Blood sugar is the glucose found in the human circulatory system and circulating throughout the blood vessels. Glucose testing allows you to find out what the concentration of sugar in the blood is on an empty stomach, as well as after eating.
Glucose penetrates into circulatory system from the gastrointestinal tract and liver, and then spread throughout the body through the blood, as a result of which the soft tissues are “charged” with energy for full functioning.
To absorb sugar at the cellular level, a hormone is needed that is produced by pancreatic cells and is called insulin. Glucose content is the concentration of sugar in the human body.
Normally, it may fluctuate, but does not exceed acceptable limits. The smallest amount is observed on an empty stomach, but after a meal, the sugar content, that is, its level, increases.
If a person’s body is functioning fully, he does not have diabetes, and metabolic processes are working normally, then blood sugar rises slightly, and after a few hours it returns to the normal limit.
You should consider what is the normal blood sugar level and what deviations there may be? What does it mean if blood sugar is 3-3.8 units?
Normal glucose levels
In a completely healthy person, sugar varies from 3.8 to 5.3 units. In the vast majority of cases, it turns out to be 4.3-4.5 units on an empty stomach and after a meal, and this is normal.
When a person has eaten too much sweet foods and other foods that contain great amount simple carbohydrates, then glucose can increase to 6-7 units, but literally after a few minutes the levels drop again to the accepted norm.
For patients suffering diabetes mellitus, glucose in the body is 7-8 units a few hours after a meal - this is normal indicators, one might even say, simply excellent. Sugar in the body up to 10 units in this case is quite acceptable.
It should be noted that the official medical standards for glucose in the body for diabetics are overestimated. Therefore, it is recommended that patients maintain their sugar levels in the range of 5-6 units.
And this is quite doable if you eat right and exclude foods containing large amounts of simple carbohydrates. These manipulations will help minimize the likelihood of numerous complications of diabetes.
- Morning time before breakfast from 3.8 to 5 units.
- A few hours after eating, no more than 5.5 units.
- The result of glycated hemoglobin is no more than 5.4%.
This table applies to those people who do not have impaired glucose tolerance. If the patient suffers from diabetes, then he will have a slightly different norm:
- Before breakfast in the morning from 5 to 7.3 units.
- A few hours after a meal – below 10 units.
- Glycated hemoglobin ranges from 6.5 to 7%.
No matter what they say, patients with diabetes should be guided by the norms specifically for a healthy person. Why is that? The fact is that complications of the chronic form occur under the influence of glucose, which exceeds 7 units.
Definitely, they are not progressing very quickly when compared with even higher rates. If a diabetic manages to maintain glucose within the normal range of a healthy person, then the risk of death from complications of diabetes is reduced to zero.
What you need to know about glucose standards:
- Normal values are the same for everyone, both for children and adults of both sexes.
- It is always necessary to control your glucose, and a diet containing a small amount of carbohydrates helps with this.
- During pregnancy, it is recommended to do a glucose tolerance test.
- After the age of 40, you need to be tested for sugar at least three times a year.
Experience shows that a low-carb diet is a good way to control diabetes, and it provides results after a few days.
Glucose is normalized, and the dosage of insulin is reduced several times.
Prediabetic condition and diabetes mellitus
Sugar level
In the vast majority of cases, when a person is diagnosed with a glucose utilization disorder, he is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Typically, this disease does not occur immediately and is characterized by slow progression.
First, there is a condition called prediabetes, the duration of which varies from two to three years. When the patient does not receive adequate treatment, he transforms into a full-fledged form of diabetes mellitus.
The criteria for diagnosing a prediabetic state are the following: on an empty stomach, glucose varies from 5.5 to 7 units; the value of glycated hemoglobin is from 5.7 to 6.6%; glucose after a meal (after 1 or 2 hours) from 7.8 to 11 units.
Prediabetes is a disorder metabolic processes in the human body. And this condition indicates a high likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Along with this, numerous complications are already developing in the body, the kidneys are suffering, lower limbs, visual perception.
Diagnostic criteria sugar disease 2 types:
- Glucose on an empty stomach exceeds 7 units. In this case, two different analyzes were carried out several days apart.
- There was a moment when blood sugar jumped above 11 units, and this difference did not depend on food intake.
- Study of glycated hemoglobin from 6.5%.
- The tolerance test showed sugar more than 11 units.
With such indicators, the patient complains that he is shaking, he is constantly thirsty, there are abundant and frequent urination. It often happens that body weight decreases for no reason, even though the diet remains the same.
Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are the following:
- Obesity or overweight.
- Hypertonic disease.
- High cholesterol.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome in women.
- Close relatives have diabetes.
It should be noted that the risk group includes those women who, while carrying a child, gained more than 17 kilograms and gave birth to a baby weighing more than 4.5 kilograms.
If a person has at least one factor, then starting from the age of 40, it is necessary to take a glucose test at least three times a year.
Blood sugar 7 units: what does this mean?
A sugar level of 7 units is an increased concentration of glucose in the body, and most often the cause is a “sweet” disease. But there may be other factors that led to its increase: the intake of certain medications, severe stress, kidney dysfunction, infectious pathologies.
Many medications cause an increase in blood sugar. As a rule, these are diuretic tablets, corticosteroids, beta blockers, antidepressants. It is simply not realistic to list all the drugs that increase glucose.
Most often, a hyperglycemic state does not cause severe symptoms, provided that glucose increases slightly. However, with severe hyperglycemia, the patient may lose consciousness and fall into a coma.
Common symptoms of high sugar:
- Constant feeling of thirst.
- Dry skin and mucous membranes.
- Copious and frequent urination.
- Haze visual perception.
- Skin itching.
- Sleep disturbance, weight loss.
- Scratches and wounds do not heal for a long period of time.
If ketoacidosis is also observed against the background of a hypoglycemic state, then clinical picture complemented by frequent and deep breathing, the smell of acetone from oral cavity, lability of emotional state.
If you ignore the increase in sugar, it will lead to acute and chronic complications sugar pathology. Statistics show that acute Negative consequences in 5-10% of cases they cause death in patients.
