Oregon Certified Nursing Assistant State Practice Exam

Individuals with diabetes frequently experience excessive thirst, extreme hunger, and frequent urination due to the body's inability to effectively use insulin or due to insufficient insulin production. When blood glucose levels remain elevated, the kidneys work hard to filter and remove the excess glucose from the bloodstream, leading to increased urination. This process causes dehydration, which triggers excessive thirst. The extreme hunger, or polyphagia, occurs because the body's cells cannot utilize glucose for energy effectively, causing the individual to feel hungry even after eating.

The other options describe symptoms that are not typical for diabetes or are more indicative of other health conditions or issues. For instance, weight gain, poor appetite, and leg swelling can suggest problems related to heart failure or fluid retention, while diarrhea, hyperactivity, and dark yellow urine are not characteristic of diabetes. Similarly, infrequent urination and excessive energy could point to a different set of health concerns not related to diabetes.