Fundamentals & Core Concepts Flashcards
7 cards from real BC ADM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Fundamentals & Core Concepts flashcards as text
The term 'incretin effect' describes which physiological phenomenon?
Answer: Greater insulin secretion after oral glucose compared to an equivalent IV glucose load
The incretin effect refers to the amplified insulin secretion seen with oral vs. intravenous glucose due to gut-derived hormones GLP-1 and GIP.
In maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), which gene mutation causes MODY 2, the mildest form?
Answer: Glucokinase (GCK)
MODY 2 is caused by glucokinase (GCK) mutations, resulting in a higher glucose threshold for insulin secretion and mild, stable fasting hyperglycemia.
Hyperglycemia causes endothelial dysfunction primarily through which mechanism?
Answer: Increased reactive oxygen species production that quenches nitric oxide
Excess glucose increases mitochondrial superoxide production, which quenches nitric oxide, impairing vasodilation and promoting endothelial dysfunction.
Which of the following best defines 'brittle diabetes'?
Answer: Type 1 diabetes with recurrent unpredictable severe hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis disrupting daily life
Brittle diabetes refers to type 1 diabetes with extreme glycemic instability causing frequent severe episodes that substantially disrupt the patient's life.
The polyol pathway contributes to diabetic complications by:
Answer: Consuming NADPH and depleting glutathione, increasing oxidative stress
The polyol pathway uses NADPH to reduce glucose to sorbitol, depleting glutathione antioxidant capacity and increasing cellular oxidative stress in diabetic tissues.
A random plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL with classic symptoms of hyperglycemia is diagnostic of diabetes:
Answer: Without the need for confirmatory testing
Per ADA criteria, a random plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL with classic hyperglycemia symptoms (polyuria, polydipsia, unexplained weight loss) is sufficient to diagnose diabetes.
Which hormone secreted by alpha cells of the pancreas is the primary counterregulatory hormone during hypoglycemia?
Answer: Glucagon
Glucagon, secreted by pancreatic alpha cells, is the first-line counterregulatory hormone, stimulating hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis to restore glucose.