Chronically increased glucose in the body disrupts the structure of blood vessels, as a result of which they acquire abnormal hardness and become thicker. Over the years, this condition provokes numerous complications: liver and renal failure, cardiovascular pathologies.
It should be noted that the higher the glucose, the faster the progression and serious complications arise.
Glucose readings less than 3: what does this mean?
IN medical practice Low levels of glucose in the body are called a hypoglycemic state. Typically, this pathological condition is diagnosed when sugar in the body drops below 3.1-3.3 units.
In fact, changes in blood sugar from high to low levels can be observed not only against the background of diabetes, but also with other diseases.
At the same time, the signs of low sugar depend on how sharply it decreases. For example, if the glucose in the body is about 10 units, the patient injected himself with the hormone, but calculated the dosage incorrectly, and the sugar dropped to 4 units, then hypoglycemia was the result of a rapid decrease.
The main reasons for a sharp decrease in sugar:
- Incorrect dosage of medications or insulin.
- Small amount of food consumed, skipping meals.
- Chronic form of renal failure.
- Replacing one medication with another.
- Drinking alcoholic beverages.
Sugar may decrease if the patient additionally uses other methods to lower it. For example, he takes tablets to reduce sugar in the same dosage, and also drinks decoctions based on medicinal plants.
When sugar levels drop, the following clinical picture is observed:
- Speaking cold sweat.
- Appears unreasonable feeling anxiety.
- I want to eat.
- Extremities get cold.
- Chills and nausea appear.
- Headache, numb tip of tongue.
If you ignore the situation, it will only get worse. Coordination of movements is impaired, the person speaks indistinctly, you might even think that he is drunk. And this is very dangerous, because those around him do not want to help him, and the person himself is no longer able to.
In case of mild hypoglycemia, you can increase your sugar yourself: eat a spoonful of jam, drink sweet tea. After 10 minutes, check your blood sugar. If it is still low, repeat the “procedure” of increasing.
How to find out your sugar?
Any diabetic should have a device such as a glucometer. This device allows you to control the “sweet” disease. It is recommended to measure glucose concentration two to five times a day.
Modern devices are mobile and lightweight, quickly displaying measurement results. Even specialized ones appeared on sale. One problem is the cost of the test strips because they are not cheap at all. However, this is a vicious circle: saving on test strips will lead to serious expenses for the treatment of complications of the disease. Therefore, they choose the lesser “of evils”.
Measuring your glucose levels is a simple, and most importantly painless procedure. Finger piercing needles are particularly thin. The sensation is no more painful than a mosquito bite. As practice shows, it is difficult to measure sugar using a glucometer only the first time, and then everything goes “like clockwork.”
Correct recording of glucose readings:
- Wash your hands and dry them with a towel.
- Hands should be washed with soapy water; the use of alcoholic liquids is prohibited.
- Hold the limb in warm water or shake it so that the blood flows to the fingers.
- The puncture area must be completely dry. Under no circumstances should any liquid be mixed with blood.
- The test strip is inserted into the device, on the screen of which a message should appear that you can start measuring.
- Prick the area of your finger and massage a little so that a drop of blood comes out.
- Apply biological fluid on the strip, look at the indicators.
To control your disease and prevent excess or decrease in glucose in the body, it is recommended to keep a diary for a diabetic. It must record the dates and specific results of sugar measurements, what foods were consumed, and what dose of the hormone was administered.
By analyzing this information, you can understand the impact of food, physical activity, insulin injections and other circumstances. All this will help keep the disease under control, which will minimize the likelihood of developing negative complications. The video in this article will tell you about sugar levels.
The pathological syndrome that occurs when blood glucose drops below normal is called hypoglycemia. The health and life-threatening condition that results in low blood sugar occurs in two ways:
- with a deficiency of glucose supplied with food;
- due to excess insulin, a pancreatic hormone responsible for the transport of sugar to organs and tissues.
With a sharp drop in glucose levels, energy starvation develops: the normal functioning of cells throughout the body, primarily the brain, is disrupted. For such cases, nature has provided glycogen reserves in the liver, so that the dangerous condition can be naturally stabilized. But this reserve is not infinite, and in the future it can provoke more and more severe consequences, up to coma.
A decrease in glucose levels is observed not only in people with diabetes, but also in healthy individuals of any age, including children. Sugar drops noticeably if:
- a person has not eaten anything for a long time (8 or more hours of fasting);
- in response to incoming glucose (after eating), a lot of insulin is released and after 2-4 hours the body is again acutely “starving”.
Lowering sugar on an empty stomach
This type is provoked by:
- unbalanced, insufficient nutrition, dehydration;
- abuse of unhealthy food, alcohol;
- taking certain medications;
- pathologies of the pancreas, liver dysfunction;
- obesity;
- some cancers;
- incorrectly calculated dosage of insulin, the body’s reaction to its administration;
- hormonal disorders with the development of hypoglycemic disease (hyperinsulinism).
People with kidney and heart failure are also susceptible to sugar spikes.
Reply
Develops against the background of various pathologies and surgical interventions:
- early diabetes mellitus;
- idiopathic diseases;
- operations on the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases that provoke energy starvation associated with increased consumption of monosaccharides.
Blood glucose deficiency of other origins
Carbohydrate deficiency is also caused by:
- prolonged physical activity (overload, severe fatigue)
- regular intense exercise (+ taking medications from the group of beta blockers);
- pregnancy, bearing a fetus at an early age;
- taking aspirin (in children).
In a healthy person, hypoglycemia can occur in the morning when the stomach is empty. Worth having breakfast and discomfort disappear. If the signs low level glucose appears in response to food intake, some time after intake nutrients, this may indirectly indicate possible development diabetes
The picture of developing hypoglycemia includes:
- severe attack of hunger, accompanied by trembling of the hands, general tremor, tachycardia, polydipsia (thirst);
- numbness of the limbs, heaviness in the legs;
- chills, cold sweat, clammy palms;
- hot flashes (sometimes);
- disturbance of visual perception – darkening in the eyes, “veil”, double vision, “spots”;
- headache accompanied by nausea and dizziness;
- pallor, apathy, loss of strength and mood;
- polyuria - increased frequency of urination.
