D.K. is an 18-year-old high school student who began to experience weight loss d

Question

D.K. is an 18-year-old high school student who began to experience weight loss despite a ravenous appetite and resulting increased dietary intake. She has to make frequent trips to the bathroom to urinate and has difficulty concentrating on her work because of fatigue. She drinks large volumes of coffee to help with a constant dry mouth and to combat her fatigue. At a clinic appointment, it was noted that D.K.’s weight has dropped from 140 to 128 pounds. She is 5 feet 7 inches tall. Her urine specimen shows glycosuria and ketonuria. A chemstick blood glucose level is 412 mg/dl. D.K. had eaten breakfast 3 hours before the chemstick blood test.

1.         Considering D.K.’s presenting history and physical data, what form of diabetes mellitus is indicated?

2.         What are the physiologic mechanisms involved with the polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia in diabetes mellitus?

3.         What immediate and long-term therapy will D.K. need to manage her disorder?

Explanation / Answer

1. Considering her history and data, we know that D.K. has insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or IDDM. The symptoms that indicate type 1 diabetes are urination, fatigue, increased hunger, increased thirst, dry mouth and rapid weight loss. Basically the cells that are responsible for producing insulin in the body are destroyed which leads to inability of body to produce energy by absorbing insulin. Weakness or fatigue are the indicative symptoms of this.

2. The physiologic mechanism involved in diabetes mellitus is the rise in blood glucose levels. The blood glucose rises because insulin is not being produced in the body. Frequent urination indicates that the excess of glucose is filtered through the body by urine. Due to frequent urination dehydration is caused which leads to increased thirst, hunger and dry mouth.

3. Immediate therapy D.K. needs to consult a physician and ask about the treatment of condition. Long term therapy would include monitoring blood glucose levels periodically to keep the glucose levels in check and following the diet, medication and exercise regimen religiously as told by her physician.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse D
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.