NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Sample Answer for NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments Included After Question

Each year, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2019). If left untreated, diabetic patients are at risk for several alterations, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. There are various methods for treating diabetes, many of which include some form of drug therapy. The type of diabetes as well as the patient’s behavior factors will impact treatment recommendations.

For this Discussion, you compare types of diabetes, including drug treatments for type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.

Reference: American Diabetes Association. (2019). Statistics about diabetes. Retrieved from http://diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

  • Review the Resources for this module and reflect on differences between types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.
  • Select one type of diabetes to focus on for this Discussion.
  • Consider one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Then, reflect on dietary considerations related to treatment.
  • Think about the short-term and long-term impact of the diabetes you selected on patients, including effects of drug treatments.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 5

Post a brief explanation of the differences between the types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes. Describe one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Be sure to include dietary considerations related to treatment. Then, explain the short-term and long-term impact of this type of diabetes on patients. including effects of drug treatments. Be specific and provide examples.

BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 5

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who selected a different type of diabetes than you did. Provide recommendations for alternative drug treatments and patient education strategies for treatment and management.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Reply button to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Post Reply, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Post Reply!

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Title: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs due to decreased secretion of insulin or a complete insulin deficiency due to beta-cell dysfunction and is mainly diagnosed in children and adolescents (Cheon, 2018). Individuals with Type 1 diabetes mellitus generally present with severe hyperglycemia, causing polyuria, polydipsia, and weight loss (Cheon, 2018). Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs due to increased resistance to the effects of insulin, in addition to the decrease in insulin production by the pancreas (Huether & McCance, 2017). Unlike Type 1 diabetes, a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus comes later in life, and the risk of developing Type 2 increases after 40 years of age (Huether & McCance, 2017). Development of Type 2 diabetes is higher in Native Americans and African Americans and those who are obese, live a sedentary lifestyle, and have a strong family history (Huether & McCance, 2017). Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy and is diagnosed during the second trimester of pregnancy (Hammer & McPhee, 2019). A diagnosis is given after the patient completes an oral glucose tolerance test around 24 weeks of gestation (Huether & McCance, 2017).

Gestational diabetes occurs due to increased hormones such as somatomammotropin, progesterone, cortisol, and prolactin, all with counter-regulatory anti-insulin effects (Hammer & McPhee, 2019). Individuals over age 25, who are obese, have a family history of diabetes, or belong to an ethnic group with a high disposition for diabetes mellitus are at increased risk (Hammer & McPhee, 2019). Diagnosing and treating patients with gestational diabetes is essential as it can have damaging effects on the fetus and mother, both short and long-term (Huether & McCance, 2017). Once the patient has delivered the fetus, blood glucose levels will return to normal, but they are at an increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the future (Arcangelo, Peterson, Wilbur, & Reinhold, 2017).

Gestational Diabetes Treatment

Treating gestational diabetes mellitus includes diet and medical nutritional therapy (Arcangelo, Peterson, Wilbur, & Reinhold, 2017). Those with gestational diabetes mellitus need to self-monitor their blood glucose levels multiple times per day, and if diet and medical nutritional therapy are not controlling their glucose levels, they will need to be started on insulin (Arcangelo, Peterson, Wilbur, & Reinhold, 2017). Before prescribing insulin, oral anti-diabetic medication is recommended; this includes metformin and glyburide (Bergel, Hadar, Toledano, & Hod, 2016). The use of oral anti-diabetic medication as first-line therapy is preferred due to convenience, cost, and ease of use (Bergel, Hadar, Toledano, & Hod, 2016). When prescribing metformin or glyburide, the patient should be started on the lowest possible dose and increase as needed to achieve target blood glucose levels (Huether & McCance, 2017). Insulin is prescribed if diet and oral therapy do not help control blood glucose levels. The use of insulin requires strict monitoring, frequent titration and should be done by adequately trained individuals (Bergel, Hadar, Toledano, & Hod, 2016).

Effects of Diabetes Mellitus Short and Long Term

Proper management of diabetes mellitus is essential, no matter the type, as the effects of poor control can be life-threatening. In the short term, the effects of poorly managed blood glucose levels include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNKS) (Huether & McCance, 2017). Long-term effects of diabetes mellitus that is poorly managed include microvascular and macrovascular damage (Huether & McCance, 2017). Microvascular damage leads to nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy (Hammer & McPhee, 2019). Macrovascular damage leads to coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease (Hammer & McPhee, 2019). Also, individuals may suffer from foot ulcers, chronic infections, and increased skeletal fractures (Hammer & McPhee, 2019).

References

Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice: A Practical Approach (Vol. 4). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wolters Kluwer.

Bergel, R., Hadar, E., Toledano, Y., & Hod, M. (2016, November). Pharmacological management of gestational diabetes mellitus. Current Diabetes Reports, 16(11), 1-9.

Cheon, C. K. (2018). Understanding of type 1 diabetes mellitus: what we know and where we go. Korean Journal of Pediatrics, 61(10), 307-314.

Hammer, G. D., & McPhee, S. J. (2019). Pathophysiology of Disease An Introduction to Clinical Medicine (Vol. 8th edition). McGraw-Hill Education.

Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2017). Understanding Pathophysiology (Vol. 6th edition). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.

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By Day 6 of Week 5

NURS 6521 Discussion Diabetes and Drug Treatments
NURS 6521 Discussion Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who selected a different type of diabetes than you did. Provide recommendations for alternative drug treatments and patient education strategies for treatment and management.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link, and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Title: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Diabetes is a disease that happens when one’s pancreas cannot produce insulin anymore. it can also happens when the body is unable to utilize the amount of insulin that is produced in the body. These results to too much sugar in one’s blood and hence the disease diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps in the passing of glucose that is obtained from eaten food to the body cells for the production of energy. When this is not done, the end result is too much glucose in the blood which is dangerous for the body. High levels of glucose in the body can lead to damage of some body tissues (Leslie et al., 2016).