Patients with diabetes are familiar with unpleasant signs low sugar blood appearing at night. A person sweats profusely and wakes up to find wet bed linen; talks, screams, “raves” in his sleep. Waking up against the background of symptoms of hypoglycemia does not bring joy: lethargy, a feeling of “overwhelm”, and irritability appear.
Ambulance in an emergency
The brain, suffering from carbohydrate starvation, “pushes” the body to the appropriate response. Threatening harbingers of the possible onset of hypoglycemic coma are absent-mindedness coupled with incoherent speech and unsteady gait. If at this stage of development of glucose deficiency syndrome it does not enter the blood, then there is a high probability of convulsions and loss of consciousness. This greatly increases the risk of stroke.
To correct the situation, you need to eat a product from the group of “fast” carbohydrates to bring your sugar back to normal. Preliminarily measure your blood glucose level. If a figure appears on the glucometer display lower than 3.3 mmol/liter, it means that you need to take measures, neglecting which you can “wait” for a significant worsening of the situation.
Low sugar is treated by competent prevention of carbohydrate deficiency, which means avoiding sudden “jumps” in blood glucose. It is important to achieve a smooth increase and decrease in sugar levels. To do this you need:
- Limit or completely eliminate from the diet foods that provoke the release of excess insulin, the excess of which leads to a state of hypoglycemia. These are desserts based on refined sugar, baked goods made from white flour. Fruits (bananas, dates, grapes), vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin), sweet juices.
- Eat foods with a low GI (glycemic index). These are “complex”, slowly digestible carbohydrates, the glucose of which is released gradually, without provoking sudden releases of insulin. Include non-starchy vegetables, greens, dairy and seafood in your diet.
- Eat small meals, 4-6 times a day, do not overeat.
- For those who have diabetes, calculate insulin doses correctly and follow doctor’s orders regarding sugar-lowering medications.
- Drink less coffee and limit other caffeine-containing drinks and foods. They increase insulin.
- Stop smoking, limit alcohol, and do not drink it on an empty stomach.
- Before physical activity, eat carbohydrate foods.
- Include plant foods rich in chromium in your diet - wheat germ, nuts, broccoli. The element helps maintain energy at a normal level.
Diet to prevent low sugar
Proper nutrition during the day will ensure a uniform intake and expenditure of energy, negating the onset of hypoglycemia attacks. The table provides a list of products and dishes that will create the necessary nutritional comfort.
When Diet Doesn't Help You Achieve desired result, use glucose preparations (Acarbose, Glucagon and others). In severe situations, glucose is administered intravenously. If hypoglycemia is provoked benign neoplasm, surgery to remove the tumor is recommended.
Juices obtained at home through a competent combination of ingredients are useful.
- Lemons – 1 kg
- Garlic – 200 gr.
- Parsley – 300 gr.
Grind the ingredients in a blender or using a meat grinder. Place the resulting mixture in a glass jar, cover with a lid, and leave at room temperature for 5 days. Then squeeze. Drink half a tablespoon of juice three times a day.
- Onions – 1 pc.
- Boiled water – 100 ml.
Chop the onion, add water, let it brew for three hours. Take a tablespoon half an hour before meals three times a day. Rosehip and hawthorn decoctions also have a sugar-lowering effect. Currant, linden tea, infusion of clover flowers, bay leaves are useful.
Thank you
The site provides background information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!
What is blood sugar level?
First of all, it should be noted that it would be more correct to say “blood glucose level”, since the concept of “sugar” includes a whole group of substances, and it is determined in the blood glucose. However, the term “blood sugar level” has taken root so much that it is used both in colloquial speech, and in the medical literature.Then, if necessary (increased physical or emotional stress, lack of glucose from the gastrointestinal tract), glycogen is broken down and glucose enters the blood.
Thus, the liver is a depot of glucose in the body, so in case of severe diseases, disturbances in blood sugar levels are also possible.
It should be noted that the flow of glucose from the capillary bed into the cell is a rather complex process, which may be disrupted in some diseases. This is another reason for pathological changes in blood sugar levels.
The release of glucose from the liver depot (glycogenolysis), the synthesis of glucose in the body (gluconeogenesis) and its uptake by cells are controlled by a complex neuroendocrine regulatory system, in which the hypothalamic-pituitary system (the main center of neuroendocrine regulation of the body), pancreas and adrenal glands are directly involved. Pathology of these organs often causes disturbances in blood sugar levels.
How is the acceptable blood sugar level regulated?
The main hormone that regulates the permissible level of sugar in the blood is the pancreatic hormone - insulin. When the concentration of glucose in the blood increases, the secretion of this hormone increases. This occurs both directly as a result of the stimulating effect of glucose on the receptors of pancreatic cells, and indirectly, through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system through glucose-sensitive receptors in the hypothalamus. Insulin promotes the consumption of glucose by the body's cells and stimulates the synthesis of glycogen from it in the liver - thus reducing blood sugar levels.
The main antagonist of insulin is another pancreatic hormone - glucagon. When the level of sugar in the blood decreases, its secretion increases. Glucagon enhances the breakdown of glycogen in the liver, promoting the release of glucose from the depot. The adrenal medulla hormone, adrenaline, has the same effect.
Hormones that stimulate gluconeogenesis, the formation of glucose in the body from simpler substances, also contribute to an increase in blood glucose levels. In addition to glucagon, hormones of the medulla (adrenaline, norepinephrine) and cortical substance (glucocorticoids) of the adrenal glands have this effect.
The sympathetic nervous system, activated during stress requiring increased energy consumption, increases blood glucose levels, and the parasympathetic nervous system decreases it. Therefore, late at night and early in the morning, when the influence of the parasympathetic nervous system predominates, the level of glucose in the blood is the lowest.
What tests are performed to determine blood sugar levels?
There are two most popular clinical medicine way to measure blood sugar levels: in the morning on an empty stomach (with a break in food and liquid intake of at least 8 hours), and after a glucose load (the so-called oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT).An oral glucose tolerance test involves the patient taking 75 grams of glucose orally dissolved in 250–300 ml of water, and two hours later the blood sugar level is determined.
