In type I diabetes, what is the recommended treatment and what could happen if untreated?

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Multiple Choice

In type I diabetes, what is the recommended treatment and what could happen if untreated?

In type I diabetes, the body cannot produce enough insulin because the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed. Insulin is needed for glucose to enter most body cells, so without it blood glucose rises and the body starts breaking down fat for energy, which produces ketone bodies. That combination can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening emergency, if the condition is not treated. The standard treatment is daily insulin injections (or continuous insulin delivery via a pump) to replace the missing hormone and keep blood glucose in a safe range. This approach prevents the hyperglycemia and ketone production that drive ketoacidosis. Oral hypoglycemic agents aren’t effective for type I diabetes because there’s little to no insulin to augment, lifestyle changes alone won’t control glucose levels, and while insulin pump therapy is a valid method of delivery, it isn’t risk-free and requires careful management to avoid issues like hypoglycemia or infections.

In type I diabetes, the body cannot produce enough insulin because the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed. Insulin is needed for glucose to enter most body cells, so without it blood glucose rises and the body starts breaking down fat for energy, which produces ketone bodies. That combination can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening emergency, if the condition is not treated.

The standard treatment is daily insulin injections (or continuous insulin delivery via a pump) to replace the missing hormone and keep blood glucose in a safe range. This approach prevents the hyperglycemia and ketone production that drive ketoacidosis.

Oral hypoglycemic agents aren’t effective for type I diabetes because there’s little to no insulin to augment, lifestyle changes alone won’t control glucose levels, and while insulin pump therapy is a valid method of delivery, it isn’t risk-free and requires careful management to avoid issues like hypoglycemia or infections.

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