Question

A patient screened for diabetes at a clinic has a fasting plasma glucose level of 120 mg/dL

(6.7 mmol/L). The nurse will plan to teach the patient about
a. self-monitoring of blood glucose.
b. using low doses of regular insulin.
c. lifestyle changes to lower blood glucose.
d. effects of oral hypoglycemic medications.

Answer 1

The patient with a fasting plasma glucose level of 120 mg/dL is in the prediabetes range, and the nurse should primarily educate the patient about lifestyle changes to lower blood glucose. Insulin therapy or oral hypoglycemic medications are typically considered if the condition worsens to type 2 diabetes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient with a fasting plasma glucose level of 120 mg/dL (6.7 mmol/L) is above the normal fasting glucose range of 70 mg/dL to 110 mg/dL but below the diabetic diagnosis threshold of 126 mg/dL. Therefore, this patient is categorized under prediabetes. As per current medical guidelines, the nurse should focus on education regarding lifestyle changes to manage and potentially lower blood glucose levels. Although information about self-monitoring of blood glucose levels is essential, it is more critical in confirmed cases of diabetes, not prediabetes. The use of insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications would only be considered if the condition progresses beyond prediabetes to type 2 diabetes and cannot be managed with lifestyle modifications alone.