The most accurate results can be obtained by combining two tests: after three days of a regular diet, the blood sugar level is determined in the morning on an empty stomach, and after five minutes a glucose solution is taken in order to measure this indicator again two hours later.
In some cases (diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance), constant monitoring of blood sugar levels is necessary so as not to miss serious pathological changes fraught with a threat to life and health.
Is it possible to measure blood sugar levels at home?
Blood sugar levels can be measured at home. To do this, you should purchase a special device at the pharmacy - a glucometer. A traditional glucometer is a device with a set of sterile lancets for obtaining blood and special strips. Under sterile conditions, a lancet is used to puncture the skin on the tip of the finger, a drop of blood is transferred to a strip, which is subsequently placed in a device to determine blood sugar levels.
There are glucometers that process capillary blood obtained from other sites (upper arm, forearm, base thumb, hip). But it should be remembered that blood circulation in the fingertips is much higher, therefore, using traditional method, you can get more accurate results about your blood sugar levels in this moment time. This can be very important, since this indicator in some cases changes quickly (physical or emotional stress, food intake, development of a concomitant disease).
How to properly measure blood sugar levels at home?
To correctly measure your blood sugar level at home, you should carefully read the instructions for the purchased device, and in doubtful cases, seek clarification from a specialist.
When measuring blood sugar levels at home, you need to follow some general rules:
1.
Before drawing blood, you should wash your hands thoroughly with warm water. This should be done not only to ensure cleanliness, but also to improve blood circulation. Otherwise, the puncture on the finger will have to be made deeper, and it will be more difficult to take blood for analysis.
2.
The puncture site must be well dried, otherwise the resulting blood will be diluted with water and the analysis results will be distorted.
3.
To collect blood, use the inner surface of the pads of three fingers of both hands (the thumb and index finger are traditionally not touched, like working fingers).
4.
So that the manipulation brings as little as possible painful sensations, it is best to puncture not in the center of the pad, but slightly to the side. The depth of the puncture should not be too large (2-3 mm for an adult is optimal).
5.
When regularly measuring blood sugar levels, you should constantly change the place of blood sampling, otherwise inflammation and/or thickening of the skin will occur, so that in the future it will become impossible to take blood for analysis from the usual place.
6.
The first drop of blood obtained after the puncture is not used - it should be carefully removed with a dry cotton swab.
7.
Do not squeeze your finger too much, otherwise the blood will mix with tissue fluid, and the result will be inadequate.
8.
It is necessary to remove the drop of blood before it becomes smeared, since the smeared drop will not be absorbed into the test strip.
What is the normal blood sugar level?
The normal level of blood sugar in the morning on an empty stomach is 3.3-5.5 mmol/l. A deviation from the norm within the range of 5.6 – 6.6 mmol/l indicates impaired glucose tolerance (a condition borderline between normal and pathological). An increase in fasting blood sugar levels to 6.7 mmol/l and above gives reason to suspect the presence of diabetes mellitus.In doubtful cases, blood sugar levels are additionally measured two hours after the glucose load (oral glucose tolerance test). The normal value in such a study rises to 7.7 mmol/l, values in the range of 7.8 – 11.1 mmol/l indicate impaired glucose tolerance. In diabetes mellitus, the sugar level two hours after a glucose load reaches 11.2 mmol/l and higher.
What is a child's normal blood sugar level?
In children early age there is a physiological tendency to lower blood sugar levels. The norms for this indicator in infants and preschoolers are slightly lower than in adults.Yes, in children infancy The normal fasting glucose level is 2.78 – 4.4 mmol/l, in preschoolers - 3.3 – 5.0 mmol/l, in children school age- 3.3 – 5.5 mmol/l.
If the fasting blood sugar level exceeds 6.1 mmol/l, then we speak of hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar). Values below 2.5 mmol/l indicate hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
If the fasting sugar level is in the range of 5.5 – 6.1 mmol/l, an additional oral glucose tolerance test is indicated. Glucose tolerance in children is much higher than in adults. Therefore, normal blood sugar levels two hours after a standard glucose load are slightly lower.
If a child's fasting blood sugar level exceeds 5.5 mmol/l, and two hours after a glucose load reaches 7.7 mmol/l or higher, then they speak of diabetes mellitus.
How do blood sugar levels change during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, a complex restructuring occurs in a woman’s body, leading to physiological insulin resistance. The development of this condition is naturally promoted by high levels of ovarian and placental steroids (counterinsular hormones secreted by the ovaries and placenta), as well as increased secretion of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal cortex. In some cases, physiological insulin resistance exceeds the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. In this case, the so-called gestational diabetes mellitus, or diabetes mellitus of pregnant women, develops. In most cases, after giving birth in women with diabetes mellitus during pregnancy, all blood sugar levels return to normal. However, caution should be exercised in the future, since approximately 50% of women who have had gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 15 years of pregnancy.
With gestational diabetes, there are usually no clinical manifestations hyperglycemia. However, this condition poses a danger to the development of the child, since in the absence of compensatory therapy, an increased level of glucose in the mother’s blood in 30% of cases leads to pathology of the fetus.
Gestational diabetes usually develops mid-pregnancy (between 4 and 8 months), and women at risk should be especially aware of their blood sugar levels during this time.
The risk group includes women with increased body weight, unfavorable heredity (diabetes mellitus in pregnancy or type 2 diabetes in close relatives), a burdened obstetric history (large fetus or stillbirths during previous pregnancies), as well as suspected of having a large fetus in the current pregnancy.
The diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus is made when the level of sugar in blood taken on an empty stomach increases to 6.1 mmol/L or higher, if two hours after a glucose load this figure is 7.8 mmol/L or higher.
Elevated blood sugar
When does high blood sugar occur?
There are physiological and pathological increases in blood sugar levels.A physiological increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood occurs after eating, especially easily digestible carbohydrates, during intense physical and mental stress.
A short-term increase in this indicator is typical for such pathological conditions, How:
- severe pain syndrome;
- epileptic seizure;
- acute myocardial infarction;
- severe attack of angina.
In case of traumatic brain injury with damage to the hypothalamus (there is a reduced ability of tissues to utilize glucose).
