Question

A newly admitted patient with type 1 diabetes asks the nurse what caused her diabetes. When the nurse is explaining to the patient the etiology of type 1 diabetes, what process should the nurse describe?

A) "The tissues in your body are resistant to the action of insulin, making the glucose levels in your blood increase."
B) "Damage to your pancreas causes an increase in the amount of glucose that it releases, and there is not enough insulin to control it."
C) "The amount of glucose that your body makes overwhelms your pancreas and decreases your production of insulin."
D) "Destruction of special cells in the pancreas causes a decrease in insulin production. Glucose levels rise because insulin normally breaks it down."

Answer 1

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas, leading to a decrease in insulin production. This causes glucose levels in the blood to rise.

Step-by-step explanation:

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks the normal cells of the pancreas, specifically the beta cells that produce insulin. This autoimmune response leads to the destruction of these cells, resulting in a decrease in insulin production. As a result, glucose levels in the blood rise because insulin normally helps break down glucose. Therefore, option D, "Destruction of special cells in the pancreas causes a decrease in insulin production. Glucose levels rise because insulin normally breaks it down," best describes the etiology of type 1 diabetes.