Both options are dangerous for humans. Therefore, you need to know the reasons for the development of seizures and avoid provoking factors.

Hyperglycemia

• smell of acetone from the mouth;
• feeling of constant dryness in the mouth (drinking water does not quench thirst);
• cramping intense pain in the abdominal area.

Hypoglycemic

Hypoglycemia attacks occur more often in. A complication develops when glucose drops below 3 mmol/l. The more the sugar drops, the more severe the symptoms of the attack become.

Signs of low glycemia:

• tachycardia;
• irritability;
• tremor of the limbs;
• disorder of consciousness;
• cold sweat;
• convulsions;
• causeless anxiety;
• epilepsy;
• weakness.

If you notice signs of hypo- or hyperglycemia, you need to check your sugar level with a glucometer and take appropriate measures.

Diabetic coma as a consequence of sugar surges

Due to a sharp jump in sugar, a diabetic may experience a coma. Understand a serious condition, which is characterized by acute disruption of the functioning of organs and systems, irreversible changes.

There are different types of coma:

• lactic acidotic. Occurs due to anaerobic glycolysis with the synthesis of lactic acid. The main causes of this condition are sepsis, severe injuries, shock, and significant blood loss. This type of coma is rare, but poses the greatest threat to human life;
• . Typical for type 2 diabetics. The cause is increased urination. As a result of dehydration, the blood thickens and serum glucose levels rise. Glycemia reaches 50-60 mmol/l;
• ketoacidotic. The rise in blood glucose is explained by an increase in plasma ketone bodies. The glucometer shows sugar concentration ranging from 13 to 20 mmol/l. Found in urine;
• hypoglycemic. Develops with an overdose of glucose-lowering drugs, excessive physical activity, etc. The sugar level rises to 10-20 mmol/l.

In any case, coma poses a serious health hazard and threatens the patient’s life. The consequences may be:

• disturbances in the functioning of the heart muscle;
• damage to brain cells.

To prevent diabetic coma and its complications, it is necessary to immediately respond to symptoms of low or high sugar.

What to do?

If a person suddenly becomes ill, the first thing to do is measure the glycemic level using a glucometer.

If there is no such device at home, then it is better to call an ambulance. If the device shows minor deviations from the norm, you can stabilize your sugar yourself by injecting insulin or eating something.

You need to understand how to properly provide first aid, what medications are available to improve your well-being, and whether traditional methods help in reducing diabetic attacks.

First aid

To provide first aid for a hypoglycemic attack, you need to do the following:

• give the patient water to drink. Sweet ones with a high glucose content are suitable. Carbohydrate foods should not be given during an attack: in such a state a person may not be able to chew it;
• anoint the gums with a special glucose paste;
• if the patient is nauseous, you need to help him lie on his side. If vomiting begins, it is necessary to clear the victim’s mouth of vomit;
• if convulsions are observed, care must be taken to ensure that the patient does not bite his tongue. It is recommended to insert a spoon or stick between the teeth.

To relieve a hyperglycemic attack, the following actions are recommended:

• if the glucose concentration is above 14 mmol/l, it is worth promptly introducing short-acting insulin (about two units). Large doses cannot be used. The next injection should be given no earlier than a couple of hours after the first injection;
• saturate the body with carbohydrates and proteins. These elements restore the acid-base balance. Soda solution and mineral water help.

If after the measures taken the person does not feel better, he needs to urgently call emergency help.

Drug treatment

It is important that patients with this diagnosis always have the necessary medications with them.

This will help to quickly relieve the attack. In case of hyperglycemia, insulin is used, which quickly lowers sugar. For example, Biogulin, Diarapid, Actrapid, or.

To treat a hypoglycemic attack, Glucagon is administered intravenously. To prevent attacks of high or low sugar from reoccurring, you need to adjust the dosage of the glucose-lowering agent used and review your medication. It may be necessary to select a different drug.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods are used to treat non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and prevent attacks of the disease. Collections based on it also produce good results. The plant lowers sugar, improves intestinal microflora, normalizes digestion, and improves the functioning of the liver and respiratory system.

Below are effective recipes:

• mix in equal parts, nettles, lingonberries and. Take two tablespoons of the composition and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Take 2/3 cup three times a day;
• take nettle, clover, and yarrow in the ratio 4:2:1:3. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a tablespoon. Drink a third of a glass three times a day.