In case of severe liver damage (reduced synthesis of glycogen from glucose).
A prolonged increase in blood sugar levels, leading to the appearance of glucosuria (excretion of glucose in the urine) is called diabetes mellitus (diabetes mellitus).
Based on the cause of occurrence, a distinction is made between primary and secondary diabetes mellitus. Primary diabetes mellitus refers to two separate nosological entities (type 1 and type 2 diabetes) that have internal reasons development, while the causes of secondary diabetes are various diseases, leading to severe disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism.
First of all, these are severe lesions of the pancreas, characterized by absolute insulin deficiency (pancreatic cancer, severe pancreatitis, organ damage due to cystic fibrosis, removal of the pancreas, etc.).
Secondary diabetes mellitus also develops in diseases accompanied by increased secretion of contrainsular hormones - glucagon (hormonally active tumor - glucagonoma), growth hormone (gigantism, acromegaly), thyroid hormones (thyrotoxicosis), adrenaline (tumor of the adrenal medulla - pheochromocytoma), cortical hormones adrenal glands (Itsenko-Cushing syndrome).
Reduced glucose tolerance, even the development of diabetes, is quite common, caused by long-term use of medications, such as:
- glucocorticoids;
- thiazide diuretics;
- some antihypertensive and psychotropic drugs;
- estrogen-containing drugs (including oral contraceptives);
What is the mechanism for increasing blood sugar levels in type 1 diabetes?
Increased blood sugar levels in type 1 diabetes mellitus are associated with an absolute deficiency of insulin. This autoimmune disease, in which the pancreatic cells that produce insulin are subject to autoimmune aggression and destruction. The causes of this pathology are still not fully understood. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is considered a disease with a hereditary predisposition, but the influence hereditary factor insignificant.
In many cases, there is a connection with previous viral diseases that triggered the autoimmune process (the peak incidence occurs in the autumn-winter period), however, a significant part of type 1 diabetes mellitus is idiopathic, that is, the cause of the pathology remains unknown.
Most likely, the disease is based on a genetic defect that occurs under certain conditions (viral disease, physical or mental trauma). Type 1 diabetes mellitus develops in childhood or adolescence, less often in mature age(up to 40 years old).
The compensatory capabilities of the pancreas are quite large, and symptoms Type 1 diabetes mellitus manifests itself only when more than 80% of insulin-producing cells are destroyed. However, when the critical limit is reached compensatory possibilities, the disease develops very quickly.
The fact is that insulin is necessary for the consumption of glucose by the cells of the liver, muscles and adipose tissue. Therefore, with its deficiency, on the one hand, the level of sugar in the blood increases, since some of the body’s cells do not receive glucose, on the other hand, the liver cells, as well as muscle and fat tissue, experience energy hunger.
Energy starvation of cells triggers the mechanisms of glycogenolysis (the breakdown of glycogen with the formation of glucose) and gluconeogenesis (the formation of glucose from simple substances), as a result, blood sugar levels increase significantly.
The situation is complicated by the fact that increased gluconeogenesis occurs with the breakdown of fats and proteins necessary for the synthesis of glucose. Decomposition products are toxic substances, therefore, against the background of hyperglycemia, general poisoning of the body occurs. Thus, type 1 diabetes mellitus can lead to the development of life-threatening critical conditions (coma) already in the first weeks of the disease.
Due to the rapid development of symptoms in the pre-insulin era, type 1 diabetes mellitus was called malignant diabetes. Today, when compensatory treatment (insulin administration) is possible, this type of disease is called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
Energy hunger of muscle and fat tissue causes a fairly characteristic appearance patients: as a rule, these are thin people of asthenic build.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus accounts for about 1-2% of all cases of disease, however, rapid development, the risk of complications, as well as the young age of most patients (peak incidence occurs at 10-13 years) attract Special attention both doctors and public figures.
What is the mechanism for increasing blood sugar levels in type II diabetes?
The mechanism of increased blood sugar levels in type II diabetes mellitus is associated with the development of target cell resistance to insulin.This disease is a pathology with a pronounced hereditary predisposition, the implementation of which is facilitated by many factors:
- stress;
- unhealthy diet (fast food, drinking large amounts of sweet carbonated water);
- alcoholism;
some accompanying pathologies(hypertension, atherosclerosis).
In type II diabetes mellitus, insulin levels remain normal, but blood glucose levels are elevated because glucose does not enter the cells due to a decrease in the cellular response to the hormone.
The disease develops slowly, since for a long time the pathology is compensated by increasing the level of insulin in the blood. However, in the future, the sensitivity of target cells to insulin continues to decrease, and the body’s compensatory capabilities are depleted.
Pancreatic cells can no longer produce the insulin needed for this state quantity. In addition, due to increased load in the cells producing the hormone, degenerative changes occur, and hyperinsulinemia is naturally replaced by a reduced concentration of the hormone in the blood.
Early detection of diabetes can protect the cells that secrete insulin from damage. Therefore, people at risk should undergo regular oral glucose tolerance tests.
The fact is that, due to compensatory reactions, the fasting blood sugar level remains normal for a long time, but already at this stage reduced glucose tolerance is expressed, and the OGTT makes it possible to identify it.
What are the signs of high blood sugar?
Classic diabetes mellitus is manifested by a triad of clinical symptoms:1. Polyuria ( increased secretion urine).
2. Polydipsia (thirst).
3. Polyphagia (increased food consumption).
High blood sugar levels lead to glucose in the urine (glucosuria). To remove excess glucose, the kidneys need to use more fluid to make urine. As a result, the volume of urine increases, and with it the frequency of urination. This is where the old name for diabetes mellitus comes from – diabetes mellitus.
Polyuria naturally leads to increased water loss, which is clinically manifested by thirst.
Target cells do not receive enough glucose, so the patient constantly feels hungry and absorbs more food (polyphagia). However, with severe insulin deficiency, patients do not recover because the adipose tissue does not receive enough glucose.
