A 30-year-old female presents with excessive thirst and frequent urination. Her blood tests show a sodium level of 145 mEq/L, glucose of 380 mg/dL, and HbA1c of 9.5%. What could be the potential causes, and what are the next steps?
This patient's symptoms and lab results suggest poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, most likely type 1 given her age and symptoms. The next step would be to start insulin therapy and provide diabetes education, including the importance of regular monitoring of blood glucose levels, diet and lifestyle modifications.