Question

M.R. is a patient who was in a major motor vehicle accident 48 hours ago, that resulted in a significant head injury. The patient was recovering without complications until he began to have increased urinary elimination. The urine volume over the past 12 hours has been 3000 mL. A urinalysis is performed, and the results include a specific gravity of 1.001. Symptoms of dehydration are present, and the patient complains of being "so thirsty." The patient is diagnosed with diabetes insipidus. The patient’s family comes to visit the patient. One of the family members approaches the nurse and asks, "Will he need insulin now?"

How will the nurse respond?

A. No, insulin is not needed for diabetes insipidus. Diabetes insipidus is a condition that affects the regulation of water balance in the body, not blood sugar levels.

B. Yes, insulin is required for diabetes insipidus.
C. Insulin might be necessary for managing diabetes insipidus."

D. Insulin is only needed for diabetes mellitus, not diabetes insipidus.

Answer 1

No, insulin is not needed for diabetes insipidus. Diabetes insipidus is a condition that affects the regulation of water balance in the body, not blood sugar levels. Option A is the answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a disorder characterized by the inability to concentrate urine, leading to excessive urination and thirst. Unlike diabetes mellitus, which involves issues with blood sugar regulation, DI is related to the inadequate production or response to antidiuretic hormone (ADH), impacting water balance. In the case of M.R., the increased urinary elimination and low specific gravity indicate a deficiency in ADH.

Insulin is not a treatment for DI; instead, therapy focuses on managing fluid balance with medications like desmopressin. Explaining this to the family member, the nurse clarifies that insulin is specific to diabetes mellitus and not required for diabetes insipidus.

Option A is the answer.

Answer 2

No, insulin is not needed for diabetes insipidus. Insulin is not required for diabetes insipidus as it's a condition affecting water balance, not blood sugar levels. This condition is usually treated with desmopressin, to control symptoms like excessive urination and thirst, due to insufficient ADH levels or ADH receptor mutations. The correct answer is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's response to the family member's inquiry about the need for insulin in the treatment of diabetes insipidus would be A. No, insulin is not needed for diabetes insipidus. Diabetes insipidus is a condition characterized by the chronic underproduction of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), or a mutation in the ADH receptor, leading to the kidneys' inability to retain water, hence causing an increase in urine output and thirst. Unlike diabetes mellitus, which affects blood sugar levels and requires insulin treatment, diabetes insipidus affects water balance in the body and is typically treated with desmopressin, a synthetic form of ADH, to control the symptoms of excessive urination and thirst.

It is important for the nurse to explain that while both conditions share a similar name and some symptoms, such as polyuria, the nature of diabetes insipidus is entirely different from that of diabetes mellitus. Due to the decreased levels or effectiveness of ADH, patients with diabetes insipidus experience high volumes of very dilute urine, exemplified by a low specific gravity such as 1.001, which, along with excessive thirst, are hallmark symptoms of the condition.