Question

Y.L. a 46 year old female who is slightly overweight, makes an appointment to come to the clinic where you are employed. She is complaining of fatigue, increased thirst, constant hunger and frequent urination. She denies any pain, burning or low-back pain with urination.

1) Identify three methods / tests used to diagnose diabetes?

2) Which type of diabetes do you think Y.L. has and why?

3) Identify three functions of insulin?

4) Y.L. asks what is diabetes and will she have to take insulin. What would you tell her?

Answer 1

1. The test that can be done to diagnose diabetes are:

• Fasting Blood Glucose Level: It measures blood glucose level of the patient after the patient has been fasting for 8 hrs.
• Post- Prandial Blood Glucose Level: It measures blood glucose level after the patient has been fasting for 8 hrs and then after 2 hrs of eating.
• Random Plasma Glucose Test: Here the doctor checks the blood sugar without taking into consideration whether the patient has eaten or not the last meal.

2. Y.L is detected to have Type II diabetes as we see her manifesting symptoms like overweight, fatigue, increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination.

The main symptoms of Type II diabetes are :

• Increased thirst and dry mouth.
• Frequent and increased urination.
• Tingling sensation in the hands or feet.
• Tiredness.
• Blurred vision.
• Slow healing.
• Frequent fungal infection in the skin.
• Obesity.

3. The main functions of insulin are:

• Insulin controls the blood glucose level by directing liver, muscles as well as the fat cells to take in glucose from the blood.
• It helps other cells to transform glucose into energy through out the body.
• Insulin helps patients from being hyperglycemic as well as hypoglycemic.
• It maintains glucose metabolism in the body.

4. Diabetes is a condition in which the body's capacity to produce or respond to insulin is impaired thereby leading to an imbalance in one's blood sugar level.

Initially Y.L can control diabetes with oral medications as well as life style balance. But as days goes on diabetes might not be under control through these factors.So insulin intake can be taken in later days as guided by doctor.