Hypoglycemia: Symptoms and Treatment
Hypoglycemia is a condition defined by abnormally low blood glucose (blood glucose) levels, usually less than 70 mg/dl. However, it is essential to talk with your healthcare company about your specific blood glucose targets, and what level is too low for you.
Hypoglycemia may likewise be described as an insulin response, or insulin shock.
Hypoglycemic symptoms are necessary ideas that you have low blood sugar. Everyone’s reaction to hypoglycemia is various, so it’s crucial that you learn your very own signs and symptoms when your blood glucose is low.
The only sure way to understand whether you are experiencing hypoglycemia is to inspect your blood glucose, if possible. If you are experiencing symptoms and you are unable to inspect your blood glucose for any factor, treat the hypoglycemia. Severe hypoglycemia has the prospective to cause mishaps, injuries, coma, and death.
Contents
Symptoms and signs of Hypoglycemia (occur quickly)
- Restlessness
- Uneasiness or anxiety
- Sweating, chills and clamminess
- Irritation or impatience
- Confusion, including delirium
- Rapid/fast heart beat
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Hunger and queasiness
- Sleepiness
- Blurred/impaired vision
- Tingling or numbness in the lips or tongue
- Headaches
- Weak point or tiredness
- Anger, stubbornness, or sadness
- Absence of coordination
- Nightmares or crying out during sleep
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness
Hypoglycemia was first discovered by James Collip when he was dealing with Frederick Banting on purifying insulin in 1922. Collip was tasked with developing an assay to measure the activity of insulin. He first injected insulin into a rabbit, and after that measured the decrease in blood sugar levels. Measuring blood glucose was a time consuming step. Collip observed that if he injected rabbits with a too large a dose of insulin, the bunnies began convulsing, entered into a coma, and after that died. This observation streamlined his assay. He specified one system of insulin as the quantity required to induce this convulsing hypoglycemic reaction in a bunny. Collip later discovered he might save money, and rabbits, by injecting them with glucose once they were shaking.
Treatment
- Take in 15-20 grams of glucose or basic carbohydrates
- Recheck your blood glucose after 15 minutes
- If hypoglycemia continues, repeat
- As soon as blood sugar returns to normal, eat a small treat if your next scheduled meal or snack is more than an hour or more away
15 grams of basic carbs typically used:
- glucose tablets (follow bundle instructions)
- gel tube (follow plan instructions)
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of juice or regular soda (not diet)
- 1 tablespoon sugar, honey, or corn syrup
- 8 ounces of nonfat or 1% milk
- hard sweets, jellybeans, or gumdrops (see bundle to identify the number of to take in)
Glucagon
If left untreated, hypoglycemia might cause a seizure or unconsciousness (losing consciousness, a coma). In this case, another person needs to take control of.
Glucagon is a hormone that stimulates your liver to launch saved glucose into your blood stream when your blood glucose levels are too low. Injectable glucagon kits are used as a medication to treat somebody with diabetes that has become unconscious from a severe insulin reaction. Glucagon kits are available by prescription. Speak to your healthcare service provider about whether you must purchase one, and how when to use it.
The people you are in regular contact with (for example, family members, significant others, and colleagues) need to likewise be instructed on how to administer glucagon to treat severe hypoglycemic occasions. Have them call 911 if they feel they can’t handle the scenario (for example, if the hypoglycemic person loses consciousness, does not restore consciousness, or has a seizure, if the care taker does not know how to inject glucagon, or if glucagon is not readily available).
If glucagon is required:
- Inject glucagon into the person’s butt, arm or thigh, following the maker’s directions.
- When the individual regains awareness (usually in 5-15 minutes), they might experience nausea and vomiting.
- If you have needed glucagon, let your healthcare service provider know, so they can go over ways to prevent severe hypoglycemia in the future.
Do not:
- Inject insulin (will decrease blood glucose even more)
- Provide food or fluids (person can choke)
- Put hands in mouth (person can choke)
Hypoglycemia Unawareness
Extremely typically, hypoglycemia symptoms happen when blood sugar levels fall below 70 mg/dl. But, lots of people have blood glucose readings listed below this level and feel no symptoms. This is called hypoglycemia unawareness. People with hypoglycemia unawareness are also less likely to be awakened from sleep when hypoglycemia happens in the evening.
Hypoglycemia unawareness occurs more regularly in those who:
- frequently have low blood glucose episodes (which can cause you to stop sensing the early indication of hypoglycemia)
- have actually had diabetes for a very long time
- securely manage their diabetes (which increases your opportunities of having low blood sugar reactions)
If you believe you have hypoglycemia unawareness, consult with your health care company. Your health care supplier may adjust/raise your blood glucose targets to avoid additional hypoglycemia and risk of future episodes.
Other Causes of Symptoms
Other individuals may start to have symptoms of hypoglycemia when their blood glucose levels are greater than 70 mg/dl. This can occur when your blood sugar levels are very high and begin to decrease quickly. If this is happening, go over treatment with your health care supplier.
Medical IDs
Many people with diabetes, especially those who use insulin, need to have a medical ID with them at all times.
In case of a severe hypoglycemic episode, a car mishap, or other emergency, the medical ID can supply crucial info about the person’s health status, such as that they have diabetes, whether or not they use insulin, whether they have any allergic reactions, etc. Emergency medical personnel are trained to look for a medical ID when they are looking after somebody who can’t promote themselves.
Medical IDs are usually worn as a bracelet or a pendant. Standard IDs are engraved with standard, crucial health info about the individual, and some IDs now consist of compact USB drives that can bring an individual’s complete medical record for use in an emergency situation.
How Can I Prevent Low Blood Glucose?
Your best option is to practice excellent diabetes management and learn how to detect hypoglycemia so you can treat it early — before it worsens.
