Question

The nurse is monitoring a client with hypoglycemia. Glucagon provides which function?

A. It enhances the activity of insulin, restoring blood glucose levels to normal more quickly after a high-calorie meal.
B. It prevents hypoglycemia by promoting release of glucose from liver storage sites.
C. It is a storage form of glucose and can be broken down for energy when blood glucose levels are low.
D. It converts excess glucose into glycogen, lowering blood glucose levels in times of excess.

Answer 1

Glucagon is a hormone that increases blood glucose levels by promoting glycogen breakdown and glucose synthesis and is released in response to hypoglycemia.

Step-by-step explanation:

The hormone glucagon is released from the alpha cells of the pancreas, particularly when an individual has low blood glucose levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia. The primary function of glucagon is to raise blood glucose levels. It achieves this by promoting the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver and muscle through a process called glycogenolysis, and by supporting the synthesis of glucose through gluconeogenesis. These actions collectively help to restore the blood glucose levels to normal.

The correct answer to the original question is option B: It prevents hypoglycemia by promoting release of glucose from liver storage sites. Glucagon plays a critical role in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis, and unlike insulin, which lowers blood glucose levels, glucagon acts to increase them.