Second Trimester Project
Overview
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body uses food for energy.
Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose.
The glucose then circulates in your blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a
hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the
amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process breaks down,
and blood sugar levels become too high.
How many types of diabetes mellitus are there? Name them. There are 4 different types of
diabetes. They are called Pre-Diabetes, Type-1 Diabetes, Type-2 Diabetes, and Gestational Diabetes.
What is diabetes insipidus? Diabetes Insipidus (DI) is a disorder in which there is an abnormal
increase in urine output, fluid intake and often thirst. It causes symptoms such as urinary frequency,
nocturia (frequent awakening at night to urinate) or enuresis (involuntary urination during sleep or
"bedwetting"). Urine output is increased because it is not concentrated normally. As a result, instead
of being a yellow color, the urine is pale, and it is colorless or watery in appearance.
What is the underlying cause of Type-1 Diabetes? The lack of insulin.
What is one predisposing factor for Type-1 Diabetes? A family history.
What symptoms might someone with Type-1 Diabetes have? Increased thirst and frequent
urination, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision.
What is the typical age of onset for someone with Type-1 Diabetes have? Type 1 diabetes can
occur at any age, but it is most often diagnosed in children, adolescents, or young adults.
What is the underlying cause off Type-2 Diabetes? Insulin resistance.
What are some predisposing factors for Type-2 Diabetes? Weight, inactivity, family history,
race, age, prediabetes, gestational diabetes.
What symptoms might someone with Type-2 Diabetes have? Increased thirst and frequent
urination, increased hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores or frequent
infections, areas of darkened skin.
Emergency Situations
Name two emergency conditions that may result from diabetes. 1. Insulin Reaction (or Insulin
Shock). This condition occurs when there is too much insulin in the body. This condition rapidly
reduces the level of sugar in the blood and brain cells suffer. Insulin reaction can be caused by taking
too much medication, by failing to eat, by heavy exercise and by emotional factors. Signs and
symptoms include fast breathing, fast pulse, dizziness, weakness, change in the level of
consciousness, vision difficulties, sweating, headache, numb hands or feet, and hunger. 2. Diabetic
Coma. This condition occurs when there is too much sugar and too little insulin in the blood and body
cells do not get enough nourishment. Diabetic coma can be caused by eating too much sugar, by not
taking prescribed medications, by stress and by infection. Signs and symptoms include diabetic coma
develops more slowly than Insulin shock, sometimes over a period of days. Signs and symptoms
include drowsiness, confusion, deep and fast breathing, thirst, dehydration, fever, a change in the
level of consciousness and a peculiar sweet or fruity-smelling breath.
What emergency condition is associated with hyperglycemia? Hyperglycemia, or high blood
sugar, is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma.
What emergency condition is associated with hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is the medical term
for a state produced by a lower than normal level of blood glucose.
Name five symptoms of insulin shock. Increased tiredness and hunger, trembling, excessive
sweating, dizziness or fainting episodes, nervousness and increase in heart rate.
Name five symptoms of diabetic coma. Increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, nausea and
vomiting, shortness of breath.
Long Term Complications
Diabetes is primarily a disorder of what body system? The immune system.
Name four other body systems that may be affected by long-term complications of diabetes.
How are these systems affected?
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The circulatory system - When a person has diabetes, the circulatory system would get
affected because your blood cells burn sugar for energy to go around the whole body.
Diabetes disrupts the vascular or circulatory system which can affect how our body heals
itself.
The digestive system. Many diabetics tend to have a tendency towards becoming constipated.
This is also the case with those that suffer gastrointestinal upsets when they start certain
medications.
The endocrine system. Diabetes can cause a variety of complications, including kidney
problems, pain due to nerve damage, blindness, and coronary heart disease.
The urinary system. A sign that you have diabetes is that you have sugar in your urine. And
your pancreas holds your urine. There is not enough glucose produced in your pancreas.
Is diabetes an acute or chronic illness? An acute illness is one that lasts a certain period of time,
from days to months, and then resolves. A chronic illness is one that does not resolve on its own, and
cannot be cured, but can be managed with treatment. Diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, are chronic
illnesses.
Diabetes Treatment
Name the three major components of diabetes treatment. Diet, exercise, and weight loss &
weight control.
