Diabetes mellitus: practice question

A General Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

General Medicine · Diabetes mellitus

Sample item

A conscious patient with diabetes is sweaty, tremulous, and has a capillary glucose of 2.8 mmol/L. What is the immediate treatment?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Give fast-acting oral glucose

A conscious patient with symptomatic hypoglycaemia should receive fast-acting carbohydrate promptly, followed by reassessment and longer-acting carbohydrate when appropriate to prevent recurrence.

Option by option

  • A. Restrict all fluids

    Fluid restriction does not correct the low circulating glucose.

  • B. Give fast-acting oral glucose (correct)

    Correct: oral fast-acting glucose treats hypoglycaemia in a conscious patient.

  • C. Give oral potassium only

    Potassium alone does not supply the urgently needed carbohydrate.

  • D. Administer long-acting insulin

    Long-acting insulin would lower glucose further and worsen the emergency.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Give fast-acting oral glucose. A conscious patient with symptomatic hypoglycaemia should receive fast-acting carbohydrate promptly, followed by reassessment and longer-acting carbohydrate when appropriate to prevent recurrence.

Why is "Restrict all fluids" not the answer?

Fluid restriction does not correct the low circulating glucose.

Why is "Give oral potassium only" not the answer?

Potassium alone does not supply the urgently needed carbohydrate.

Why is "Administer long-acting insulin" not the answer?

Long-acting insulin would lower glucose further and worsen the emergency.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Diabetes mellitus in General Medicine. The correct option holds because: Correct: oral fast-acting glucose treats hypoglycaemia in a conscious patient.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Diabetes mellitus?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.