In addition to the triad characteristic exclusively of diabetes mellitus, clinically elevated blood sugar levels are manifested by a number of nonspecific (characteristic of many diseases) symptoms:
- increased fatigue, decreased performance, drowsiness;
- headache, irritability, sleep disturbances, dizziness;
- itching of the skin and mucous membranes;
- bright blush of the cheeks and chin, appearance yellow spots on the face, and flat yellow formations on the eyelids (symptoms of concomitant lipid metabolism disorders);
- pain in the limbs (most often at rest or at night), night cramps of the calf muscles, numbness of the limbs, paresthesia (tingling, crawling sensation);
- nausea, vomiting, pain in the epigastric region;
- increased susceptibility to infectious and inflammatory diseases that are difficult to treat and become chronic (the kidneys and urinary tract, skin, and oral mucosa are especially often affected).
Acute complications of high blood sugar
High blood sugar inevitably causes complications, which are divided into:
1.
Acute (occurring when sugar levels rise to critical levels).
2.
Late (characteristic of long-term diabetes mellitus).
Acute complication high level blood sugar is the development of a coma, which is a lesion of the central nervous system, clinically manifested by a progressive disorder nervous activity, up to loss of consciousness and extinction of elementary reflexes.
Acute complications of high blood sugar levels are especially characteristic of type 1 diabetes mellitus, which often manifests with severe manifestations close to terminal conditions of the body. However, comatose states also complicate other types of diabetes mellitus, especially when several factors predispose to the development are combined. sharp increase this indicator.
The most common predisposing factors for development acute complications with diabetes mellitus become:
- acute infectious diseases;
- other acute stress factors for the body (burns, frostbite, trauma, surgery, etc.);
- exacerbation of severe chronic diseases;
- errors in the treatment and regimen (skipping the administration of insulin or drugs that correct blood sugar levels, gross diet violations, alcohol consumption, increased physical activity);
- taking certain medications (glucocorticoids, diuretics, estrogen drugs, etc.).
The most common general precursors to the development of comatose states with elevated blood sugar levels:
1.
Increasing the amount of urine excreted to 3-4, and in some cases - up to 8-10 liters per day.
2.
Constant dry mouth, thirst, promoting the consumption of large amounts of liquid.
3.
Fatigue, weakness, headache.
If upon appearance early signs If the blood sugar level increases and adequate measures have not been taken, then severe neurological symptoms increase in the future.
First, a stupefaction of consciousness occurs, manifested by a sharp inhibition of reaction. Then stupor (hibernation) develops, when the patient from time to time falls into a sleep close to loss of consciousness. However, he can still be brought out of this state with the help of super-strong influences (pinching, shaking the shoulders, etc.). And finally, in the absence of therapy, coma and death naturally occur.
Different types of comatose states with elevated blood sugar levels have their own development mechanisms and, therefore, distinctive clinical signs.
Thus, the development of ketoacidotic coma is based on the breakdown of proteins and lipids caused by hyperglycemia with the formation of a large number of ketone bodies. Therefore, in the clinic of this complication, specific symptoms of intoxication with ketone bodies are expressed.
First of all, this is the smell of acetone from the mouth, which, as a rule, is felt at a distance from the patient even before the development of a coma. Subsequently, the so-called Kussmaul breathing appears - deep, rare and noisy.
Late precursors of ketoacidotic coma include gastrointestinal disorders caused by general intoxication with ketone bodies - nausea, vomiting, pain in the epigastric region (sometimes so severe that it raises suspicion of an “acute abdomen”).
The mechanism of development of hyperosmolar coma is completely different. Increased level Blood glucose causes blood to thicken. As a result, according to the laws of osmosis, fluid from the extra- and intracellular environment rushes into the blood. Thus, dehydration of the extracellular environment and body cells occurs. Therefore, in hyperosmolar coma there is clinical symptoms associated with dehydration (dry skin and mucous membranes), and no signs of intoxication are observed.
Most often, this complication occurs with concomitant dehydration of the body (burn, massive blood loss, pancreatitis, vomiting and/or diarrhea, taking diuretics).
Lactic acid coma is the most rare complication, the development mechanism of which is associated with the accumulation of lactic acid. Typically develops when there is concomitant diseases occurring with severe hypoxia (lack of oxygen). Most often these are respiratory and heart failure, anemia. The development of lactic acid coma can be provoked by alcohol intake and increased physical activity in old age.
A specific harbinger of lactic acidosis coma is pain in the calf muscles. Sometimes there is nausea and vomiting, but there are no other symptoms of intoxication characteristic of ketoacedotic coma; There are no signs of dehydration.
Late complications of high blood sugar
If blood sugar levels are not corrected, complications with diabetes are inevitable, since hyperglycemia affects all organs and tissues of the human body. However, the most common and dangerous complications are diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic foot syndrome. If the patient is unconscious or his behavior is inappropriate, it is necessary to call an emergency medical care. While waiting for the doctor to arrive, you should try to persuade a patient with inappropriate behavior to take sweet syrup. The behavior of people in a state of hypoglycemia is often aggressive and unpredictable, so maximum patience must be exercised.
Low blood sugar
How to lower blood sugar levels?
To effectively reduce blood sugar levels, you need to know the reason for its increase.In many cases of secondary diabetes, the cause of the pathology can be eliminated:
1.
Discontinuation of medications that cause an increase in blood sugar levels;
2.
Removal of a tumor that produces contrainsular hormones (glucagonoma, pheochromocytoma);
3.
Treatment of thyrotoxicosis, etc.
In cases where it is impossible to eliminate the cause of the increase in blood sugar levels, as well as in primary diabetes mellitus types I and II, compensatory treatment is prescribed. It could be insulin or medications, lowering blood sugar levels. In case of gestational diabetes mellitus, it is possible to achieve a reduction in this indicator, as a rule, with the help of diet therapy alone.
Treatment is selected strictly individually (taking into account not only the type of diabetes, but also the general condition of the individual patient), and is carried out under constant medical supervision.
The general principles of treatment of all types of diabetes are:
- constant monitoring of blood sugar levels;
- compliance with all recommendations for ongoing compensatory treatment;
- strict adherence to diet, work and rest regime;
- inadmissibility of drinking alcohol and smoking.
When does low blood sugar occur?