There are various types of diabetes. These include type 1 diabetes, which is at most times diagnosed with children and adolescents. For this type of diabetes, the body can only produce very little or no insulin at all. This can be very dangerous as blood sugar levels are always on the high level. People with this condition are required to have the insulin injections on a daily basis to ensure that blood sugar levels are well controlled. There is also type 2 diabetes, which is very common in adults. With this type of diabetes, the body cannot make proper use of the insulin that is produced and therefore blood sugar levels remain high. Gestational diabetes is also another type of diabetes  which is common with pregnant mothers. It consists of high blood sugar levels during pregnancy due to complications with both the mother and the child. It however disappears after pregnancy (Fadl & Simmons, 2016).  .

Insulin is the best medication for type 1 diabetes. For this case, insulin is taken inform of an injection.  The syringes used are well marked with insulin units. The injection can be done on the abdomen, upper arm, buttocks, hip or on the thigh side. Insulin is taken inform of units depending on the level of blood sugar. The daily insulin requirement is between 0.5 to 1 unit.

References.

Leslie, R. D., Palmer, J., Schloot, N. C., & Lernmark, A. (2016). Diabetes at the crossroads: relevance of disease classification to pathophysiology and treatment. Diabetologia59(1), 13-20.

Fadl, H. E., & Simmons, D. (2016). Trends in diabetes in pregnancy in Sweden 1998–2012. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care4(1).

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Title: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Type 1 diabetes occurs from an autoimmune reaction that attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas; creating a shortage of insulin (Kalathil et al., 2018). In type 2 diabetes, the body fails to produce enough insulin or produces insulin but cannot use it. Type 1 diabetes is related to genetics while type 2 is related to lifestyle factors (Wexler, 2022). Gestational diabetes refers to high glucose levels that occur for the first time during pregnancy (Tsakiridis et al., 2021). Gestational diabetes usually disappears after pregnancy. Finally, juvenile diabetes is type 1 diabetes that starts in childhood. The condition is chronic and insulin-dependent because the pancreas cannot produce or produces too little insulin.

Treatment of type 2 diabetes first takes the lifestyle and diet change approach to manage blood sugar. In cases where lifestyle medication has failed to control blood sugar, metformin is the first-line medication recommended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (Association, American Diabetes, 2020). Metformin is an oral drug that comes in two forms, tablet and solution. For preparation, the medication is taken with meals with a full glass of water. It should not be crushed, chewed, or broken, but swallowed whole. The starting dose is 500 mg x2 daily (Association, American Diabetes, 2020). A diabetic diet is recommended alongside the pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes to help maintain normal blood sugar levels (Wexler, 2022). A typical diabetic diet has high amounts of whole foods, little refined sugar and grains, nonstarchy vegetables, and fruits.

Diabetes affects every aspect of a person’s life including social, psychological, and physical. Some of the short-term effects include increased hunger and thirst, confusion, sweating, seizures and health conditions such as hyperglycemia. The psychosocial effects include stress and anxiety and a negative impact on social life. In the long-term, diabetes has serious financial implications and health complications, for example, hypertension, kidney failure, vision problems, and diabetic foot ulcer among others (Association, American Diabetes, 2020). Metformin therapy can have side effects such as diarrhoea and other stomach problems, nausea, and a metallic taste.

References

Association, American Diabetes. (2020). Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2020. Diabetes Care, 43(Supplement_1): S98–S110. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-S009.

Kalathil, D., James, S., & Zaidi, R. (2018). Diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pharmaceutical Journal, https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/ld/diagnosis-and-management-of-type-1-diabetes-mellitus.

Tsakiridis, I., Giouleka, S., Mamopoulos, A., Kourtis, A., Athanasiadis, A., Filopoulou, D., & Dagklis, T. (2021). Diagnosis and Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview of National and International Guidelines. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 76(6)- 367-381. https://doi.10.1097/OGX.0000000000000899.

Wexler, D. J. (2022). Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Overview . UpToDate, https://www.uptodate.com/contents/type-2-diabetes-overview-beyond-the-basics.

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Title: NURS 6521 Discussion: Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases that manifest with hyperglycemia caused by defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic B cells (ADA, 2020). Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disorder characterized by increasing insulin resistance and diminishing insulin secretory capacity. It is frequently associated with obesity (ADA, 2020). Gestational diabetes refers to any level of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy (ADA, 2020). Juvenile diabetes occurs in children. It is characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin secondary to autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas.

Glipizide is an antidiabetic drug, under the class of sulfonylureas, used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Its main effect is to increase insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. It also reduces the rate of hepatic glucose production and increases insulin receptor sensitivity (Correa et al., 2020). The recommended starting dosage of Glipizide is 5 mg/d, with up to 15 mg/d given as a single dose. However, when higher daily dosages are required, they should be divided and given before meals. The maximum recommended total daily dose is 40 mg/d. For maximum effect in reducing postprandial hyperglycemia, it should be ingested 30 minutes before breakfast because absorption is delayed when the drug is taken with food. (Correa et al., 2020) It is contraindicated in patients with significant hepatic or renal impairment because of a high risk for hypoglycemia.

The short-term impact of type 2 diabetes includes hypoglycemia, which is associated with sulfonylurea medications and missing meals. A patient may develop hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, characterized by very high blood glucose (Papatheodorou et al., 2018).  The long-term impact includes complications such as nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, and macrovascular disorders (Papatheodorou et al., 2018). The complications occur due to high glycemic levels, which damage small blood vessels causing microvascular complications and large vessels causing macrovascular complications.

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