A 30-year-old male who manages his type 1 diabetes with glyburide presents at the emergency room complaining of headache, confusion, and tachycardia. He has come from a party at which he drank two beers to celebrate running his first half-marathon

Question

Which of the following is likely to be the cause of his complaints?
A)
Diabetic ketoacidosis
B)
Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state
C)
Hypoglycemia
D)
Somogyi effect

Answer 1

Ans:
C

Feedback:

In hypoglycemia, headache, difficulty in problem solving, disturbed or altered behavior, coma, and seizures may occur. At the onset, activation of the parasympathetic nervous system often causes hunger, and the initial parasympathetic response is followed by activation of the sympathetic nervous system; this causes anxiety, tachycardia, sweating, and constriction of the skin vessels (i.e., the skin is cool and clammy). In diabetic ketoacidosis, the client typically has a history of 1 or 2 days of polyuria, polydipsia, nausea, vomiting, and marked fatigue. Abdominal pain and tenderness may be experienced without abdominal disease, and the breath has a characteristic fruity smell. The most prominent manifestations of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state are dehydration and neurologic signs, including grand mal seizures, hemiparesis, Babinski reflexes, aphasia, muscle fasciculations, hyperthermia, hemianopia, nystagmus, and visual hallucinations; the client will also experience excessive thirst. The Somogyi effect describes a cycle of insulin-induced posthypoglycemic hyperglycemic episodes.