You cannot treat diabetes on your own. All medications and traditional recipes must be agreed with a doctor.

Video on the topic

Symptoms and consequences of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in diabetes mellitus:

Thus, it is important to be able to recognize a diabetic attack at its very beginning. It manifests itself with characteristic symptoms, the severity of which increases with a decrease or increase in plasma sugar concentration. In case of a hypo- or hyperglycemic attack, you need to act promptly to prevent the development of coma.

Hypoglycemia is dangerous because it causes a significant decrease in glucose levels, which consequently leads to oxygen starvation of the body. This condition threatens serious disruptions in the functioning of many organs, including brain cells. If it is not diagnosed in time and appropriate treatment measures are not taken, it can lead to irreversible processes, even death.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia in adults

This pathological condition is characterized by a complex combination of certain symptoms. The patient becomes nervous, restless and irritable, and has a headache. In addition, a person constantly feels hunger and an unpleasant burning sensation in the pancreas. In some isolated cases, you can observe the appearance of muscle tremors, as well as unusual pulsation in the head and throughout the body. With hypoglycemia, tachycardia and arrhythmia may occur. The person’s breathing quickens and their hands constantly tremble. The skin becomes pale.

If the disease progresses to a severe form, then a partial shutdown of some parts of the brain occurs. In this case, the patient loses skin sensitivity, and loss of motor activity may occur. If adequate measures are not taken, a hypoglycemic coma may occur, which will lead to loss of consciousness, while the person stops responding even to pain. After leaving this state, partial memory loss may occur, as well as some inappropriate behavior.

It is important to diagnose hypoglycemia at the initial stage of development. Signs of this pathology in adults are severe sweating combined with constant hunger. A person experiences weakness and groundless fear, his heartbeat quickens. Double vision, tremors in the body, as well as a state of hemiplegia, in which a person’s muscle groups stop working, may appear. As the disease progresses, the patient begins to lose the ability to navigate, becomes aggressive, and vomits.

One of the characteristic signs of the disease is disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Blood pressure decreases significantly, pronounced arrhythmia appears, and sometimes angina attacks occur. In some isolated cases, dilation of the pupils is observed. Hypoglycemia can be diagnosed using a biochemical method, which determines the level of glucose reduction.

Childhood symptoms of the disease

The main symptoms of hypoglycemia in newborns and young children are complete apathy and weakened breastfeeding. In addition, the child becomes restless and sweats. In some cases, cerebral spasms and tachycardia can be observed. The baby may make a high-pitched cry from time to time. Body temperature drops below normal, sleep becomes restless, and loose stools are observed.

In older children, hypoglycemia in its main symptoms is similar to the manifestations in adults. Children constantly experience feelings of anxiety, hunger and chills. They become pale, sometimes vision deteriorates, convulsions and tachycardia appear. Loss of coordination is gradually observed, loss of consciousness and fainting may occur.

Signs of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus

This pathological condition in a patient with diabetes mellitus can occur as a result of intensive treatment. It is especially dangerous for those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The disease can be identified by the following signs: increased sweating, the appearance of trembling. A feeling of hunger and anxiety appears, the heartbeat quickens, the person becomes pale.
With the development of hypoglycemia, a person stops thinking clearly and begins to perform meaningless actions. He constantly feels tired and suffers from headaches. If the disease was diagnosed on time and the person underwent the necessary course of treatment, then in most cases it goes away almost without a trace.

An attack of hypoglycemia, which occurred as a result of an overdose of insulin, in most cases is relieved by taking regular sugar or glucose.

Symptoms of a hypoglycemia attack

In some cases, an attack of hypoglycemia may occur. It can be identified by severe dizziness and nausea. The person begins to quickly become covered in sweat, and his condition may resemble alcohol intoxication. He begins to behave inappropriately and stops responding to comments. In this case, the patient must be seated, given water with sugar diluted in it, and a doctor must be called.

