A condition in which the level of sugar in the blood plasma decreases is no less dangerous than an increase in this indicator above the norm, for this reason, knowledge of the factors contributing to the occurrence of such a situation, the symptoms that appear when a hypoglycemic state occurs is important for any person.
It is required not only to monitor this parameter, but also to understand what actions need to be taken if such a situation arises. This is due to the fact that the occurrence of hypoglycemia can lead to serious complications in the body, including death.
What is low sugar in the body?
Lack of glucose in the blood or hypoglycemia is a pathological condition of the body in which the concentration of carbohydrate in the plasma decreases below a critical level. For healthy person this figure is 3.3-5.5 mmol/l.
Glucose is a compound used by all cells of the body, including brain cells, to produce the energy necessary for the normal functioning of cellular structures. An imbalance of this component leads to the emergence and development of a hypoglycemic reaction, which ends with prolonged carbohydrate starvation of cells comatose state and death.
Low blood sugar can be caused by a variety of reasons.
The most common among them are the following:
- diseases that affect biochemical processes in the body;
- illnesses that provoke disruption of regulatory functions in the body;
- physiological characteristics of the human body;
- violation of the rules of healthy and proper nutrition.
The main factor contributing to the appearance of imbalance is the discrepancy between the level of insulin in the blood and the intake of carbohydrates with food.
The leading factor in the occurrence of the pathological condition is a violation of nutritional rules. When the body receives insufficient amounts of carbohydrates and, consequently, energy required for its normal functioning. Typically, this situation develops in the presence of diabetes mellitus, but in some cases pathology may occur in healthy people.
The most common causes of hypoglycemia are:
- Insulin overdose.
- Violation of nutritional principles.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Providing excessive physical activity.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Insufficiency in the functioning of the pancreas, liver, heart, kidneys and adrenal glands.
- Exhaustion.
- Hormonal imbalance, accompanied by inhibition of the production of glucagon, somatotropin, adrenaline and cortisol.
- Development tumor processes and autoimmune disorders.
- Excessive intravenous administration of saline solutions.
- Exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
In addition, long breaks between meals and menstruation may be the reasons for a decrease in the amount of sugar.
Characteristic symptoms of hypoglycemia in women
Low blood sugar in women manifests itself with certain symptoms. When an attack of hypoglycemia occurs, a woman’s well-being depends entirely on the rate at which the indicator falls and the degree of such a fall.
Signs low sugar in the blood of women appear even with a slight deviation from normal parameter. If the concentration has sharply decreased, but remains within the acceptable range, then the main symptoms of low blood sugar in women are:
- adrenergic disorders, manifested in increased sweating, jumping blood pressure, pallor skin, the appearance of excessive excitement and anxiety, in addition to this, the occurrence of tachycardia is observed;
- parasympathetic signs in the form of weakness in the body, feelings of nausea, the urge to vomit, and feelings of hunger.
- neuroglycopenic phenomena in the form of fainting, dizziness, disorientation and the appearance of inappropriate behavior.
With a slight deviation from the norm, the symptoms of low blood sugar in women can be quite mild. Most often in this situation, there is the appearance of increased drowsiness and general fatigue.
Very often, women develop this pathology during the period of hormonal changes in the body. Such periods are pregnancy and menopause; in addition, a decrease in sugar is possible as a result of malfunction endocrine system and with the occurrence and development of ovarian dysfunction.
In some cases, as a result of a decrease in the concentration of carbohydrates in the body, the following characteristic symptoms may occur in women:
- Increased sweating.
- Anxiety and increased aggressiveness.
- Pallor of the skin.
- The appearance of muscle hypertonicity.
- The occurrence of muscle tremors.
- Increased blood pressure.
- The appearance of general weakness, nausea, vomiting and hunger.
- Impaired consciousness.
If these signs appear, you should immediately seek the advice and help of a doctor. Any reduction in sugar below physiological norm should alert a woman. And if this indicator decreases below 2.2 mmol/l, it requires emergency medical intervention in order to correct the pathological situation and bring the condition of the female body to normal.
Symptoms of low sugar during sleep
Very often, if there are disturbances in a woman’s body, a decrease in blood sugar occurs during sleep; in order to understand the likely presence of a hypoglycemic state during sleep, you need to know what unpleasant symptoms accompany the female body during this period.
The hypoglycemic state of the body during sleep is characterized by increased sweating, sleepwalking and falling out of bed. In addition, the patient may make unusual noise during sleep. Additionally, nightmares and severe headaches upon awakening are possible.
If these signs occur, you should consult an endocrinologist in order to conduct an examination and determine the causes of the development of the pathological condition, as well as take timely and adequate measures to eliminate it.
Symptoms and causes of low blood sugar during menopause
The reason for low blood sugar in women during menopause is hormonal changes in the body. During this period in female body an imbalance occurs, which is provoked by a decrease in the production of tarragon and progesterone.
A decrease in the amount makes it difficult for the body to control the level of sugar in the blood, which leads to sharp jumps both in the direction of a decrease from the normal level and in the direction of an increase. The symptoms characteristic of hypoglycemia at this time are similar to those that develop with a sharp drop in the amount of carbohydrates in the body in other life phases.
Any woman after entering menopause should regularly check her blood glucose levels, which is associated with fluctuations in the amount of hormones produced at this time.
To determine the amount of carbohydrates in the body, it is recommended to purchase a special device - a glucometer. This device allows you to quickly determine an important physiological indicator at home and, if necessary, correct the condition of the body.
Phases of development of a pathological condition
When a sharp decrease in the amount of sugar in a woman’s body occurs, the development of hypoglycemic syndrome is observed, in which the symptoms of hypoglycemia increase much faster than in the case of a normal decrease in the amount of sugar in the blood plasma.
Conventionally, the course of hypoglycemic syndrome can be divided into four phases.
In the first phase, symptoms such as a pronounced feeling of hunger, increased drowsiness, hypotension, frequent mood swings from a tearful state to a cheerful state are observed; during this period of development of the pathology, the sick woman experiences increased irritability.
The second phase of the progression of hypoglycemic syndrome is characterized by the addition of tachycardia, increased force of heart contractions, and disturbances to the signs of the first phase. visual functions, the appearance of muscle tremors throughout the body. During this phase, a woman develops a feeling of fear of death.
For the third phase of the syndrome, the appearance of a state of euphoria, reminiscent of alcohol intoxication In addition, during this period, excitation of the nervous system is observed, uncontrollability in behavior is recorded and the feeling of fear of death disappears, and inadequacy in behavior is additionally revealed.
