Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

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Study for the EMT Intermediate Exam. Access detailed flashcards and multiple-choice questions that come with hints and explanations. Prepare comprehensively for your EMT certification!

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A 29-year-old male with a history of type 1 diabetes presents with excessive urination and marked thirst. These signs indicate that the:

renal system is excreting excess glucose
pancreas is producing too much insulin
liver is malfunctioning
kidneys are failing to concentrate urine

The correct answer is: renal system is excreting excess glucose

The symptoms of excessive urination and marked thirst in a 29-year-old male with a history of type 1 diabetes suggest osmotic diuresis due to hyperglycemia. When blood glucose levels rise above the renal threshold (approximately 180 mg/dL), the kidneys' ability to reabsorb glucose becomes compromised. As a result, glucose begins to spill into the urine, carrying water with it due to osmotic forces. This process leads to increased urine production (polyuria) and subsequently prompts an increase in thirst (polydipsia) as the body attempts to compensate for the fluid loss. The key factor here is that the high levels of glucose in the blood draw water into the urine, resulting in excessive urination. This not only indicates that the renal system is working to excrete the excess glucose but also highlights a critical aspect of diabetes management, where maintaining appropriate blood glucose levels is essential to prevent such complications.