Question

Which of the following is the appropriate response when the patient asks, "Why do I have to have insulin shots?"

A. "It is the way we deliver insulin into your body."
B. "It is more cost effective to give insulin this way."
C. "Insulin is inactivated if taken by mouth and therefore must be given by injection."

Answer 1

Insulin injections are necessary because oral insulin would be inactivated by digestive enzymes, preventing it from regulating blood glucose levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient asks, "Why do I have to have insulin shots?" the appropriate response is that insulin is inactivated if taken by mouth and therefore must be given by injection. This is because the enzymes within the digestive system break down insulin, rendering it ineffective. Insulin injections are used to transport and store glucose to decrease blood glucose levels after consuming a meal. For people with type 1 diabetes, their bodies do not produce insulin, so they need to inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels.