD or anti-islet cell antibodies
Clinical features
Acute onset Thirst (polydypsia) Polyuria (increased frequency of urination) Bed wetting in children Tiredness Severe weight loss Increased appetite Blurred vision Thrush
Discriminatory tests (3)
Presence of anti-GAD or anti-islet antibodies
Ketones
C-peptide
Investigations
Fasting blood glucose Glucose tolerance test Random blood glucose (fingerprick) HbA1c ABG Urinalysis Antibodies
Fasting blood glucose - normal level
6mM and below
Fasting blood glucose - T1DM level
7mM and above
Glucose tolerance test - normal level
7.7mM and below
Glucose tolerance test - T1DM level
11.1mM and above
Random blood glucose (fingerprick) - T1DM level
- 1mM and above
- this test is just an indicator, it is not diagnostic
HbA1c - normal level
41mM and below
HbA1c - T1DM level
48mM and above
What is the target HbA1c level for most T1DM sufferers?
53mM
Urinalysis findings
Glucose
Ketones
Management
Insulin
Insulin injection - slow acting - administration time
Injected at night time which acts in the background to keep glucose levels down overnight
Insulin injection - short acting - administration time
Injected 15 mins before meal times in order to combat the influx of glucose during meals
Insulin injection - common injection site locations
Abdomen
Upper outer thigh
Buttocks
Upper outer arm
Insulin injection - injection site movement
Use different injection site for each injection and always change the insulin syringe for each injection