The fourth and final phase in the progression of hypoglycemic syndrome is characterized by trembling throughout the body, which may be followed by seizures, loss of vision, fainting and the development of a coma.
The initial stages of the syndrome are usually not dangerous for the woman’s body and for the brain, this is due to the fact that after them there are no irreversible consequences. Final stages Without timely assistance, they lead to death.
Blood sugar is involved in the primary metabolic processes of metabolism in the body. Its main function is to supply energy to the cells of the body and participate in the process of synthesis of adenosine triphosphate acid, which is subsequently necessary for lipid metabolism.
The human body receives sugar from almost all foods. It is recommended to monitor the level of this substance in the blood, even if there is no predisposing factor to the development of diabetes mellitus or another disease. Even when leading healthy image life, changes in sugar levels are possible. Its level can fluctuate due to physical activity. The main thing is that in such situations the brain suffers, the person feels rapid fatigue, and in advanced cases, fainting and coma may occur.
general information
There are many reasons for low blood sugar, but nutrition comes first. In medicine, a condition in which sugar levels decrease is called hypoglycemia.
An increase in sugar always occurs after eating, at this time the pancreas works intensively and insulin is actively produced. As soon as the hormone is converted into energy, the sugar level immediately decreases. If sugar is below the “norm” mark, then this does not happen. The result is fatigue and lethargy. Against this background, diabetes may develop.
Normal 3.3-5.5 mmol/l.
Possible reasons
First of all, poor nutrition leads to low blood sugar levels. This means not only fast food, but also an excessive passion for flour and sweet products. Long breaks between meals also lead to worsening of the condition. Passion for alcohol and smoking. Neoplasms on the pancreas.
In addition, other provoking factors can be identified:
- taking a number of medications;
- obesity;
- renal failure;
- idiopathic diseases;
- disturbances in the functioning of the hormonal system and liver;
- early pregnancy;
- severe physical activity.
How does it manifest?
The main symptom of low blood sugar is hunger. This is the first signal that there is a lack of glucose in the body. And the easiest way to eliminate this condition in the presence of stage 1 hypoglycemia is to eat a product high in carbohydrates. Accordingly, it is not recommended to starve, but to eat small portions after a certain amount of time, and then there will be no sharp fluctuations in glucose levels.
Quite often the symptoms are very weakly expressed and the person attributes his fatigue and aggressive state to the rhythm of life. However, if symptoms appear on rest days, you should get tested.
Dizziness
The next symptom of low blood sugar, which is quite common, is dizziness. This is due to the fact that, against the background of a lack of glucose in the vessels of the brain, the normal process of blood circulation is disrupted. Coming oxygen starvation, and the body itself is not able to produce the required amount of energy.
Along with dizziness, a person may experience disorientation in space and trembling in the body. A man appears and appears to be about to fall.
Weakness and lethargy
Symptoms of low blood sugar may include lethargy and weakness. The mood can constantly change, from tearfulness to aggression, which has no reason. In very severe cases, a person may stop paying attention to the world and even fall into a coma.
Therefore, it is very important to control blood sugar levels when nervous; perhaps it is the lack of glucose that affects psycho-emotional state.
Heart problems
Hypoglycemia can cause tachycardia and increased heart rate. If you do not increase your glucose level, you may experience pain in the heart, and your blood pressure gradually decreases. In such situations, if nothing is done, a heart attack or heart failure may develop.
Thirst and sweating
Another symptom of low blood sugar is thirst in the background increased sweating. A person may drink a lot of liquid, sweat a lot, and at the same time constantly feel thirsty. It feels like everything in your mouth is dry and it’s hard to swallow. However, after stopping the attack, as a rule, the symptoms completely go away.
Night attacks
The most dangerous situation if hypoglycemia occurs at night. After all, it is quite difficult to adjust blood sugar levels during sleep unless the symptoms force you to wake up. This condition manifests itself in sweat and restless sleep. A person may have nightmares, make strange sounds, and even walk in his sleep.
Particularly dangerous is the situation when a person drank alcohol the day before. Alcohol poisoning and hypoglycemia are quite similar symptoms.
Vision problems
According to some reviews, a decrease in blood sugar in people is accompanied by eye problems. A person sees surrounding objects as blurry, eyeballs they hurt, it seems that the shell is very dry. At such moments, visual acuity sharply decreases and even photophobia may occur.
If there is a history of retinopathy, then low glucose levels can lead to deterioration of the fundus or retina.
Features of the condition in women and the elderly
Symptoms of low blood sugar in people in these categories are more pronounced. The older generation attributes symptoms to chronic diseases, and this is a huge risk of not providing timely assistance and, as a result, a heart attack or stroke, coma.
In women, a drop in sugar levels may occur due to menstrual cycle or during menopause, due to hormonal changes in the body. But in order to determine whether the condition is related to sugar levels or not, you should pay attention not only to your mood, but also to other symptoms:
- feeling of heat throughout the body;
- flushes of blood;
- pale skin followed by redness;
- increased blood loss during the menstrual cycle.
These symptoms may indicate that the body does not have enough glucose.
What is hypoglycemic syndrome?
With a sharp decrease in glucose levels, and if help is not provided in a timely manner, loss of consciousness occurs.
Symptoms of a sharp decrease in blood sugar can be divided into 4 phases:
- A pronounced feeling of hunger against a background of general weakness, low blood pressure and a dramatic change in mood.
- In the second phase, an unbearable feeling of hunger sets in, cold sweat, the skin becomes pale. Tremors and tachycardia may begin.
- At such moments, a person enters a state of euphoria, he is uncontrollable, very excited, loses his sense of fear and refuses help.
- The last phase is characterized by trembling in the body, convulsions, and loss of visual acuity. As a result, fainting and then coma occurs.
In the first phase, the symptoms of a sharp decrease in blood sugar are practically not dangerous and are quickly eliminated. But at other stages of hypoglycemic syndrome, the brain and other organs suffer; they lack oxygen, hence fainting and coma.
Treatment
You can get rid of the problem only after the cause of the low glucose level is identified. If diabetes mellitus is diagnosed, then insulin should be monitored, if there are problems with the pancreas, then they need to be eliminated, and so on. But the cause can only be identified after full examination. However, it is better to know how to help yourself at home to prevent fainting.
Help at home
When blood sugar drops, folk remedies can help correct the situation fairly quickly.
The easiest way is to eat 2-3 sugar cubes or 2 teaspoons, or you can eat a couple of spoons of honey or sweets. Lemonade or another sweet drink will quickly increase your blood sugar levels; 200 milliliters will be enough. Fruit juice has the same properties.