At the first symptoms indicating hypoglycemia, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible and undergo diagnostics. In most cases, with timely and correct treatment, the disease is successfully cured. It is important to follow all the specialist’s recommendations and adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to properly control blood sugar levels. If the sugar level is higher than normal, this condition is called hyperglycemia. If the blood sugar level drops below normal, then we can talk about hypoglycemia. If left unattended, hypoglycemia can lead to loss of consciousness and, in severe cases, to the development of hypoglycemic coma. Fortunately, a person in this condition can be helped by medical intervention, as well as simple measures related to diet and lifestyle.

Steps

Measuring blood sugar using a glucometer

You will need a glucometer. A blood glucose meter is a small, battery-powered medical device that can help you measure your blood glucose levels.

• If you don't have a glucose meter at home, you can check your glucose levels at your doctor's office.
• Test strips are supplied with the glucometer. These strips can also be purchased separately at the pharmacy.

1. Place a drop of blood on the strip that comes with your meter. This is exactly how much blood is produced when you puncture it with a glucometer lancet.

   • You must then gently drip or rub blood onto the strip for the meter to record the result.

2. Get the result and write it down. The meter will take some time to analyze your glucose levels.

   • If the blood glucose level is less than 70 mg/dL, this indicates the presence of hypoglycemia.
   • Normal blood glucose levels range from 70 mg/dL (grams per liter) to 110 mg/dL.
   • Glucose levels are sometimes measured in mmol/L (millimoles per liter). Normal glucose levels are from 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/l.
   • Then the blood sugar level exceeds 6.1 mmol/l, this condition is called hyperglycemia; if the level drops below 4.1 mmol/l, then they speak of hypoglycemia.

   What to do if a person loses consciousness due to hypoglycemia

   1. Kneel next to the person lying down. This is the first thing to do when you need to take steps to restore a person's breathing.

      • In this position, it will be easier for you to turn the person without making sudden movements.

   2. Clear your airways. Clear the patient's airway by gently tilting his head back and lifting his chin.

      • The airway patency should not be compromised.
      • When a person is unconscious, they should not be given any food or liquid because the patient may choke.
      • The patient should not be given insulin under any circumstances, as this will further lower the sugar level.

   3. Continuously monitor the patient's condition until you transport him to the hospital. Make sure the person is breathing and the airway is not blocked.

      • This is a very dangerous period as the person is not aware of what is happening around him and this can lead to damage.
      • Make sure the person is receiving proper care.

   Medical care for hypoglycemia

   1. Give a glucagon injection. If the sugar level continues to fall and is accompanied by confusion and severe general weakness, it is necessary to give a glucogon injection.

      • Glucagon is a hormone that causes the liver to release stored sugar into the bloodstream.
      • This remedy is also used if a person has lost consciousness due to severe hypoglycemia.
      • Glucagon is usually sold in pen form. 1 milliliter of glucagon is injected into the buttock, shoulder, or thigh. The injection can be given intramuscularly or subcutaneously.
      • Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the package because dosage may vary. You can seek help from a healthcare professional.
      • It is very important to teach your family how to give a glucagon injection if necessary, because a prolonged episode of hypoglycemia can lead to coma.

   2. If you were unconscious, take anti-nausea medicine. The person should regain consciousness within 15 minutes after the glucagon injection, but after this, nausea may occur due to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels.

      • Take 10 mg of metoclopramide orally to help your body cope with nausea and prevent vomiting.

   3. If necessary, an intravenous injection of glucose should be given. The injection causes blood glucose levels to rise within 5-15 minutes.

   4. When your sugar levels start to rise, you should measure them every 15 minutes until they reach normal levels.

      • You can take these measurements using a blood glucose meter.

   Diet change

   1. Eat 15-20 mg of simple carbohydrates or any sweet food. If hypoglycemia develops, one of the fastest and most effective ways to increase glucose levels is to eat foods that can provide simple carbohydrates and contain sugar.

      • Simple carbohydrates are easily digested by the body and contain a lot of glucose, which effectively raises blood sugar levels.
      • Here are some examples of foods that contain sugar and simple carbohydrates: saltine crackers, a tablespoon of raisins, a cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of simple syrup, a glass of fruit juice, a can of soda (not diet), 3 glucose tablets, 12 teaspoons spoons of honey or syrup, lollipops, chewing marmalade or glazed dragees.

   2. Check your blood sugar levels. You should check your blood sugar 20 minutes after you eat 15-20 grams of food containing fast-digesting carbohydrates.

