NR 565 Week 5 Endocrine Case Study Q&A

Using diagnostic criteria for diabetes, what is John’s diabetic status? What treatment plan should be introduced at this time? According to the Diagnostic Criteria presented by Rosenthal & Burchum (2021, p.398), John is a diabetic and needs to begin initiating lifestyle modifications and pharmacological therapy immediately. The DM Diagnostic Criteria by Rosenthal & Burchum (2021) states that there are four criteria to diagnose Diabetes Mellitus. They include: Fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL or Random plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL plus symptoms of diabetes or Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): 2-h plasma glucose ≥200 mg/dL or Hemoglobin A1c 6.5% or higher. John’s HgbA1C level is 8.1% which surpasses prediabetes and puts him in a disease diagnostic state. Additionally, his plasma glucose level is 200md/dL and he is exhibiting signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination during the night. He also endorses weight gain of 3 pounds in the past year. Metformin is the preferred initial pharmacologic agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes as identified by (American Diabetes Association, 2020). John should be started on Metformin as tolerated. His treatment plan can also include diet, physical activity, and behavioral therapy designed to achieve and maintain weight loss especially with his past medical history of obesity and hyperlipidemia. John should be referred to a dietitian or nutritionist to help assess his nutritional status and create a personalized plan that coordinates with his treatment plan. He should also be encouraged to begin engaging in physical activity weekly. The American Diabetes Association, (2020) recommends in their guidelines that adults with type 2 diabetes should “engage in 150 min or more of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, spread over at least 3 days/week, with no more than 2 consecutive days without activity” (p. 16). 3. Which of John’s behaviors should be addressed to encourage lifestyle changes and decrease A1C levels? - John’s diet consists of mostly fast-food meals. This is a big contributor to his hyperlipidemia and obesity. His cholesterol and A1C levels will be greatly improved if he is able to decrease his fast-food consumption. Fast foods are typically unhealthy and high in fats, sodium, and calories all detrimental to our health and maintaining a healthy weight. John also drinks sweet tea with every meal which is high in sugar and drinks about 3-4 cups of coffee a day. Depending on how he takes his coffee, his coffee drinks are probably also high in sugar and need to be addressed as well. Drinking beers on the weekends is also another behavior that will be addressed. Instead of drinking beers every weekend, he can drink once a month until his A1C is at goal. John’s sedentary lifestyle is also a contributor to his diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (2020) advises that every adult especially those affected by type 2 diabetes, should reduce their daily sedentary behavior and patients should incorporate at least 30 minutes of standing during periods of prolonged sitting to help decrease blood glucose levels.