After symptoms are relieved, if the cause is unknown, you should consult a doctor. If the reason is to follow a strict diet, then you will have to give it up. In cases where sugar levels drop due to exhausting physical work, it is better to change your lifestyle or work. That is, it does not exist general rule How to get rid of hypoglycemia, each case, like the body, is individual.
What to do if an attack occurs?
Symptoms of the syndrome very quickly gain momentum, so it is very important to provide timely assistance to prevent hypoglycemic coma.
First of all, the person needs to be put into bed and his legs raised slightly. Then immediately call an ambulance. If the patient is wearing tight clothing, it must be removed or unbuttoned. If this happened indoors, it is better to open the windows so that there is air access.
If you don’t know what diseases a person has, then you don’t need to give him any; in extreme cases, you can give candy or a sweet drink.
In cases where a person has lost consciousness, he must be turned on his side to prevent the tongue from sticking or asphyxiation by vomiting. Sugar can be placed in the cheek. If you faint, you can administer 1 milliliter of glucagon.
Nutrition
With a problem such as hypoglycemia, nutrition involves increased consumption of complex carbohydrates. Products to lower blood sugar:
- vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas);
- pasta from durum wheat;
- whole wheat bread.
You will have to give up alcohol, animal fats, baked goods and semolina. It can be consumed in limited quantities, but it is better to completely avoid smoked meats, spices and spicy foods. The same rule must be followed when consuming sweets, honey, cookies, sweet drinks and juices. Be sure to avoid sugary drinks with carbonated water. Caffeine is also not a recommended drink, as it is one of the factors in the development of hypoglycemia.
It is necessary to introduce foods high in fiber into your diet, as it prevents the body from quickly absorbing glucose.
Meat and fish should be low-fat varieties, and dishes made from them should be steamed or baked. It is recommended to consume fresh and dried fruits, but with little sugar content.
A diet to lower blood sugar is designed in such a way that there are five meals throughout the day.
Traditional therapy
Your doctor may recommend taking the monosaccharide dextrose. In a hospital setting, as a rule, glucose-containing drugs are administered intravenously. In extreme cases, when they do not bring the glucose level to normal, then “Hydrocartisone” or adrenaline is injected intramuscularly.
What does traditional medicine offer?
Naturally, it is better to coordinate even herbal treatment with your doctor so as not to worsen your health condition.
The simplest, most affordable, effective way is to use rosehip decoction. The fruits of the plant are placed in a thermos and poured with boiling water, infused for 1.5-2 hours. Drink tea to lower blood sugar for 3-4 months. You can add honey or sugar to tea in small quantities.
You can make a more complex decoction. It will require:
- chamomile;
- rosehip flowers;
- St. John's wort.
All ingredients are mixed in equal parts. Two tablespoons are placed in a thermos and filled with half a liter of boiling water. This mixture must be left to steep for 2 hours. Take ¼ before each meal.
You can use Leuzea tincture, which is easy to purchase at any pharmacy. If there is a regular drop in sugar after eating, you should use the tincture regularly. 10-20 drops are diluted in a glass of water.
Remember that hypoglycemia can be treated quickly if you consult a doctor in time. However, ignoring the problem will inevitably lead to the development of other pathologies; people with low blood sugar levels often get into accidents, since during an attack, orientation in space is significantly reduced.
In the body, all metabolic processes occur in close connection. When they are violated, various diseases develop and pathological conditions, including an increase glucose in blood.
Nowadays people consume very large amounts of sugar, as well as easily digestible carbohydrates. There is even evidence that their consumption has increased 20 times over the last century. In addition, the health of people in Lately The environment and the presence of large amounts of unnatural food in the diet have a negative impact. As a result, metabolic processes are disrupted in both children and adults. Lipid metabolism is disrupted, the load on the pancreas, which produces the hormone, increases insulin .
Already in childhood, negative eating habits are developed - children consume sweet soda, fast food, chips, sweets, etc. As a result, too much fatty foods promotes the accumulation of fat in the body. The result is that symptoms of diabetes can appear even in teenagers, whereas previously it was considered a disease of older people. Nowadays, people experience signs of increased blood sugar very often, and the number of cases of diabetes in developed countries is now increasing every year.
With increased insulin, the processes of glucose synthesis from proteins and fats are inhibited. As a result, the patient exhibits signs hypoglycemia .
Sometimes patients have elevated insulin when normal sugar, the causes may be associated with various pathological phenomena. This may indicate the development of liver disease, as well as diseases associated with liver dysfunction.
How to reduce insulin should be asked by a specialist who will prescribe treatment after a series of studies.
conclusions
Thus, a blood glucose test is a very important test that is necessary to monitor the condition of the body. It is very important to know exactly how to donate blood. This analysis during pregnancy is one of the important methods for determining whether the condition of the pregnant woman and baby is normal.
How much blood sugar should be normal in newborns, children, and adults can be found out using special tables. But still, it is better to ask a doctor all questions that arise after such an analysis. Only he can do correct conclusions if blood sugar is 9 - what does this mean; 10 – is it diabetes or not; if 8 - what to do, etc. That is, what to do if sugar has increased, and whether this is evidence of a disease, can only be determined by a specialist after additional research.
When conducting a sugar test, you need to take into account that certain factors may affect the accuracy of the measurement. First of all, you need to take into account that a blood test for glucose, the norm of which is exceeded or lowered, could be affected by a certain disease or exacerbation of chronic ailments. So, if during a one-time test of blood from a vein, the sugar level was, for example, 7 mmol/l, then, for example, an analysis with a “load” for glucose tolerance can be prescribed. Also, impaired glucose tolerance can occur with chronic lack of sleep and stress. During pregnancy, the result is also distorted.
To the question whether smoking affects the analysis, the answer is also in the affirmative: it is not recommended to smoke at least a few hours before the study.
It is important to donate blood correctly - on an empty stomach, so on the day when the test is scheduled, you should not eat in the morning.
You can find out what the test is called and when it is performed at your medical facility. Blood sugar testing should be done once every six months for those over 40 years of age. People at risk should donate blood once every 3-4 months.
In the first type of insulin-dependent diabetes, you need to check your glucose every time before injecting insulin. At home, a portable glucometer is used for measurement. If type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, the test is performed in the morning, 1 hour after meals and before bedtime.
To support normal indicators glucose for those who are sick diabetes mellitus , you need to follow the doctor’s recommendations - take medications, adhere to, lead an active life. In this case, the glucose level may approach normal, amounting to 5.2, 5.3, 5.8, 5.9, etc.
