Diabetes Flashcards
(159 cards)
What is the main indicator of diabetes mellitus?
Persistently raised blood sugar levels
Hypoglycaemia leads to… (hormone & location & levels)
Glucagon secretion from alpha cells (released from pancreas like insulin). Typically less than 4mmol/l.
Hyperglycaemia leads to… (hormone & location)
Insulin secretion from beta cells (negative feedback loop)
What does glucagon act on and why (3)?
Hepatocytes (liver cells) to accelerate conversion of glycogen into glucose and promote formation of glucose from lactic acid & amino acids
What does this lead to?
Liver releases glucose into the blood more rapidly
Insulin acts on various cells in the body to increase the uptake of glucose into cells, especially which cells (2)?
Skeletal muscle fibres & adipocytes
Two storage locations for glycogen:
Liver & muscle
Other effects of insulin release (3)?
- Cells uptake amino acids for protein synthesis
- Enables conversion of fatty acids into triglycerides (stored in adipocytes)
- Slows conversion of glycogen to glucose and formation of glucose from lactic acid & amino acids
Type 1 diabetes is a disease which results from… & potential cause (2)
Autoimmune destruction of most of the beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
Tthought to be a combination of genetic predisposition & environmental factors as factors
Type 2 diabetes occurs when…
The body is still capable of producing insulin, but the amount produced is inadequate to control sugar levels
Insulin resistance can occur years before T2D diagnosis, what are two signs of this state?
- Raised blood glucose levels between meals
- Reduced ability to clear glucose from circulation quickly and completely (impaired glucose tolerance (IGT))
What is the ominous octet?
Eight factors which play important roles in the development of glucose intolerance in T2D
What are they?
- Decreased glucose uptake in muscle
- Increased glucose production in liver
- Decreased insulin secretion in pancreas (beta cell failure)
- Increased lipolysis in adipose tissue
- Decreased incretin effect in GI tract
- Increased glucagon secretion in pancreas (alpha cells)
- Increased glucose reabsorption in kidney
- Adverse effects on neurotransmitter function in brain
What do people with insulin resistance frequently have and what are these factors referred to as? (4)
- Central (apple-shaped) obesity
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Dyslipidaemia (abnormal blood lipid pattern)
- Micro-albuminuria (presence of protein in the urine)
Metabolic syndrome
What are those with these factors at greater risk of developing?
Cardiovascular disease (heart attack or stroke)
What is the percentage accountability for both T1D & T2D?
T1D = 10%
T2D = 90%
Symptoms of diabetes: (6)
Thirst (with frequent drinking - polydipsia)
Frequent urination - polyuria
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue & weakness
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
Test to determine glucose levels in the urine (hyperglycaemia) & blood glucose levels:
Dipstick test
Finger prick test
Above what random venous plasma level indicates that a patient has diabetes (alongside symptoms)?
> 11.1mmol/l
same or greater than
What is diabetes insipidus and a common symptom of it?
When the body is unable to regulate the body’s water balance due to problems with antidiuretic hormone (ADH) resulting in polyuria (excessive urination & thirst). Those with diabetes insipidus don’t have problems with their blood glucose levels.
What is the purpose of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)?
Determine how well the body processes sugar
What are the two steps for this?
- Initially, blood glucose levels are determined via the ‘fasting test’, whereby the patient refrains from
eating or drinking (apart from water) for at least eight hours. - Patients are then given a sugary drink which consists of 75g of glucose in 250–300mls of water which is ingested over five minutes. A venous blood sample is then taken two hours after the drink. Note: oral glucose tolerance tests are not recommended as a standalone screening test but it is the only way of
identifying people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
What are some gastric diabetes symptoms (4)?
Cramps
Constipation - T2D
Nausea - T1D
Vomiting - T1D
What is HbA1c?
Haemoglobin joining with glucose in the blood becoming glycosylated.
Higher HbA1c levels = more glucose in bloodstream