Question

Describe the metabolic events that led to Emily’s symptoms and subsequent admission to the ED (polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, fatigue, and weight loss), integrating the pathophysiology of T1DM into your discussion.

Answer 1

Emily's diagnosis would be Type 1diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic illness characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin due to the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas. Although onset frequently occurs in childhood, the disease can also develop in adults.

The classic symptoms of type 1 diabetes are as follows:

• Polyuria

• Polydipsia

• Polyphagia

• Unexplained weight loss

• Fatigue . These all symptoms she experienced.

• Pathophysiology of Type 1 diabetes is : Type 1 DM is the culmination of lymphocytic infiltration and destruction of insulin-secreting beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. As beta-cell mass declines, insulin secretion decreases until the available insulin no longer is adequate to maintain normal blood glucose levels. After 80-90% of the beta cells are destroyed, hyperglycemia develops and diabetes may be diagnosed. Patients need exogenous insulin to reverse this catabolic condition, prevent ketosis, decrease hyperglucagonemia, and normalize lipid and protein metabolism.