module 5 - 14.4 diabetes and its control

Question 1

what is diabetes?

Answer 1

a group of metabolic disorders in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period

Question 2

what are the symptoms of high blood sugar?

Answer 2

frequent urination, increased thirst and increased hunger

Question 3

what is ketoacidosis?

Answer 3

wrong blood pH

Question 4

what is type 1 diabetes?

Answer 4

• inability to produce insulin, beta cells do not produce insulin
• early onset in childhood
• cause unknown but may be an autoimmune disease

Question 5

what is type 2 diabetes?

Answer 5

• inability to use insulin to control blood glucose effectively
• used to be late onset but now occurs in children
• cause by either beta cells no producing enough insulin or body cells do not respond to insulin properly

Question 6

describe the treatment of type one diabetes

Answer 6

1. prick finger to test blood glucose concentration
2. analyse blood by a machine - tells them their blood glucose
3. work out dose of insulin needed to be injected
4. this insulin increases amount of glucose absorbed be cells, also causes glucogenesis

Question 7

describe the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Answer 7

1. encourage them to exercise more and regulate diet
2. if this isnt enough use drugs that stimulate insulin, slows down rate of glucose absorption as well as insulin injections

Question 8

what are the 4 benefits of using genetically engineered human insulin?

Answer 8

• concerns for animals (ethical issues) are overcome
• cheaper production costs
• insulin produced in much higher quantities
• human insulin produced in pure form (less likely of allergic reaction)

Question 9

what are the potential uses of stem cells in diabetes treatment?

Answer 9

• pancreas transplant is 80% successful in eliminating symptoms
• injection of harvested beta cells have 8% success rate and the immunosuppressant drugs used eventually stops cells producing insulin

Question 10

what are the advantages of stem cells in diabetes treatment?

Answer 10

• overcomes donor organ problem
• reduces cell transplant rejection
• insulin rejection becomes redundant

Question 11

what are the disadvantages of stem cells in diabetes treatment?

Answer 11

• destruction of human embryos
• injected stem cells could become cancerous tumours