As an EMT, I frequently encounter patients with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia, and occasionally hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis. Admittedly, prior to this course, my knowledge of glucose homeostasis was limited. I reviewed my old EMT textbook for this reflection to see what it covered, and I was surprised to find that glycogen is not mentioned at all, and insulin is only briefly described as a hormone that \u201cenables glucose in the blood to enter cells.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evidently, while I had enough practical knowledge to make appropriate clinical decisions for my patients, my understanding of glucose regulation was poor. Through this course, I learned that insulin signals the liver to synthesize glycogen, while glucagon triggers its breakdown. More specifically, insulin and glucagon activate phosphates and kinases, respectively. The phosphorylation (or dephosphorylation) of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase (which synthesize and break down glycogen) affect their activity. This maintains glucose homeostasis by allowing the liver\u2019s glycogen stores to buffer changes in blood glucose levels.<\/p>\n
This course has given me a more complete picture of the biochemical processes occurring in my patients and insight into what happens when this regulation fails. I also now have more context to understand why the treatments we administer, such as glucagon, are effective.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As an EMT, I frequently encounter patients with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia, and occasionally hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis. Admittedly, prior to this course, my knowledge of glucose homeostasis was limited. I reviewed my old EMT textbook for this reflection to see … Continue reading