An overdose of insulin would cause the patient to go into which condition?

An overdose of insulin would cause the patient to go into which condition?

• A. Ketoacidosis
• B. Hypoglycemic coma
• C. Hyperglycemic crisis
• D. Diabetic shock

Answer: (D)

When someone takes too much insulin, blood glucose falls because insulin drives glucose into cells and suppresses glucose production by the liver. The brain depends on glucose for fuel, so severe hypoglycemia quickly impairs consciousness and can lead to coma or fainting. In older clinical wording, this profound hypoglycemia presenting with loss of consciousness is described as diabetic shock. Ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic crises occur when there isn’t enough insulin or its action is insufficient, leading to high blood glucose and ketone production—not the low-glucose state seen with an insulin overdose. So the scenario best matches a severe hypoglycemic event, historically termed diabetic shock.

When someone takes too much insulin, blood glucose falls because insulin drives glucose into cells and suppresses glucose production by the liver. The brain depends on glucose for fuel, so severe hypoglycemia quickly impairs consciousness and can lead to coma or fainting. In older clinical wording, this profound hypoglycemia presenting with loss of consciousness is described as diabetic shock. Ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic crises occur when there isn’t enough insulin or its action is insufficient, leading to high blood glucose and ketone production—not the low-glucose state seen with an insulin overdose. So the scenario best matches a severe hypoglycemic event, historically termed diabetic shock.