Hypoglycemia: ABFM practice questions

4 board-style questions on hypoglycemia in the PulseMD family medicine question bank — physician-reviewed, written against current guidelines with the reference cited on each question. Two free samples below; the full set with answers, explanations, and spaced review is free to start.

Sample question 1

A 38-year-old patient with type 1 diabetes on multiple daily injections checks fingerstick glucose 4 times daily but frequently experiences unrecognized nocturnal hypoglycemia. She asks about continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Which of the following is a primary benefit of CGM over traditional self-monitoring of blood glucose?

1. Continuously measures and displays the patient's hemoglobin A1c in real time
2. Replaces the need for regular follow-up visits with an endocrinologist
3. Eliminates the need for any insulin dose adjustments by the patient
4. Provides real-time glucose trend data with predictive alerts for impending hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia

Sample question 2

A 48-year-old non-diabetic woman presents with recurrent episodes of confusion, diaphoresis, and tremulousness that occur in the late morning before lunch and resolve within minutes of eating. Fingerstick glucose during a witnessed episode in the office is 42 mg/dL. Which laboratory panel, obtained during a documented hypoglycemic episode, would be most helpful for establishing the underlying etiology?

1. Serum TSH, morning serum cortisol, and a cosyntropin (ACTH) stimulation test
2. Hemoglobin A1c, serum fructosamine, and glycated albumin levels
3. Glucagon stimulation testing and a fasting serum gastrin level
4. Insulin, C-peptide, proinsulin, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and sulfonylurea screen

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