Patient/caregiver was instructed upon indications for insulin administration as follows:
Gestational diabetes
- Gestational diabetes is a condition of poor blood sugar control that pregnant women develop. Placenta in pregnant women produces certain hormones that block or reduce the action of insulin. Reduced action of insulin hormone in individuals with gestational diabetes leads to poor shifting of glucose from the blood into the cells of body tissues. This leads to poor regulation of blood sugar levels with higher blood sugar numbers and poor nutrition supply to the cells of body tissues. Gestational diabetes can resolve once the pregnancy is over, but it can raise the risk of the individual turning type 2 diabetic later in life. Reduced nutrition supply to body tissues can contribute to diabetes symptoms, such as, feeling very tired and confusion.
- Insulin administration in addition to compliance with ADA diet recommendation and intake of prescribed oral antidiabetic medications, if any, can help increase the sensitivity and decrease the resistance of body cells to insulin. Increased sensitivity and reduced resistance for insulin action leads to increased uptake of glucose by cells from the blood. Increased mobilization of glucose from blood to the tissues result in lowered blood sugar levels, improved blood sugar control, and relief from symptoms of gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
- Type-1 diabetes is a condition in which your immune system destroys the insulin producing cells in pancreas. This results in reduced or no insulin production by the body. Reduced or lack of insulin hormone leads to poor shifting of glucose from the blood into the cells of body tissues. This leads to poor regulation of blood sugar levels with higher blood sugar numbers and poor nutrition supply to the cells of body tissues. Reduced nutrition supply to body tissues can contribute to diabetes symptoms, such as, feeling very tired and confusion.
- Insulin favors utilizing the free fatty acids and glycerol for fat synthesis and deposition into fatty tissues. Deficiency of insulin production (Type-1 diabetes) can result in promotion of breakdown of fat in the adipose tissues. Increased breakdown of fat can lead to increased formation of end-products of fat breakdown, such as, free fatty acids and glycerol in the blood. Increased free fatty acid and glycerol concentration in the blood can lead to fatty deposits on the inner lining of blood vessels. These fatty deposits in the blood vessels can narrow the opening of the blood vessels supplying vital organs like heart and brain, obstruct blood flow to vital organs, and result in cardiovascular complications, such as, heart attack and stroke.
- Insulin administration can supplement the total/partial deficiency in insulin production and contributes to improved shifting of glucose from the blood into the cells of body tissues. This leads to improved regulation of blood sugar levels with lowered blood sugar numbers and better nutrition supply to the cells of body tissues. Improved nutrition supply to body tissues can contribute to relief of diabetes symptoms. Also, insulin administered favors utilizing the free fatty acids and glycerol for fat synthesis, deposition into fatty tissues. This helps lower the concentration of free fatty acids and glycerol, reduce the formation of fatty deposits on the inner lining of blood vessels and lower the risk for cardiovascular complications.