Low blood sugar levels are observed:1. For diseases that impede the absorption of glucose into the blood (malabsorption syndrome).
2. In case of severe lesions of the liver parenchyma, when the release of glucose from the depot is impossible (fulminant hepatic necrosis in infectious and toxic lesions).
3. At endocrine pathologies when the synthesis of contrainsular hormones is reduced:
- hypopituitarism (hypofunction of the pituitary gland);
- Addison's disease (lack of adrenal hormones);
- increased synthesis of insulin (insulinoma).
The most common cause of hypoglycemia in such cases is:
- overdose of prescribed drugs, or their incorrect administration ( intramuscular injection insulin instead of subcutaneous); Early signs of low blood sugar:
- increased sweating;
- hunger;
- shiver;
- increased heart rate;
- paresthesia of the skin around the lips;
- nausea;
- unmotivated anxiety.
- difficulty concentrating, difficulty communicating, confusion;
- headache, weakness, drowsiness;
- visual impairment;
- violation of adequate perception of the environment, disorientation in space.
- poor nutrition, which includes a large amount of sweet and starchy foods;
- long breaks between meals, because of this the body spends all its energy on maintaining systems in working order, but without receiving additional nutrition, it is quickly depleted;
- big lack of calories according to daily nutrition, which provokes starvation and exhaustion of the body;
- big physical exercise if there is insufficient consumption of foods with a low glycemic index;
- frequent physical activity that involves eating or drinking foods with high glycemic level, this includes sweet fruits, juices, sweets, soda and others;
- abuse of alcohol, which contains large amounts of sugar, which provokes a sharp jump in insulin and does not give enough energy for the normal functioning of the body;
- frequent smoking, which prevents the normal absorption of complex carbohydrates, which causes depletion of reserves in human tissues and organs;
- diabetes mellitus, which can be diagnosed using regular glucose test. It must be taken on an empty stomach, and the day before you should choose a lighter option for dinner.
- causeless irritability and aggression;
- constant fatigue and desire to get enough sleep;
- constant hot flashes and frequent sweating;
- trembling of limbs and inability to warm up;
- numbness of hands and feet;
- constant desire to eat, even after a hearty meal;
- nausea and periodic vomiting;
- circles before the eyes and faintness;
- severe weakness in legs and arms.
- permanent feeling weak and irritable in the morning, this condition and low sugar levels can easily be eliminated with a regular breakfast;
- a constant feeling of weakness and drowsiness after eating, this condition is a signal of incipient diabetes mellitus and requires immediate control by the attending physician.
- weakness, fast fatiguability, nervousness;
- trembling hands, chills or hot flashes;
- increased sweating;
- muscle weakness, heaviness in the legs, numbness of the limbs;
- darkening in the eyes, spots, white veils before the eyes;
- nausea;
- feeling of extreme hunger.
Blood sugar levels are important health indicator. Its significant decrease or increase may indicate serious changes in the body, which can lead to urgent hospitalization.
To understand the reasons for low sugar levels, it is worth knowing the symptoms of this condition, as well as reliable treatment methods.
A timely increase in glucose will allow you to avoid meetings with your doctor, and also save you from undergoing compulsory treatment in a hospital setting.
Hypoglycemia can occur due to several reasons, some of which are absolutely real. exclude yourself. Among the main factors that provoke a decrease in sugar in the body are:
If you adhere to the wrong lifestyle, giving preference to foods with a high glycemic level, there is a high probability of being included in the list patients with diabetes or fall into a hypoglycemic coma.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia may occur several symptoms, which can sometimes occur against the background of other problems.
But if the symptoms constantly recur, and the symptoms become group in nature, it is worth checking your glucose level. It is worth seeking help from specialists if available. following problems:
These symptoms appear if the sugar level is close to 3.3 mmol/l. When glucose falls below this limit, the patient may severe cramps appear, fainting, inability to speak and concentrate on the requests of other people.
Low sugar after 50 years and its consequences
Particular attention should be paid to sugar levels after the age of 50. At this time, significantly the chance increases get diabetes. In the pre-retirement period, a person may experience following symptoms diseases:
Refusing to undergo treatment after 50 years of age, a person risks developing a severe form of insulin deficiency, which can lead to tissue necrosis, blindness and the inability to move independently.
To reduce the likelihood appearance possible problems, worth sticking to after 50 years healthy image life, give up cigarettes, reduce the amount of alcohol and constantly undergo an annual medical examination.
If your glucose level drops up to 3.3 mmol/l and below, you need to start tracking your blood sugar at permanent basis. No matter how strange it may seem to you that low sugar levels can trigger diabetes, you should carefully monitor your diet, physical activity and way of life in general.
Treating Low Blood Sugar
Depending on the complexity of the situation, treatment for low glycemic levels may occur in several stages and in various ways. If the problem is rare character it is enough for a sick person to enrich his diet with foods with a low glycemic level. These include seafood, cucumbers, durum bread, dairy products and others. They do not cause a sharp jump in blood sugar, but gradually release the required amount of the substance into the blood, which supports the body in the right rhythm.
During the treatment period, it is also worth significantly reducing physical activity in order to provide the body with sufficient energy. This point should be especially taken into account by those people who severely restrict their diet.
While playing sports, do not drink any carbonated drinks, but give your preference ordinary water or specialized drinks for athletes.
If the disease has taken a form where the mandatory use of insulin is required, you can't do it yourself prescribe your own dosage of the drug. To determine it, it is worth knowing the weight, sugar level, medical history and general condition of the patient. Incorrectly prescribed insulin dosage can provoke even more serious problems.
Medicines to control blood sugar
In addition to insulin and lifestyle choices, there are a number of medications available to increase blood sugar levels.
Almost all of them can be purchased only after permission from a specialist, as it should undergo examination and pass all tests before taking the first pill.
This is necessary in order to prevent symptoms from progressing to the stage of diabetes mellitus, when increasing sugar levels will no longer be an acceptable and very dangerous measure.
One of these drugs is tricyclic antidepressant. It can be prescribed to a person during periods of severe irritability and aggression towards others. Apply medicine costs only complex therapy, which includes mandatory diet with plenty of low-glycemic foods.