Hypoglycemia is when blood sugar drops below normal. Mild hypoglycemia causes unpleasant symptoms, which are described below in the article. If severe hypoglycemia occurs, the person becomes unconscious and this can lead to death or disability due to permanent brain damage. The official definition of hypoglycemia is a decrease in blood glucose to less than 2.8 mmol/L, which is accompanied by adverse symptoms and may cause impairment of consciousness. Hypoglycemia is also a decrease in blood sugar to less than 2.2 mmol/L, even if a person does not feel symptoms.
Hypoglycemia in diabetes mellitus can be caused by two main reasons:
- insulin injections;
- taking pills that force the pancreas to produce more of its own insulin.
Insulin injections for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes are extremely important, and the benefits of them far outweigh the possible risk of hypoglycemia. Moreover, when you master and can manage with small doses of insulin, the risk of hypoglycemia will be very low.
We strongly recommend that you avoid taking pills that cause the pancreas to produce more insulin. These include all diabetes medications from the sulfonylurea and meglitinide classes. Not only can these pills cause hypoglycemia, but they also cause harm in other ways. Read “”. Doctors who are behind the times still continue to prescribe them to patients with type 2 diabetes. Alternative methods, which are described in, allow you to control blood sugar without the risk of hypoglycemia.
The symptoms of hypoglycemia become more pronounced the faster the blood glucose level decreases.
Early symptoms of hypoglycemia (you urgently need to eat “fast” carbohydrates, specifically glucose tablets):
- pale skin;
- sweating;
- trembling, palpitations;
- severe hunger;
- inability to concentrate;
- nausea;
- anxiety, aggressiveness.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia, when blood sugar is critically low and a hypoglycemic coma is already very close:
- weakness;
- dizziness, headache;
- feeling of fear;
- speech and visual behavioral disorders;
- confusion;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- loss of orientation in space;
- trembling of limbs, convulsions.
Not all symptoms of glycemia appear at the same time. For the same diabetic, the signs of hypoglycemia may change each time. For many patients, the symptoms of hypoglycemia are “dulled.” Such diabetics suddenly lose consciousness each time due to the development of hypoglycemic coma. They are at high risk of disability or death due to severe hypoglycemia. Why this happens:
- Constantly very low blood sugar levels;
- the person has been suffering from diabetes for a long time;
- elderly age;
- if hypoglycemia occurs frequently, the symptoms are not felt so clearly.
Such people are obliged not to pose a danger to others at the time of sudden severe hypoglycemia. This means that they are contraindicated from performing work on which the lives of other people depend. In particular, such diabetics should not drive a car or use public transport.
Some diabetic patients realize in time that they have hypoglycemia. They remain clear-headed enough to take out a glucometer, measure their sugar, and stop an attack of hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, many diabetics with subjective recognition of their own hypoglycemia experience big problems. When the brain lacks glucose, a person may begin to behave inappropriately. Such patients remain confident that their blood sugar is normal until the moment they lose consciousness. If a diabetic has experienced several acute episodes of hypoglycemia, he may have trouble recognizing subsequent episodes in a timely manner. This occurs due to dysregulation of adrenergic receptors. Also, taking certain medications makes it difficult to recognize hypoglycemia in a timely manner. These are beta blockers that lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Here's another list typical symptoms hypoglycemia, which develops as its severity increases:
- Slow reaction to surrounding events - for example, in a state of hypoglycemia, a person cannot brake in time when driving a car.
- Irritable, aggressive behavior. At this time, the diabetic is sure that his sugar is normal, and aggressively resists the attempts of others to force him to measure his sugar or eat fast carbohydrates.
- Blurred consciousness, difficulty speaking, weakness, clumsiness. These symptoms may continue after the sugar has returned to normal, up to 45-60 minutes.
- Drowsiness, lethargy.
- Loss of consciousness (very rare unless you are injecting insulin).
- Convulsions.
- Death.
Nocturnal hypoglycemia during sleep
Signs of nocturnal hypoglycemia during sleep:
- the patient has cold, sticky skin from sweat, especially on the neck;
- shortness of breath;
- restless sleep.
If your child has type 1 diabetes, you should sometimes monitor him at night, checking his neck by touch, or you can wake him up and measure his blood sugar with a glucometer in the middle of the night, just in case. To reduce insulin dosages and with them the risk of hypoglycemia, follow. Start a baby with type 1 diabetes on a low-carbohydrate diet as soon as you finish breastfeeding.
If symptoms of hypoglycemia are dulled
In some people with diabetes, the early symptoms of hypoglycemia are dulled. With hypoglycemia, hand tremors, pale skin, rapid pulse and other signs are caused by the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline). Many diabetics have weakened its production or decreased sensitivity of receptors to it. This problem develops over time in patients who have chronically low blood sugar or frequent spikes in blood sugar. high sugar to hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, these are precisely the categories of patients who most often experience hypoglycemia and who would most need normal sensitivity to epinephrine.
There are 5 reasons and circumstances that can lead to dulling of hypoglycemia symptoms:
- Severe autonomic diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that causes nerve conduction problems.
- Fibrosis of adrenal tissue. This is the death of adrenal tissue - the glands that produce adrenaline. It develops if the patient has a long history of diabetes and was treated lazily or incorrectly.
- Blood sugar chronically remains below normal.
- A diabetic takes medications—beta blockers—for high blood pressure, after a heart attack, or to prevent it.
- In diabetics who eat a “balanced” diet that is overloaded with carbohydrates, and therefore are forced to inject themselves with large doses of insulin.
If the glucometer shows that your blood sugar is below 3.5 mmol/L, take glucose tablets, even if there are no symptoms of hypoglycemia. You only need a little glucose to raise your blood sugar to normal. 1-3 grams of carbohydrates will be enough - this is 2-6 glucose tablets. Don't eat extra carbohydrates!
Some diabetics refuse to take glucose tablets even when they have tested their sugar and found it to be below normal. They say that they feel fine without the pills. Such diabetics are the main “clients” for emergency doctors, so that they can practice bringing a person out of a hypoglycemic coma. They also have a particularly high likelihood of car accidents. When you drive, measure your blood sugar with a glucometer every hour, whether you are hypoglycemic or not.
People who have frequent episodes of hypoglycemia or whose blood sugar is chronically below normal develop a “habituation” to this condition. Adrenaline appears in their blood often and in large quantities. This leads to the fact that the sensitivity of receptors to adrenaline is weakened. Just like excessive doses of insulin in the blood impair the sensitivity of insulin receptors on the surface of cells.
Causes of hypoglycemia in diabetes mellitus
Hypoglycemia occurs in situations where too much insulin circulates in the blood relative to dietary and liver glucose supply.