      • You can measure your blood sugar with a glucometer.

   3. If your sugar level is still below 70 mg/dL, you should take another serving of simple carbohydrates.

      • Take another 15-20 milligrams of simple carbohydrates.
      • You can eat, for example, 4 more saltine crackers or two tablespoons of raisins.

   4. Eat complex carbohydrates when your sugar levels are within normal range. These foods help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Here are foods that contain complex carbohydrates:

      • A bowl of oatmeal
      • Sandwich
      • 1-2 servings of fruit
      • Glass of soy milk
      • 1 pack of low-fat yogurt
      • 6 pieces of sweet biscuits and cheese

   Avoid mistakes during a hypoglycemia attack

   1. Avoid eating complex carbohydrates when your blood sugar is low. All you need now are simple carbohydrates, as stated earlier.

      • Complex carbohydrates are slow-digesting carbohydrates; they do not provide a rapid rise in blood glucose levels, because they take longer to digest.
      • You need to get your blood sugar levels to rise quickly to avoid serious complications.

   2. You should not give food or drink to a person if they have seizures, severe weakness, or loss of consciousness. Giving a person something to eat or drink can be life-threatening as they may choke due to their inability to swallow the food or liquid.

      • If a person is unconscious, they need to get to a medical facility as soon as possible, and you should take them to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible.
3. Shiver. This occurs due to a decrease in energy levels in the body's cells. Sugar in the blood is absorbed by cells, which use it for energy.
4. Hunger. This also occurs due to decreased energy levels. When you develop a hypoglycemic condition associated with diabetes, all the food that was eaten is broken down into sugars. Thus, there are no nutrients left in the body, and you feel very hungry.
5. Cardiopalmus. It is caused by a decrease in nutrients in cells, which causes your heart to beat faster to meet your body's needs.
6. Confusion of consciousness. This occurs due to a decrease in the level of nutrients in brain cells, which leads to disruption of normal brain function.
7. Headache. Headache is also caused by disruption of normal brain function.
8. Impaired movement coordination. This is caused by a decrease in the level of nutrients in the body's cells.
9. Poor concentration. This is caused by a disruption in the normal functioning of the brain.
10. Fainting. This is caused by disruption of normal brain function and decreased levels of nutrients in the body's cells.
11. Coma. This occurs during severe attacks when blood sugar levels remain low for a long time.

12. You should be aware of the risk factors. Diabetic patients who are aware of the risk factors for hypoglycemia can learn to prevent these attacks.

    • Hypoglycemia develops in diabetic patients who have injected themselves with a high dose of insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, but when a high dose is administered, the level drops rapidly, thereby causing glycemia.
    • Hypoglycemia often develops in diabetic patients who skip a regular meal. Patients are advised to maintain a regular diet to keep their blood sugar levels at normal levels. The food eaten is broken down in the body into sugars, from which the body receives energy. When patients skip another meal, the sugar level in the body drops below the required level.
    • Hypoglycemia often develops in diabetic patients who exercise too much. Food is broken down into sugars, which are absorbed by cells and converted into energy. During exercise, a large amount of energy is consumed, so your sugar levels can drop significantly.

13. Prevention of attacks of diabetic hypoglycemia. You know that attacks of hypoglycemia can be life-threatening, so it is important to know how to prevent these attacks. Here are some simple tips that will be useful to you in everyday life:

    • Eat snacks containing complex carbohydrates. This will help keep your body's blood sugar levels stable.
    • Keep foods rich in both simple and complex carbohydrates on hand at all times.
    • Maintain a regular diet throughout the day.
    • After vigorous exercise, you need to replenish the carbohydrates and glucose that your body has used up.
    • Always carry a package containing a glucagon pen with you.

Warnings

• If symptoms such as seizures, confusion, or fainting develop, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Hypoglycemia is a pathological condition associated with abnormally low levels of glucose in the blood. People suffering from diabetes mellitus, severe diseases of the liver and pancreas, problems with the digestive tract, dysfunction of the endocrine glands (adrenal cortex, pituitary gland, etc.), and certain infectious diseases (encephalitis, meningitis) may experience attacks of hypoglycemia. Also at risk are people who use too much low-carbohydrate diets, which are very popular among those losing weight today.

