Question

A health care professional is caring for a patient who is about to begin pramlintide (Symlin) therapy to treat type 1 diabetes mellitus. Which of the following instructions should the health care professional include when talking with the patient about the drug?

A. mix pramlintide with insulin
B. inject pramlintide before meals
C. take proamlintide at bedtime
D. inject pramlintide into the upper arm

Answer 1

A health care professional should instruct a patient on pramlintide (Symlin) therapy to inject the medication before meals, without mixing it with insulin.

Step-by-step explanation:

When discussing pramlintide (Symlin) therapy with a patient who has type 1 diabetes mellitus, a health care professional should instruct the patient to inject pramlintide before meals. This is important for managing blood glucose levels, as pramlintide is an injectable medication that complements insulin therapy but should not be mixed with insulin. Pramlintide aids in maintaining blood glucose levels by slowing gastric emptying and suppressing glucagon secretion post-meal, which helps in reducing blood sugar spikes.