Endocrinology Flashcards
(250 cards)
What is the definition of diabetes mellitus?
Disorder of carbohydrate metabolism characterised by hyperglycaemia due to relative insulin deficiency, resistance or both
What range should normal blood glucose be in?
3.5-8.0 mmol/L
What measurements need to be detected in bloods for a person to be diagnosed with diabetes?
Random plasma glucose > 11 mmol/L
Fasting plasma glucose > 7 mmol/L
HbA1c of 48 mmol/mol
2 hour postprandial > 11.1 mmol/L
What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 is insulin deficiency, autoimmune
Type 2 is insulin resistance/relative insulin deficiency
What are the epidemiological differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1
- Often presents in childhood, peak incidence at puberty
- Increasing prevalence
- Increased prevalence of those of Northern European ancestry
Type 2
- Common in all populations with affluent lifestyle
- Increasing incidence (ageing population, increasing obesity)
- Presents in adulthood > 40
- More prevalence in South Asia, African nad Caribbean ancestry
Other than type 1 and type 2, name 3 other types of diabetes
Maturity onset diabetes of youth, pancreatic diabetes, endocrine diabetes, malnutrition related diabetes, drug induced
Give 5 risk factors for developing type 1 diabetes
Northern European ancestry (particularly Finnish), family history, having another autoimmune condition, diet, enteroviruses, vitamin D deficiency, recreational drug use, alcohol, steroids
Give 5 risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes
Genetics, male, increasing age, obesity, lack of exercise, Asian, high calorie intake
What is the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes?
- Autoimmune destruction of beta cells leads to insulin deficiency
- Chronic insulitis ensues
- Continued breakdown of liver gylcogen, unrestrained lipolysis and skeletal muscle breakdown, increased in hepatic glucose output and suppression peripheral glucose uptake
- Increased urinary glucose losses as renal threshold exceeded
- Perceived stress leading to increased cortisol and adrenaline
- Catabolic state leading to increasing levels of ketones (lack of glucose and fat breakdown) and muscle loss
What is the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes?
- Insulin resistance post-receptor and progressive failure of insulin secretion
- Impaired insulin action leading to reduced muscle and fat uptake after eating
- Failure to suppress lipolysis and high circulating FFAs - depositing in islets of Langherhan’s leading to further impairment of insulin secretion
- Increased glucose levels in blood leads to damage - prevents NO release from endothelial cells so vessel lumen remains small = increased BP
- Hyperglycaemia and lipid excess toxic to beta cells = loss of beta cells
What occurs during diabetic ketoacidosis?
State of uncontrolled catabolism
- Rise in ketones
- Glucose and ketones excreted in urine leads to osmotic diuresis and falling circulatory blood volume
- Ketones acidic so lower blood pH, impairs Hb ability to bind to O2
- Reduced glucose = increased FFA oxidation = increased acteyl-CoA production = increased ketones exceeding ability of peripheral tissues to oxidise them
- Vicious circle of dehydration, hyperglycaemia and increasing acidosis eventually leading to circulatory collapse and death
What are the symptoms of ketoacidosis?
Polyuria and polydipsia Nausea and vomiting Weight loss Weakness Abdominal pain Drowsiness/confusion Hyperventilation as respiratory compensation Fruity breath
What are the risk factors for developing ketoacidosis?
Stopping insulin Infection Surgery MI Pancreatitis Undiagnosed diabetes
What occurs when someone develops hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state?
- Endogenous insulin levels reduced but still sufficient to inhibit hepatic ketogenesis but insufficient to inhibit hepatic glucose production
- Severe dehydration, decreased level of consciousness, hyperglycaemia, hyperosmolality, no ketones in blood/urine, coma, bicarbonate not lowered
- Treat with insulin
- Fluid replacement and restore lost electrolytes
- Low molecular weight heparin
- Risk of cerebral oedema
What are the risk factors of developing hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state?
Infection, consumption of glucose rich foods, concurrent medication eg thiazide diuretics or steroids
How might someone with type 1 diabetes present?
Lean, polydipsia, polyuria Weight loss and fatigue Ketosis Nocturia, ketonuria, glycosuria Dehydration Decreased appetite Blurred vision Hunger High levels of islet autoantibodies Short history of severe symptoms
How might someone with type 2 diabetes present?
Overweight in abdominal area Polydipsia, polyuria Ketosis Older Gradual onset Often able to control by diet, exercise and oral medication
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Random plasma glucose/fasting plasma glucose/2 hours postprandial/HbA1c
If symptomatic require only 1 abnormal
If asymptomatic require 2 abnormal
Microalbuninuria - kidney disease?
FBC, U&Es, fasting blood for cholesterol and triglycerides
Blood pH
Give 3 differential diagnoses of diabetes
Pancreatitis, trauma/pancreatectomy, neoplasia of pancreas, acromegaly, Cushing’s, Addison’s
How is type 1 diabetes treated?
Insulin - basal/bolus Educate to self-control doses Phone for support Modify diet and avoid binge drinking Make sure to change injection sites
How is type 2 diabetes treated?
Weight loss and exercise Statins BP control 1st drug - metformin Dual therapy of metformin with DDP4 inhibitor/ploglitazone/sulphonylurea/SGLT-2i
Give 5 complications of diabetes
Hypoglycaemia
Microvascular - retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy
Macrovascular - strokes, renovascular disease, limb ischaemia, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, hypertension
Staphylococcal skin infections
DKA
What is impaired glucose tolerance?
Abnormal 2 hours post-prandial
BUT glucose level not high enough to be diabetic
Insulin resistance
What is impaired fasting glucose?
Abnormal fasting glucose
BUT glucose level not high enough to be diabetic
Insulin resistance