Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Test. Utilize flashcards, multiple choice questions with hints, and detailed explanations. Get exam-ready!

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Which is a potential side effect of using beta blockers in patients with diabetes?

Weight gain
Increased energy levels
Masking hypoglycemia symptoms
Improved insulin sensitivity

The correct answer is: Masking hypoglycemia symptoms

The potential side effect of using beta blockers in patients with diabetes that aligns with the correct answer is the masking of hypoglycemia symptoms. Beta blockers can inhibit the sympathetic nervous system responses that typically signal low blood sugar levels, such as increased heart rate, tremors, and anxiety. This means that a person taking beta blockers may not notice these indications that their blood sugar is dropping, which can be particularly dangerous for patients with diabetes who need to recognize and treat hypoglycemia promptly to avoid severe complications. Regarding the other options, weight gain can sometimes occur with beta blockers, but it's not a direct mechanism and varies by individual. Increased energy levels and improved insulin sensitivity are not typically associated with beta blocker use and are not the recognized effects of these medications. Instead, beta blockers primarily focus on cardiac effects and may have varying impacts on metabolism and exercise tolerance, contributing to the misunderstanding about their influence on energy. Therefore, the significance of hypoglycemia symptom masking in the context of diabetes management stands out as a crucial concern when using beta blockers in these patients.