Self-management of diabetes may require lifestyle changes. Give two examples. You may
have to make adjustments to your diet to make it healthier. Also, you have to make changes in your
exercise routine by adding it into your schedule.
What are some hints you might give a diabetic person when they are trying to change old
habits for a healthier lifestyle? I would tell them to push themselves to their limit. And whenever
they feel like they can’t do it anymore, just to look at the bigger picture. To imagine themselves a
couple years from then, living a healthier lifestyle.
What is FSBS? How frequently is this done in a typical diabetic’s day? Finger Stick Blood
Sugar. The best time to take a test is usually before meals, before bed, one to two hours after
meals, at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., and at least once a week, if you have Type 1 diabetes. You may
need extra tests before you exercise, when you suspect you have low blood sugar, if you
wake up with high or low blood sugar levels or when you're sick.
What is the normal range for blood sugar? The normal range there is 70 to 100 milligrams
per deciliter.
What are oral antidiabetic agents? How do they work? What types of diabetes are they used
in? Anti-diabetic medications treat diabetes mellitus by lowering glucose levels in the blood. With the
exceptions of insulin, exenatide, and pramlintide, all are administered orally and are thus also called
oral hypoglycemic agents or oral antihyperglycemic agents.
What is insulin? A hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans that regulates the
amount of glucose in the blood.
How is insulin administered? Pills (primarily for Type Two Diabetes) and injections (Type One).
What are current exercise recommendations for all adults and adolescents from the
Surgeon General? According to the 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans, adults gain the
most substantial benefits by participating in at least 150 minutes, or 2 hours and 30 minutes, of
moderately intensive physical activity each week. As physical activity increases, so do health benefits
such as decreased risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes.
How can regular exercise benefit someone with diabetes? Give two examples. It improves
blood flow, muscle tone, and flexibility, and it can help prevent heart disease and other health
problems.
Why is proper foot care particularly important for diabetics? Give five specific foot care
guidelines that diabetics or their caregivers should follow. As a person with diabetes, you are
more vulnerable to foot problems because diabetes can damage your nerves and reduce blood flow to
your feet. You should wash and dry your feet daily, examine your feet each day, take care of your
toenails, be careful when exercising, and protect your feet with shoes and socks.
Obesity
What is the difference between overweight and obese? An overweight person is one who weighs
more than that is normal or needed to be fit. Overweight is actually when a person weighs much more
than the weight that is considered as healthy according to one’s age and height.
What is BMI? Give a mathematical formula to calculate BMI. Body Mass Index. Weight in
kilograms divided by height in meters squared (weight (kg) / [height (m)]2). Since height is commonly
measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters.
What percentage of American adults are overweight? What percentage is obese? Overweight
– 34%. Obese – 34%.
What percentage of American children are overweight? What percentage is obese?
Overweight – 30%. Obese – 30%.
What are some of the causes of obesity? Lack of energy balance, an inactive life, environment,
genes and family history, health conditions, medicines, emotional factors, smoking, age, and
pregnancy.
Describe binge eating disorder. This is different from bulimia. Binge eating disorder is
characterized by compulsive overeating in which people consume huge amounts of food while feeling
out of control and powerless to stop.
Name 3 illnesses that can lead to weight gain. Cushing’s Syndrome, Kidney Disease, Heart
Disease.
Name 2 types of medications that may cause weight gain. Lithium and Cortisone.
Identify 10 diseases/health problems linked to obesity. Type-1 Diabetes, Type-2 Diabetes,
Heart Disease, Liver Disease, Kidney Disease, Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome (PCOS), Dyslipidemia, and Hyperinsulinemia.
Other than physical problems, does being overweight affect people in other areas of their
lives? (Think of basic human needs). Being overweight can greatly affect people’s confidence
level.
Do you have to lose a large amount of weight in order to improve your health status? It
depends on your current weight. You should lose the right amount of weight to achieve your normal
weight for your BMI.
Work Cited
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-diabetic_medication
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http://www.ehow.com/way_5639951_surgeon-general-exercise-guidelines.html
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http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/caring-feet
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http://bmi.emedtv.com/bmi/how-to-calculate-bmi.html
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http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_causes.html
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http://helpguide.org/mental/binge_eating_disorder.htm
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http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/treatments/a/WeightGain.htm
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http://web4health.info/it/ed-treat-drugs-overweight.htm
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