Diabetes Blood Sugar Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What blood glucose level (mg/dL) is generally used as the clinical threshold to define hypoglycemia in adults with diabetes?
- Less than 100
- Less than 80
- Less than 70 (Correct answer)
- Less than 60
Correct answer: Less than 70
A blood glucose below 70 mg/dL is the standard clinical threshold for hypoglycemia in adults with diabetes.
Question 2: A patient with type 2 diabetes consistently has high fasting glucose but acceptable daytime readings. What phenomenon does this most likely represent?
- Somogyi effect
- Dawn phenomenon (Correct answer)
- Insulin stacking
- Reactive hypoglycemia
Correct answer: Dawn phenomenon
The dawn phenomenon is caused by early-morning surge of counter-regulatory hormones raising fasting glucose.
Question 3: Which food item is the BEST choice for quickly treating a blood glucose of 58 mg/dL?
- Peanut butter crackers
- 4 oz of orange juice (Correct answer)
- A piece of cheese
- A handful of mixed nuts
Correct answer: 4 oz of orange juice
Orange juice provides fast-acting simple carbohydrates that rapidly raise blood glucose, while fat slows absorption.
Question 4: What does 'time in range' (TIR) measure in continuous glucose monitoring?
- Hours per day the CGM sensor is active
- Percentage of time glucose stays between 70–180 mg/dL (Correct answer)
- Number of hypoglycemic episodes per week
- Average glucose over 90 days
Correct answer: Percentage of time glucose stays between 70–180 mg/dL
TIR represents the percentage of time a person's glucose remains within the target range of 70–180 mg/dL.
Question 5: Which condition can cause falsely LOW blood glucose readings on a standard glucometer?
- High altitude
- Dehydration
- Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) (Correct answer)
- Cold hands
Correct answer: Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count)
Polycythemia can cause falsely low glucose readings because excess red blood cells consume glucose in the blood sample.
Question 6: A patient taking insulin notices blood sugar drops around 3 AM but wakes with high glucose. This pattern is called the:
- Dawn phenomenon
- Somogyi effect (Correct answer)
- Insulin resistance cycle
- Glucagon rebound
Correct answer: Somogyi effect
The Somogyi effect involves overnight hypoglycemia triggering a counter-regulatory rebound hyperglycemia by morning.
Question 7: Which medication class works by blocking glucose reabsorption in the kidneys, causing it to be excreted in urine?
- GLP-1 receptor agonists
- Biguanides (metformin)
- SGLT-2 inhibitors (Correct answer)
- Sulfonylureas
Correct answer: SGLT-2 inhibitors
SGLT-2 inhibitors (e.g., empagliflozin) block sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 in the kidney, promoting urinary glucose excretion.
Diabetes Blood Sugar Management 3
What blood glucose level (mg/dL) is generally used as the clinical threshold to define hypoglycemia in adults with diabetes?