Certified Diabetes Educator Test Certified Diabetes Educator Test Special Populations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Women with pre-existing diabetes should achieve which HbA1c level before conception to minimize fetal risk?
- <8.0%
- <7.0% (ideally <6.5% if achievable safely) (Correct answer)
- <9.0%
- <6.0% strictly required
Correct answer: <7.0% (ideally <6.5% if achievable safely)
Preconception HbA1c below 7.0% (ideally <6.5%) significantly reduces the risk of congenital anomalies, particularly neural tube defects and cardiac malformations.
Question 2: Which insulin regimen is the gold standard for managing hyperglycemia in non-ICU hospitalized patients with diabetes?
- Sliding scale regular insulin alone
- Basal-bolus insulin regimen (Correct answer)
- Oral antidiabetic agents
- Premixed insulin twice daily
Correct answer: Basal-bolus insulin regimen
Basal-bolus insulin therapy provides scheduled basal coverage plus meal-time corrections and is the recommended regimen for hospitalized patients with diabetes.
Question 3: Which psychosocial issue most commonly interferes with diabetes management in female adolescents with T1D?
- Fear of needles alone
- Disordered eating and intentional insulin omission (diabulimia) (Correct answer)
- Lack of parental supervision
- Sedentary lifestyle
Correct answer: Disordered eating and intentional insulin omission (diabulimia)
Disordered eating with intentional insulin omission for weight control (diabulimia) is a significant and dangerous issue in adolescent females with T1D.
Question 4: For elderly patients with diabetes, which sulfonylurea is preferred to minimize prolonged hypoglycemia risk?
- Glyburide (glibenclamide)
- Glipizide (Correct answer)
- Chlorpropamide
- Glibenclamide extended-release
Correct answer: Glipizide
Glipizide is preferred in elderly patients because its shorter duration of action reduces the risk of prolonged hypoglycemia compared to long-acting agents like glyburide.
Question 5: Which fasting blood glucose target does the ADA recommend for pregnant women with diabetes?
- 60–90 mg/dL
- 70–95 mg/dL (Correct answer)
- 80–110 mg/dL
- 90–120 mg/dL
Correct answer: 70–95 mg/dL
The ADA recommends fasting blood glucose of 70–95 mg/dL in pregnant women with diabetes to prevent fetal macrosomia and other complications.
Question 6: MODY (Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young) is best characterized by which feature?
- Autoimmune destruction of beta cells with positive antibodies
- Severe insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
- Single-gene mutations causing beta cell dysfunction with strong family history (Correct answer)
- Transient hyperglycemia resolving after pregnancy
Correct answer: Single-gene mutations causing beta cell dysfunction with strong family history
MODY results from monogenic defects in beta cell function, typically presents in young individuals, and is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern.
Certified Diabetes Educator Test Certified Diabetes Educator Test Special Populations 2
Women with pre-existing diabetes should achieve which HbA1c level before conception to minimize fetal risk?