- The risk factors for type 1 diabetes include all of the following except:
- Diet
- Genetic
- Autoimmune
- Environmental
Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. It primarily affects children and young adults and is not related to diet. Genetics and environmental triggers increase risk.
- Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately what percentage of all cases of diabetes in adults?
- 55%–60%
- 35%–40%
- 90%–95%
- 25%–30%
Type 2 diabetes represents the vast majority of adult diabetes cases. It develops gradually due to insulin resistance and progressive beta-cell dysfunction.
- Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include all of the following except:
- Advanced age
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
Smoking increases cardiovascular risk but is not a classic risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Age, excess weight, inactivity, family history, prior gestational diabetes, and race/ethnicity increase risk.
- What percentage of women with gestational diabetes is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes following pregnancy?
- 25%–30%
- 5%–10%
- <5%
- 20%–25%
Gestational diabetes increases future risk for type 2 diabetes, with about 5%–10% diagnosed postpartum. Risk is higher among Hispanic/Latina, African-American, and Native American women.
- Untreated diabetes may result in all of the following except:
- Blindness
- Cardiovascular disease
- Kidney disease
- Tinnitus
Uncontrolled diabetes may cause vision loss, neuropathy, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, amputation, and death. Tinnitus is not typically related.
- Prediabetes is associated with all of the following except:
- Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Impaired glucose tolerance
- Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes
Prediabetes raises risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is not associated with developing type 1 diabetes, which is autoimmune.
- Diabetics are at increased risk of heart disease if they also:
- Smoke
- Have high HDL cholesterol levels
- Take aspirin
- Consume a high-fiber diet
Smoking and diabetes both damage blood vessels. Smoking also increases eye complications and reduces limb circulation.
- Blood sugar is well controlled when Hemoglobin A1C is:
- Below 7%
- Between 12%–15%
- Less than 180 mg/dL
- Between 90 and 130 mg/dL
A1C reflects average glucose over 2–3 months. A value below 7% is a common target; 6.5% or higher on two tests indicates diabetes.
- Excessive thirst and volume of very dilute urine may be symptoms of:
- Urinary tract infection
- Diabetes insipidus
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Hypoglycemia
Diabetes insipidus involves impaired water conservation due to low ADH or renal responsiveness to ADH. It causes dehydration and polyuria without hyperglycemia.
- Among female children and adolescents, the first sign of type 1 diabetes may be:
- Rapid weight gain
- Constipation
- Genital candidiasis
- Insomnia
Hyperglycemia promotes yeast growth. Recurrent Candida infections may be an early sign in girls, along with polydipsia, polyuria, fatigue, and weight loss.
- Untreated hyperglycemia may lead to all of the following complications except:
- Hyperosmolar syndrome
- Vitiligo
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Coma
Severe hyperglycemia can cause diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, both potentially fatal. Vitiligo is unrelated.
- Hyperinsulinemia may be caused by all of the following except:
- An insulinoma
- Nesidioblastosis
- Insulin resistance
- Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes involves low insulin due to autoimmune beta-cell destruction. Hyperinsulinemia occurs with insulin-producing tumors, excess islet cells, and insulin resistance.
- Which statement about diabetes is false?
- The U.S. prevalence of diabetes is decreasing
- Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States
- Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among persons age 20 to 74
- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure
Diabetes prevalence is increasing. It remains a major cause of death, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations in adults.
- The lifetime risk of developing diabetes for a male born in 2000 is:
- 1 in 5
- 1 in 3
- 2 in 5
- 1 in 2
CDC projections estimate a lifetime risk of roughly 1 in 3 for males born in 2000, with even higher risk among Hispanics/Latinos.
- Which of the following measures does not help to prevent diabetes complications?
- Controlling blood glucose
- Controlling blood pressure and blood lipids
- Eliminating all carbohydrates from the diet
- Prompt detection of diabetic eye and kidney disease
Eliminating all carbohydrates is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Managing glucose, blood pressure, and lipids prevents serious complications.
- Proliferative retinopathy is often treated using:
- Tonometry
- Fluorescein angiogram
- Antibiotics
- Laser surgery
Laser therapy shrinks abnormal retinal blood vessels and helps preserve vision. Other tests are diagnostic, not treatments.
- Which of the following diabetes drugs acts by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver?
- Sulfonylureas
- Meglitinides
- Biguanides
- Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
Biguanides such as metformin reduce hepatic glucose production. Other drug classes stimulate insulin secretion or delay carbohydrate absorption.
- The benefits of using an insulin pump include all of the following except:
- They eliminate the need for insulin injections
- They simplify management and may improve A1C
- They enable exercise with less carbohydrate adjustment
- They help with weight loss
Insulin pumps improve glucose control, but they are often associated with weight gain—not weight loss.
- Which of the following regimens offers the best blood glucose control for persons with type 1 diabetes?
- A single anti-diabetes drug
- Once-daily insulin injections
- A combination of oral medications
- Three or four injections per day of different insulin types
Type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin. Multiple daily insulin injections tailored to measured glucose levels provide the best control.
- Diabetic neuropathies are diagnosed using all of the following except:
- Nerve conduction studies or electromyography
- Ultrasound
- Foot examinations
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Nerve studies and foot exams assess neuropathy. Ultrasound helps evaluate organ function. The MMPI is a psychological assessment and is not used for diabetic neuropathy.