Causes of hypoglycemia
| A. Directly related to drug therapy to lower blood sugar | |
|---|---|
| Overdose of insulin, sulfonylureas or glinides |
|
| Changes in the pharmacokinetics (strength and speed of action) of insulin or sugar-lowering pills |
|
| Increased tissue sensitivity to insulin | |
B. Nutrition related |
|
|
|
Official medicine claims that if a diabetic patient is effectively treated with insulin or tablets that lower sugar, then the symptoms of hypoglycemia will have to be experienced 1-2 times a week and, they say, there is nothing wrong with that. We declare: if you do or, then hypoglycemia will happen much less often. Because with type 2 diabetes, we have given up the drugs that can cause it. As for insulin injections, for type 1 and type 2 diabetes it allows you to reduce insulin dosages several times and thus reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.
Typical causes of hypoglycemia in those treated using site methods:
- We didn’t wait 5 hours for the previous dose of rapid insulin to finish working, and injected the next dose to knock down high sugar in blood. This is especially dangerous at night.
- They injected rapid insulin before meals, and then started eating too late. The same applies if you take pills before meals that force the pancreas to produce more insulin. It is enough to start eating 10-15 minutes later than you should to feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia.
- Diabetic gastroparesis is delayed gastric emptying after eating.
- After graduation infectious disease- insulin resistance suddenly weakens, and the diabetic forgets to return from increased doses of insulin or tablets that lower sugar to their usual doses.
- For a long time, a diabetic injected himself with “weakened” insulin from a bottle or cartridge that was stored incorrectly or was expired, and then began injecting “fresh” normal insulin without lowering the dose.
- Switching from an insulin pump to injections with insulin syringes and back if it occurs without careful self-monitoring of blood sugar.
- The diabetic injected himself with high-power ultra-short insulin in the same dose that he usually injects with short-term insulin.
- The insulin dose does not correspond to the amount of food eaten. Ate less carbohydrates and/or protein than planned for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or they ate as much as they intended, but for some reason they injected more insulin.
- A diabetic is involved in an unplanned physical activity or forgets to monitor blood sugar every hour during physical activity.
- Alcohol abuse, especially before and during meals.
- A diabetic patient who injects himself with the average NPH insulin protafan forgot to shake the bottle well before drawing a dose of insulin into the syringe.
- Accidentally gave an intramuscular injection of insulin instead of a subcutaneous one.
- We made the correct subcutaneous injection of insulin, but in that area of the body that is subject to intense physical activity.
- Long-term treatment intravenous administration gamma globulin. Causes random and unpredictable recovery of some beta cells in patients with type 1 diabetes, thereby reducing the need for insulin.
- Taking the following medications: aspirin in large doses, anticoagulants, barbiturates, antihistamines and some others. These drugs lower blood sugar or inhibit the liver's production of glucose.
- Sharp warming. During this time, many diabetic patients' insulin needs decrease.
Hunger is the most common symptom hypoglycemia at an early stage. If you are doing or and have your disease well controlled, then you should never experience extreme hunger at all. You should be only slightly hungry before your planned meal. On the other hand, hunger is often just a sign of fatigue or emotional stress, not hypoglycemia. Also, when blood sugar, on the contrary, is too high, the cells do not have enough glucose, and they intensely send hunger signals. Conclusion: if you feel hungry, immediately measure your blood sugar with a glucometer.
Risk factors for severe hypoglycemia:
- the patient has previously had cases of severe hypoglycemia;
- the diabetic does not feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia in time, and therefore his coma occurs suddenly;
- secretion of insulin by the pancreas is completely absent;
- low social status of the patient.
How to figure out what caused hypoglycemia
You need to recreate the entire sequence of events that leads to episodes when your blood sugar drops too low. This needs to be done every time, even if there were no visible symptoms, to find where you went wrong. In order to be able to reconstruct events, insulin-dependent diabetic patients need to continuously live in the regime, i.e., measure it often, record the measurement results and accompanying circumstances.
Severe hypoglycemia can lead to the fact that events several hours before it are completely erased from the memory of a diabetic patient. If he carefully keeps his self-control diary, then in such a situation the notes will provide invaluable help. It is not enough to record only the results of blood sugar measurements; you also need to record the accompanying circumstances. If you have had several episodes of hypoglycemia but cannot understand the cause, show the records to your doctor. Perhaps he will ask you clarifying questions and figure it out.
Treatment (relief) of hypoglycemia
If you experience any of the hypoglycemia symptoms we listed above—especially extreme hunger—measure your blood sugar with a glucometer right away. If it is 0.6 mmol/L below your target level or even lower, then take measures to stop hypoglycemia. Eat enough carbohydrates, specifically glucose tablets, to raise your sugar to your target level. If there are no symptoms, but you measured your blood sugar and noticed that it is low, the same thing, you need to eat glucose tablets in a precisely calculated dosage. If your sugar is low, but there are no symptoms, then you still need to eat fast carbohydrates. Because hypoglycemia without symptoms is more dangerous than one that causes obvious symptoms.
What to do if you don't have a glucometer with you? This is a grave sin for an insulin-dependent diabetic. If you suspect that you have hypoglycemia, then play it safe and eat some glucose to raise your blood sugar by 2.4 mmol/l. This will protect you from severe hypoglycemia, which has irreversible consequences.
As soon as the glucometer is at your disposal, measure your sugar. It will probably be higher or lower. Bring it back to normal and don’t sin again, i.e. always keep a glucometer with you.
The most difficult thing is if your blood sugar has dropped due to the fact that you injected too much insulin or took an excessive dose. In such a situation, your sugar may drop again after taking glucose tablets. Therefore, test your sugar again with a glucometer 45 minutes after taking the anti-hypoglycemia medication. Make sure everything is fine. If your sugar is low again, take another dose of tablets, then repeat the measurement after another 45 minutes. And so on until everything finally returns to normal.
How to cure hypoglycemia without raising blood sugar above normal
Traditionally, diabetic patients eat flour, fruits and sweets, drink fruit juices or sweet carbonated water to relieve hypoglycemia. This treatment method does not work well for two reasons. On the one hand, it acts slower than necessary. Because the carbohydrates found in foods still have to be digested by the body before they begin to raise blood sugar. On the other hand, such “treatment” excessively increases blood sugar, because the dose of carbohydrates cannot be accurately calculated, and out of fear the diabetic patient eats too many of them.
Hypoglycemia can wreak terrible havoc in diabetes. A severe attack can lead to death in a diabetic patient or disability due to permanent brain damage, and it is not easy to know which outcome is worse. Therefore, we strive to raise blood sugar to normal as quickly as possible. Complex carbohydrates, fructose, and the milk sugar lactose all must undergo digestion in the body before they begin to raise blood sugar. The same goes for even starch and table sugar, although the absorption process is very fast for them.