Let's get acquainted with the signs of hypoglycemia that should never be ignored.

Source: depositphotos.com

Constant hunger

With mild hypoglycemia, the feeling of hunger usually occurs suddenly. This is the reaction of the corresponding brain center to a low concentration of glucose in the blood. Sudden hunger often appears in diabetics due to physical exertion, eating disorders, or incorrect use of glucose-lowering medications. Hunger may be accompanied by nausea.

In healthy people following a low-carbohydrate diet, unexpected hunger also appears due to the refusal of foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits, cereals). It is they, when they enter the stomach, that create a long-lasting feeling of fullness. With a complete refusal of carbohydrates, a person may be hungry all the time, even immediately after eating.

Source: depositphotos.com

Headache

The consequence of a significant decrease in blood glucose levels is usually a drop in blood pressure. The result is a headache, often accompanied by dizziness. Sometimes short-term speech disturbances and visual effects (for example, double vision or color spots in front of the eyes) appear.

Source: depositphotos.com

Disorders of the central nervous system

The human body uses glucose as a universal source of energy. When it is deficient in the blood, nerve cells are especially affected, so signs of deterioration in brain function appear almost immediately.

Hypoglycemia is accompanied by the following manifestations:

• drowsiness, lethargy;
• difficulties with orientation in space;
• movement coordination disorders;
• inability to concentrate;
• memory impairment;
• hand tremors;
• fainting;
• seizures similar to epileptic ones.

Lack of help with the appearance and increase of these symptoms leads to hypoglycemic coma, which can be fatal.

Source: depositphotos.com

Thermoregulation disorders

The shortage of “universal fuel” has a bad effect on the condition of all organs and systems of the human body. During an attack of hypoglycemia, the patient may experience chills and complain of coldness in the fingers and toes. Cold sweat may occur (the back of the neck and the entire scalp sweat). If an attack of hypoglycemia occurs at night, the whole body sweats profusely: the person wakes up in completely wet underwear.

Source: depositphotos.com

Stabilizing weight while following a diet

People trying to lose weight using low-carb diets often notice that at a certain stage the weight stops losing, despite a strictly limited diet. This may be a sign of hypoglycemia. The fact is that with insufficient intake of carbohydrates, the liver begins to process glycogen reserves into glucose, and the intensity of the breakdown of accumulated fats decreases.

The condition in which a decrease in sugar occurs is called hypoglycemia. Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes are more likely to experience hypoglycemia. It attacks the most important organ - the brain. at

Hypoglycemia makes you afraid and makes you eat sugar

The brain, like other tissues and organs of our body, consists of cells; glucose enters them without the help of insulin. Nature itself designed brain cells in such a way as to protect them as much as possible from starvation. There is insulin, there is no insulin - these cells don’t care if there is enough glucose, and the brain will work without failures. But if there is little glucose, energy starvation of brain cells immediately begins. The count is not by hours, but by minutes.

The influx of glucose is limited - expect trouble: a person plunges into a twilight state. Then he loses consciousness, and how long this deep hypoglycemic coma lasts determines whether only functional changes will occur in the brain or deeper - organic ones, after which the brain will no longer work as before.

What is the acceptable blood glucose threshold, this time not the upper one, but the lower one?

It is believed that occurs when blood sugar concentration is less than 3.3 mmol/l, but this cannot be considered as an absolute limit, because hypoglycemia occurs not only with low sugar levels, but and when it drops sharply (this is the so-called false hypoglycemia) . If the glucose level decreased smoothly, then the patient can feel well even with sugar levels of 2.5-3.3 mmol/l.

On the other hand, there are cases when hypoglycemia occurred as a result of a sharp decrease in glucose concentration from 20-22 to 11 mmol/l, But 11 mmol/l is high sugar!

With age and the habit of living with slightly elevated sugar levels, the hypoglycemia threshold may rise. So, if at the beginning of the disease it is 4 mmol/l, then after 20 years it can rise to 6 or even 8 mmol/l; therefore, for some patients aged 60-70 years, it is better to keep sugar at a level of 8-10 mmol/l.

There are several phases in the development of hypoglycemia.

