Case Study

Unit 3 Case Study: A 37-Year-Old Man With Type 1 Diabetes, Vomiting, and Diarrhea

1.

a. Hypoglycemia unawareness - the patient’s unawareness of a deep drop in blood sugar because of failure to trigger the secretion of epinephrine that serves to warn the patient of the dropping blood glucose levels.

b. Peripheral polyneuropathy – a generalized, relatively homogeneous process affecting many peripheral nerves, with the distal nerves usually affected most prominently.

c. Cranial nerve palsy – a lack of function of the cranial nerve in which is responsible for contracting the lateral rectus muscle to turn out the eye.

d. Bell’s palsy – a form of temporary facial paralysis resulting from damage or trauma to the facial nerves.

e. Bilateral carpal tunnel releases – a hand and arm condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms that is caused by a pinched nerve in your wrist.

f. Reflux esophagitis – inflammation of the esophagus.

g. Azithromycin (Zithromax) – prescription drug used to fight bacterial infections.

h. Sinusitis – inflammation of the tissue lining the sinuses.

i. Afebrile – not having a fever.

2.

Tests/Procedures/Treatments | Results | Normal or Abnormal? |

Low-fat diet | Controlled symptoms of gastroparesis | Normal |

Cisapride (Propulsid) | Controlled symptoms of gastroparesis | Normal |

Ocular muscle surgery | Treated the right sixth of his cranial nerve palsy | Normal |

Insulin infusion pump | Provided the body with the necessary insulin to maintain stable blood glucose levels | Normal |

Insulin lispro | Provided the body with the necessary insulin to maintain stable blood glucose levels | Normal |

Famotidine (Pepcid) | Blocked the production of acid by acid-producing cells in the stomach. | Normal |

Azithromycin (Zithromax) | Fought bacterial infections | Normal |

Abdominal exam | Showed a soft, flat abdomen with mild diffuse tenderness but no rebound...