Use glucose tablets to prevent and relieve hypoglycemia. Buy them at the pharmacy, don't be lazy! Fruits, juices, sweets, flour - undesirable. Eat exactly as much glucose as you need. Do not allow your sugar to “rebound” after you have dealt with an attack of hypoglycemia.
The foods we listed above contain a mixture of fast and slow carbohydrates, which act with a delay and then increase blood sugar unpredictably. This always ends with the fact that after stopping an attack of hypoglycemia, the sugar level in a diabetic patient goes through the roof. Ignorant doctors still believe that after an episode of hypoglycemia it is impossible to avoid a rebound increase in blood sugar. They consider it normal if after a few hours the blood sugar of a diabetic patient is 15-16 mmol/l. But this is not true if you act correctly. Which drug raises blood sugar the fastest and works predictably? Answer: pure glucose.
Glucose tablets
Glucose is the same substance that circulates in the blood and which we call “blood sugar.” Dietary glucose is immediately absorbed into the blood and begins to act. The body does not need to digest it; it does not undergo any transformation processes in the liver. If you chew a glucose tablet in your mouth and drink it with water, most of it will be absorbed into the blood from the mucous membrane of the mouth; you don’t even have to swallow it. Some more will enter the stomach and intestines and will be instantly absorbed from there.
In addition to speed, the second advantage of glucose tablets is the predictability of action. During hypoglycemia in a person with type 1 or type 2 diabetes weighing 64 kg, 1 gram of glucose will raise blood sugar by approximately 0.28 mmol/L. In this condition, in a patient with type 2 diabetes, the production of insulin by the pancreas is automatically switched off, while in a patient with type 1 diabetes it is not produced at all. If blood sugar is not below normal, then glucose will have a weaker effect on a patient with type 2 diabetes, because the pancreas “quenches” it with its insulin. For a patient with type 1 diabetes, 1 gram of glucose will still increase blood sugar by 0.28 mmol/l, because he does not produce his own insulin.
The more a person weighs, the weaker the effect of glucose on him, and the lower the body weight, the stronger. To calculate how much 1 gram of glucose will increase your blood sugar at your weight, you need to create a proportion. For example, for a person weighing 80 kg there will be 0.28 mmol/l * 64 kg / 80 kg = 0.22 mmol/l, and for a child weighing 48 kg it will be 0.28 mmol/l * 64 kg / 48 kg = 0.37 mmol/l.
So, to relieve hypoglycemia, glucose tablets are the most best choice. They are sold in most pharmacies and are very cheap. Also in grocery stores, tablets are often sold in the checkout area. ascorbic acid(vitamin C) with glucose. They can also be used against hypoglycemia. The doses of vitamin C in them are usually very low. If you are too lazy to stock up on glucose tablets, carry refined sugar with you in pieces. 2-3 pieces are enough, no more. Sweets, fruits, juices, flour - are not suitable for patients who are following a type 1 diabetes treatment program or a type 2 diabetes treatment program.
If you handle glucose tablets, wash your hands before testing your blood sugar with a glucose meter. If there is no water, use a damp cloth. As a last resort, lick the finger you are about to pierce, and then wipe it with a clean cloth or handkerchief. If traces of glucose remain on the skin of the finger, the results of measuring blood sugar will be distorted. Keep glucose tablets away from the meter and test strips.
The most important question is how many glucose tablets should you eat? Eat just enough of them to raise your blood sugar to normal, but no more. Let's sort it out practical example. Let's say you weigh 80 kg. We calculated above that 1 gram of glucose will raise your blood sugar by 0.22 mmol/L. Now your blood sugar is 3.3 mmol/L, and the target level is 4.6 mmol/L, i.e. you need to increase your sugar by 4.6 mmol/L - 3.3 mmol/L = 1.3 mmol/l. To do this, you need to take 1.3 mmol/l / 0.22 mmol/l = 6 grams of glucose. If you use glucose tablets that weigh 1 gram each, that's 6 tablets, no more and no less.
What to do if your blood sugar is low just before a meal
It may happen that you discover that your sugar is low just before you start eating. If you are following type 1 or 2 diabetes to control it, then still eat glucose tablets right away, and then “real” food. Because low-carb foods are digested slowly. If hypoglycemia is not stopped, it can result in overeating and a jump in sugar levels after a few hours, which will then be difficult to bring back to normal.
How to cope with a binge eating disorder due to hypoglycemia
Mild and “moderate” hypoglycemia can cause severe, intolerable hunger and panic. The urge to binge on carbohydrate-laden foods can be almost uncontrollable. In such a situation, a diabetic can immediately eat a whole kilogram of ice cream or flour products or drink a liter of fruit juice. As a result, blood sugar will be monstrously high after a few hours. Below you will learn what to do if you experience hypoglycemia to reduce the harm to your health from panic and overeating.
First, experiment ahead of time and make sure that glucose tablets work very predictably, especially for type 1 diabetes. How many grams of glucose you ate is exactly how much your blood sugar will rise, no more and no less. Check it out for yourself, see for yourself in advance. This is necessary so that in a situation of hypoglycemia you do not panic. After you take glucose tablets, you will be sure that loss of consciousness and death are definitely not a threat.
So, we brought the panic under control because we had prepared in advance for the situation of possible hypoglycemia. This allows the diabetic to remain calm, sane, and there is less chance of binge eating getting out of control. But what should you do if, after taking glucose tablets, you still cannot control your wild hunger? This may occur because the half-life of adrenaline in the blood is quite long, as described in the previous section. In this case, chew and eat low-carb foods from.
Moreover, it is advisable to use products that do not contain carbohydrates at all. For example, cold cuts. You should not snack on nuts in such a situation, because you will not be able to resist and eat too many of them. Nuts contain a certain amount of carbohydrates, and in large quantities they also increase blood sugar, causing. So, if hunger is unbearable, then you drown it out with low-carbohydrate animal products.
Sugar increased to normal, but symptoms of hypoglycemia do not go away
In a situation of hypoglycemia, a sharp release of the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) occurs into the blood. It is this that causes most of the unpleasant symptoms. When blood sugar drops excessively, the adrenal glands respond by producing adrenaline and increasing its concentration in the blood. This occurs in all diabetics except those who have impaired recognition of hypoglycemia. Like glucagon, adrenaline signals the liver to convert glycogen into glucose. It also increases the heart rate, causes pale skin, hand tremors and other symptoms.
