Diabetes Case Study

Textbook Review

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder characterized by impaired metabolism and vascular neurological Complications. The blood glucose is regulated by insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone produced by beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans located in pancreas. During metabolic disorders, our body cells become resistant to insulin and are unable to take up glucose from the blood resulting in hyperglycemia. Excessive glucose in the blood has devastating effects on blood vessels, kidney cells and neurons leading to the complications like neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy, increased risk of heart attack, stroke, impotence, and foot amputations. (Linton 2012)

Risk factors for diabetes mellitus type 1 include obesity, sedentary life style, family history of diabetes, history of polycystic ovarian syndrome, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is based on clinical manifestations, fasting plasma glucose levels, and glucose tolerance tests. Type 1 diabetes results from a severe, absolute lack of insulin caused by loss of beta cells. Destruction of islet cells is related to genetic susceptibility, autoimmunity, and environmental factors. Other signs and symptoms are severe. (Huether & McCance 2004)

Type 1 diabetes mellitus affects the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Glucose accumulates in the blood and spills into the urine as the renal threshold for glucose is exceeded. Due to a lack of glucose, protein and fat breakdown occurs because of a lack of insulin. Therefore, it results in weight loss. Initial clinical manifestations of type 1 diabetes are generally acute, with polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Due to these complications, weight loss and wide fluctuations in blood glucose occurs. A possible symptom of type 1 diabetes is blurred vision due to elevated blood sugar levels. Polyuria is excessive urination due to hyperglycemia and acts as an osmotic diuretic. Polydipsia is the stimulation of thirst due to elevated blood sugar levels. Polyphagia is eating in excess due to the depletion of cellular storage of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This can also cause fatigue.

According to Hueter &McCance (2004), the major goal of treatment of diabetes is to control the level of glucose in the blood. It can be achieved through weight reduction, exercise and diabetic diet. If these measures fail to achieve the desired results, oral anti diabetic medications can be used. Insulin injections will be the next step in treatment if oral meds are not sufficient. Blood glucose levels should be monitored regularly. All individuals diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, require some combination of insulin, mean planning and exercise. At any rate, my patient needs insulin therapy to survive. An insulin pump is utilized and connects a reservoir of insulin to a catheter that's inserted under the skin of