In addition, women may be prescribed oral contraceptives. They will not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but will also restore general health, but only if the drug is selected correctly, taking into account the patient’s hormonal balance.
Sometimes patients are prescribed barbiturates. These drugs also improve sleep and mood, allowing you to quickly get out of a state of aggression and irritability.
These treatments should ideally check with your doctor to avoid excessive hypoglycemia. Pregnant women and children under 18 years of age must consult a therapist. Unauthorized treatment in these cases may lead to coma and subsequent fatal outcome. If you experience frequent symptoms of insufficient blood sugar levels, you should contact for additional examination to exclude cancerous tumors.
The body's need for sugar can be compared to a car's need for gasoline: if there is not enough of it, the car will not go far. By analogy with this example, glucose also provides the body's cells with energy, without which they simply cannot grow and develop. Therefore, if tests show low blood sugar, the reason must be found out. If this is not done, the cells will begin to starve and die, which will lead to the development of pathological processes in the body and can cause death.
Hypoglycemia is a condition in the body when the amount of glucose in the blood is low permissible norm. This situation is no less dangerous than high sugar levels, since the cells do not receive energy and they starve. The brain is the first to feel a lack of glucose, and it takes about twenty percent of the sugar entering the body to feed it.
Poor supply of glucose to the brain leads to the fact that neurons begin to die and the brain gradually fails. This occurs against the background of energy starvation of other tissues and organs, which is why pathological processes develop in them. If you ignore the problem and do not take measures to stabilize sugar, a person may fall into diabetic coma.
Although many people believe that low blood glucose levels are caused by diabetes, this is not entirely true, since diabetes is only one of the causes. A diabetic's blood sugar is unstable and can fluctuate from dangerously high to critically low levels if left unchecked. Diabetics are aware of this danger, so they always have a piece of sugar or candy on hand, which can raise blood sugar in critical situations.
But there are times when the glucose level in a healthy person drops to a critical minimum. One of the reasons why there is a decrease in sugar is a strict diet, in which glucose enters the body with carbohydrates in small quantities. As a result, the body's internal reserves are depleted (glucose is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen, as well as in adipose tissue), after which it has nothing to extract energy from.
The cause of low sugar is a long interval between meals. After food enters the body, it is broken down, after which carbohydrates are extracted from it, then glucose. After it enters the blood, insulin carries it throughout the body, delivering it to every cell of the body.
If the time between meals is more than eight hours, there is a high probability that sugar will be below normal. Therefore, glucose is often below normal levels in the morning due to the fact that a person does not eat at night and carbohydrates do not enter the body.
Increased amounts of sweet, fatty, smoked foods, alcohol, sweet soda and other products that are characterized by a high glycemic index have the ability to quickly break down into glucose, causing blood sugar levels to rise quickly. But this also means that after a rapid increase, the amount of glucose also quickly decreases and falls below normal. Therefore, doctors recommend eating foods with a low or medium glycemic index. Such foods take longer to digest, causing blood glucose levels to rise and fall gradually, reducing the load on the pancreas, which synthesizes insulin.
One of the reasons why sugar levels are below normal is physical activity: at this time, muscles need energy, and it is consumed in large quantities. It is interesting that the body is designed in such a way that active exercise can also cause an increase in glucose due to the fact that during sports, glucose is actively extracted from glycogen and fat reserves.
Symptoms of Low Glucose
Reducing sugar can make itself felt various symptoms. If it is observed only in the morning, glucose deficiency can be recognized by weakness, drowsiness, and irritability. According to experts, if at this moment you measure the blood glucose level with a glucometer, the results will be below normal, which should be from 3.3 to 5.5 mol/l. If a person is healthy, for his sugar level to return to normal, it will be enough for him to have breakfast.
Sometimes sugar is below normal after eating, which can signal developing diabetes. Symptoms of the disease develop slowly, so the patient has time to pay attention to signs of low sugar and consult a doctor.
First of all, this:
Most reactions caused low sugar, are dictated by the brain, which suffers from a lack of energy, since its own reserves last only twenty minutes, while other tissues last longer thanks to the ability to extract sugar from adipose tissue. In this case, if you have a glucometer, experts advise measuring it, and if your sugar is below normal, quickly eat a product with a high glycemic index (for example, candy).
If you don't have a glucose meter and unpleasant symptoms develop, you need to see a doctor and have your blood tested for sugar. If you ignore the signs of sugar below normal, the person’s condition will worsen: convulsions will appear, attention will become distracted, speech will become incoherent, and gait will become unsteady. After some time, the person will lose consciousness and be seized by convulsions reminiscent of an epileptic attack. A stroke can also occur, which causes serious brain damage and can be fatal.
The same can happen to diabetics, if for some reason they were unable to stabilize their sugar or did not pay attention to its decrease in time. In this case, a person may fall into a diabetic coma and then die. Therefore, it is very important for people who are near him not to panic and to immediately call an ambulance.
How to reduce glucose?
If the decrease in sugar is not associated with diabetes, in order to normalize it, you must adhere to a special diet and eat right. When developing a diet, you need to focus on the table with the glycemic index, which is easy to find on the Internet. In this list you can find information about a wide variety of products.
A low glycemic index is typical for vegetables and fruits, but it should be borne in mind that after cooking it increases, so it is advisable to consume these products fresh. Seafood, fermented milk products, and vegetable fats are also useful. But you need to give up butter and animal fat, as well as fried, fatty foods.
Food should be taken at short intervals, which ensures that food will be supplied regularly, which will reduce the possibility of developing hypoglycemia. This should be especially taken into account by women who adhere to diets and play sports in order to lose weight. In this case, experts definitely recommend consulting with a doctor and developing a menu in such a way that the amount of food that enters the body is correctly correlated with the energy that is expended during training.
You should be very careful when drinking alcoholic beverages. They should especially not be taken on an empty stomach, as this can cause hypoglycemia. People with diabetes should listen carefully to their doctor and follow the instructions exactly. If a person plans to play sports, the doctor must carefully select not only the medicine, but also the dose, and this applies both to people who live on injections and to those who take glucose-lowering medications.