Adrenaline has a half-life of approximately 30 minutes. This means that even an hour after the hypoglycemic attack has ended, ¼ of the adrenaline is still in the blood and continues to act. For this reason, symptoms may continue for some time. You need to wait 1 hour after taking glucose tablets. During this hour, the most important thing is to resist the temptation to eat too much. If symptoms of hypoglycemia do not go away after an hour, measure your sugar with a glucometer again and take additional measures.
Aggressive behavior of a diabetic in a state of hypoglycemia
If a person with diabetes experiences hypoglycemia, it can make life very difficult for family members, friends and colleagues. This happens for two reasons:
- in a state of hypoglycemia, diabetics often behave rudely and aggressively;
- the patient may suddenly lose consciousness and require emergency medical attention.
What to do if a diabetic patient has truly severe hypoglycemia or loses consciousness will be discussed in the next section. Now let's discuss what causes aggressive behavior and how to live with a diabetic patient without unnecessary conflicts.
In a state of hypoglycemia, a diabetic may behave strangely, rudely and aggressively for two main reasons:
- he lost control of himself;
- attempts by others to feed him sweets can really cause harm.
Let's figure out what happens in the brain of a diabetic patient during an attack of hypoglycemia. The brain does not have enough glucose to function properly, and because of this, the person behaves as if he is drunk. Mental activity is impaired. This can manifest itself in different symptoms - lethargy or, on the contrary, irritability, excessive kindness or the opposite of aggressiveness. In any case, the symptoms of hypoglycemia resemble alcohol intoxication. A diabetic is sure that his blood sugar is now normal, just as a drunk person is sure that he is absolutely sober. Alcohol intoxication and hypoglycemia disrupt the activity of the same centers of higher nervous activity in the brain.
A diabetic patient has firmly learned that high blood sugar is dangerous, destroys health, and therefore should be avoided. Even in a state of hypoglycemia, he firmly remembers this. Moreover, right now he is sure that his sugar is normal and in general he is knee-deep in the sea. And then someone is trying to feed him harmful carbohydrates... Obviously, in such a situation, the diabetic will imagine that it is the second participant in the situation who is behaving badly and trying to harm him. This is especially likely if a spouse, parent, or coworker has tried the same thing before, and then it turns out that the person with diabetes actually had normal sugar levels.
You are most likely to provoke aggression in a diabetic patient if you try to stuff sweets into his mouth. Although, as a rule, verbal persuasion is enough for this. The brain, irritated by a lack of glucose, prompts its owner with paranoid ideas that a spouse, parent or colleague wishes him harm and is even trying to kill him, tempting him with harmful sweet food. In such a situation, only a saint could refrain from retaliatory aggression... People around him are usually upset and shocked by the negative situation of a diabetic patient and their attempts to help him.
The spouse or parent of a person with diabetes may develop a fear of severe hypoglycemia, especially if the diabetic has previously fainted in such situations. Usually sweets are kept in different places in the house so that they are at hand and the diabetic can quickly eat them when needed. The problem is that in half the cases, people around him suspect hypoglycemia in a diabetic patient, when his sugar is actually normal. This often happens during family scandals due to some other reasons. Opponents think that our diabetic patient is making such a big scandal because he now has hypoglycemia. In this way they are trying to avoid the real, more complex reasons for the scandal. But in the second half of cases of unusual behavior, hypoglycemia is indeed present, and if a diabetic patient is sure that his sugar is normal, then he is needlessly putting himself at risk.
So, half of the time when others try to feed a diabetic patient sweets, they are wrong, because he actually does not have hypoglycemia. Eating carbohydrates causes a spike in blood sugar, and this is very harmful to the health of a diabetic. But in the second half of cases, when hypoglycemia is present and the person denies it, he creates unnecessary problems for others, exposing himself to significant risk. How should all participants behave correctly? If a diabetic patient behaves unusually, then you need to persuade him not to eat sweets, but to measure his blood sugar. After this, in half the cases it turns out that there is no hypoglycemia. And if there is one, then glucose tablets immediately come to the rescue, which we have already stocked and learned to correctly calculate their doses. Also make sure that the glucometer is accurate in advance (). If it turns out that your glucometer is lying, then replace it with an accurate one.
The traditional approach of persuading a diabetic to eat sweets does at least as much harm as good. The alternative, which we outlined in the previous paragraph, should bring peace to families and ensure a normal life for all concerned. Of course, if you don’t skimp on test strips for a glucometer and lancets. Living with a diabetic person means having almost as many problems as the diabetic person has. It is the direct responsibility of a diabetic to measure your sugar immediately at the request of family members or colleagues. Then it will be clear whether it is necessary to stop hypoglycemia by taking glucose tablets. If you don't have a glucose meter at hand or you run out of test strips, eat enough glucose tablets to raise your blood sugar by 2.2 mmol/L. This is guaranteed to protect against severe hypoglycemia. And you will deal with high sugar levels when you have access to a glucometer.
What to do if a diabetic is already on the verge of losing consciousness
If a diabetic is already on the verge of losing consciousness, then this is moderate hypoglycemia, turning into severe. In this state, a diabetic patient looks very tired and lethargic. He does not respond to requests because he is unable to answer questions. The patient is still conscious, but is no longer able to help himself. Now it all depends on those around them - do they know how to help with hypoglycemia? Moreover, if hypoglycemia is no longer mild, but severe.
In such a situation, it is too late to try to measure sugar with a glucometer; you will only waste precious time. If you give a diabetic patient glucose tablets or sweets, he is unlikely to chew them. Most likely, he will spit out solid food or worse, choke. At this stage of hypoglycemia, it is correct to give a diabetic patient a liquid glucose solution. If not, then at least with a sugar solution. American guidelines for the treatment of diabetes recommend in such situations the use of glucose in the form of a gel, which is lubricated from the inside of the gums or cheeks, because this way there is less risk that a diabetic patient will inhale the liquid and choke. In Russian-speaking countries, we only have a pharmacy glucose solution or a homemade instant sugar solution at our disposal.
Glucose solution is sold in pharmacies, and the most prudent diabetic patients have it at home. It is released in order to medical institutions perform a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. When giving a diabetic a solution of glucose or sugar, it is very important to ensure that the patient does not choke, but actually swallows the liquid. If you manage to do this, then the terrible symptoms of hypoglycemia will quickly pass. After 5 minutes, the diabetic will be able to answer questions. After this, he needs to measure his sugar with a glucometer and use an insulin injection to lower it to normal.
Emergency assistance if a diabetic patient loses consciousness
You should know that a diabetic patient may lose consciousness not only due to hypoglycemia. The cause may also be a heart attack, stroke, or a sudden drop in blood pressure. Diabetics sometimes lose consciousness if they have very high symptoms for several days in a row. high sugar in the blood (22 mmol/l and above), and this is accompanied by dehydration. This is called, it happens to elderly people with diabetes who live alone. If you do or follow disciplinedly, then it is very unlikely that your sugar will rise so high.
As a rule, if you see that a diabetic has lost consciousness, then there is no time to find out the reasons for this, but you need to start treatment immediately. If a diabetic patient has lost consciousness, he first needs to be given a glucagon injection, and then understand the reasons. Glucagon is a hormone that quickly raises blood sugar, causing the liver and muscles to convert their glycogen stores into glucose and saturate the blood with this glucose. People who surround a person with diabetes should know:
- where is the kit stored? emergency assistance with glucagon;
- how to give an injection.
An emergency glucagon injection kit is available in pharmacies. This is a case in which a syringe with liquid is stored, as well as a bottle with white powder. There are also visual instructions in pictures on how to do the injection. You need to inject the liquid from the syringe into the bottle through the cap, then remove the needle from the cap, shake the bottle well to mix the solution, and draw it back into the syringe. An adult needs to inject the entire volume of the contents of the syringe, subcutaneously or intramuscularly. The injection can be given in all the same areas where insulin is usually injected. If a diabetic patient receives insulin injections, then family members can practice giving these injections to him in advance, so that later they can easily cope if they need to give a glucagon injection.
If you don't have an emergency glucagon kit on hand, call ambulance or transport an unconscious diabetic patient to the hospital. If a person has lost consciousness, then under no circumstances should you try to administer anything to him through the mouth. Do not put glucose tablets or solid food in his mouth, or try to give him any liquids. All this can get into Airways, and the person will suffocate. In an unconscious state, a diabetic cannot chew or swallow, so he cannot be helped in this way.
If a diabetic patient loses consciousness due to hypoglycemia, he may experience convulsions. In this case, saliva is released abundantly, and the teeth chatter and clench. You can try to insert a wooden stick into the teeth of an unconscious patient so that he cannot bite his tongue. At the same time, it is important to prevent him from biting off your fingers. Lay him on his side so that the saliva flows out of his mouth and he does not choke on it.
It happens that glucagon causes nausea and vomiting in a diabetic. Therefore, the patient should lie on his side so that vomit does not enter the respiratory tract. After the injection of glucagon, the diabetic patient should come to consciousness within 5 minutes. No later than 20 minutes later, he should already be able to answer questions. If within 10 minutes there are no signs of obvious improvement in the condition, an unconscious diabetic patient requires urgent medical attention. The emergency doctor will give him intravenous glucose.
A single injection of glucagon can raise blood sugar to 22 mmol/L, depending on how large glycogen stores are stored in the liver. When consciousness has fully returned, the diabetic patient needs to measure his blood sugar with a glucometer. If 5 hours or more have passed since the last injection of rapid insulin, then you need to give an insulin injection to bring your sugar back to normal. This is important to do because this is the only way the liver begins to restore its glycogen reserves. They will recover within 24 hours. If a diabetic patient loses consciousness 2 times in a row within a few hours, then a repeated injection of glucagon may not help because the liver has not yet restored its glycogen reserves.
After a diabetic patient has been revived with a glucagon injection, over the next 24 hours he needs to measure his sugar with a glucometer every 2.5 hours, including at night. Make sure hypoglycemia does not occur again. If your blood sugar drops, immediately use glucose tablets to raise it to normal. Careful monitoring is important because if a diabetic patient becomes unconscious again, giving them a second glucagon injection may not help them wake up. We explained why above. At the same time, high blood sugar needs to be adjusted less frequently. A second injection of rapid insulin can be given no earlier than 5 hours after the previous one.
If hypoglycemia is so severe that you lose consciousness, you need to carefully review your diabetes treatment regimen to understand where you are making a mistake. Read the list again typical reasons hypoglycemia, which are given above in the article.
Supplies in case of hypoglycemia include glucose tablets, an emergency kit with glucagon, and preferably a liquid glucose solution. Buying all this at the pharmacy is easy, not expensive, and it can save the life of a diabetic patient. At the same time, hypoglycemia supplies will not help if people around you do not know where they are stored or do not know how to provide emergency assistance.
Keep hypoglycemia supplies in several convenient places at home and at work, and let family members and co-workers know what goes where. Keep glucose tablets in your car, wallet, briefcase and handbag. When traveling by plane, keep hypoglycemia supplies in your carry-on luggage, as well as a duplicate supply in your checked luggage. This is necessary in case some luggage gets lost or is stolen from you.
Replace the glucagon emergency kit when the expiration date expires. But in a situation of hypoglycemia, you can safely give an injection, even if it is overdue. Glucagon is a powder in a bottle. Because it is dry, it remains effective for several years after the expiration date. Of course, this is only if it has not been exposed to very high temperatures, as happens in the summer in a car locked in the sun. It is advisable to store the emergency kit with glucagon in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2-8 degrees Celsius. The prepared glucagon solution can only be used for 24 hours.
If you have used any of your supplies, replenish them as quickly as possible. Store excess glucose tablets and meter test strips. At the same time, bacteria are very fond of glucose. If you do not use glucose tablets for 6-12 months, they may develop black spots. This means that colonies of bacteria have formed on them. It is better to immediately replace such tablets with new ones.
Diabetic ID bracelets, lanyards and medallions are popular in English-speaking countries. They are very useful if a diabetic becomes unconscious because they provide valuable information to healthcare professionals. A Russian-speaking diabetic patient should hardly order such a thing from abroad. Because it is unlikely that an emergency doctor will understand what is written in English.
You can make yourself an identification bracelet by ordering individual engraving. A bracelet is better than a locket because it is more likely that medical workers he will be noticed.
Hypoglycemia in diabetes mellitus: conclusions
You've probably heard a lot horror stories that in patients with type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia occurs frequently and is very acute. The good news is that this problem only affects diabetics who follow a “balanced” diet, eat a lot of carbohydrates and therefore have to inject themselves with a lot of insulin. If you follow our instructions, the risk of severe hypoglycemia is extremely low. A significant reduction in the risk of hypoglycemia is a significant, but not even the most important reason to switch to our type 1 diabetes control regimen.
If you switch to , your insulin needs will decrease significantly. Also, our patients do not take harmful diabetes pills that cause hypoglycemia. After this, hypoglycemia can occur only in one of two cases: you accidentally injected yourself with more insulin than necessary, or you injected a dose of rapid insulin without waiting 5 hours for the previous dose to wear off. Feel free to ask your family members and work colleagues to review this article. Although the risk is reduced, you may still find yourself in a situation of severe hypoglycemia, when you cannot help yourself, and only the people around you can save you from loss of consciousness, death or disability.