Phase zero. A person feels a slight feeling of hunger

So light that he cannot understand whether he is actually hungry or not. It is at this stage that we must try to intercept hypoglycemia, and here the help of a glucometer is truly invaluable. You measure your sugar and see that it is 8 mmol/l; This means that the situation is normal and the feeling of hunger is not a sign of hypoglycemia. Indeed, after 3-5 minutes this feeling disappears. But if the measurement gives a value of 5 or 4 mmol/L, then you are heading towards hypoglycemia. You need to start eating, and it’s enough to take 2 XE (bread units) of sugar or juice and eat them with an apple, milk, bread, unsweetened pie.

First phase . I really want to eat. Immediately measure your blood glucose level and start eating! This time, eat a piece of sugar for 4-5 XE or fruit, milk, bread. If you don’t have time to have a snack, you immediately break out in a cold sweat, your legs become weak from weakness, trembling in your knees, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, headache, and coordination of movements appears. It is noticeable to those around you that you have suddenly turned very pale. Not all of this bouquet may appear, but weakness, trembling and sweating will certainly be present. After all, the brain, in defense, instructs the liver to “put into action” glucagon, and the endocrine organs to “throw out” cortisol and adrenaline, which can also increase blood sugar.

Sweating and shaking are a reaction to the release of adrenaline. At this stage, a person is able to intercept hypoglycemia, since its signs are obvious, and you are still fully in control of your feelings and are able to chew and swallow sugar. But it’s better if a sweet drink is always at hand. Drinking is easier than chewing.

Second phase. The patient begins to see double, the skin is very pale and moist, the tongue sometimes becomes numb, the patient begins to “speak nonsense”, and sometimes becomes aggressive. There are cases where a person in such a state has committed terrible acts, so while you have not yet lost consciousness and are able to swallow, drink the sweet liquid! If hypoglycemia is not stopped at this stage, its third, most severe phase will begin.

Third phase. The patient is inhibited, then he loses consciousness, and a coma sets in. He is no longer able to help himself. We can only rely on those around us.

Most common causes of hypoglycemia

* Excessive insulin administration.

* Delay in eating.

* Eating few carbohydrates.

* Alcohol abuse . Alcohol lowers sugar levels after a few hours. If you drank at home and didn’t get any physical activity after that, and you have sweet tea, honey, lemonade on hand, the situation is not so bad. And imagine that you drank alcohol at a party, sat there for 4 hours, and then spent another hour getting home on foot and in public transport, in crowds and heat. There is a chance that you will be grabbed on the bus or on the street.

* . This is the most common cause of hypoglycemia, because the amount of carbohydrate food and the dose of insulin are designed for normal stable physical activity, and even in this case, troubles are possible, for example: you administered the wrong dose of insulin, and the sugar suddenly increased. If the play of two factors - food and insulin - is interfered with by a third - abnormal physical activity, then it is already difficult to take into account all three circumstances. Your tactic in this case is: eat!

Remember! If you have a hypoglycemic coma, you are in great danger. It comes on faster than with ketoacid ! After all, during a hypoglycemic coma, nerve cells can die! A minute of such a coma is more dangerous than 2 weeks of high sugar levels! By the way, some medications can weaken the signs of hypoglycemia, and the patient no longer feels the first signals of low blood sugar. These drugs include beta blockers, such as anaprilin (obzidan).

How to deal with it yourself hypoglycemia?

You cannot stop hypoglycemia with ice cream, chocolate, sweets and cakes, since these are fatty foods (ice cream is also cold), and fat and cold slow down the absorption of sugar. Hypoglycemia develops so rapidly that to prevent it you need products with “instant” sugar. When you cope with the signs of distress, then you need to use foods with “fast” and “slow” sugar to block the second wave of hypoglycemia.

If you catch hypoglycemia in time (in the zero or first phase), then the signs of the first wave will quickly disappear - in 5-10 minutes.

“Instant” sugar is found:

In lump sugar or granulated sugar - at the rate of 12 g = 1 XE (you need to quickly eat 5-6 lumps of sugar or 2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar);

In honey - 2-3 tbsp. spoons;

In sweet tea, jam or honey diluted in warm water;

In raisins, grapes, grape or apple juice, kvass (a full glass).

After taking sugar or other food with “instant” sugar, eat an apple and lie down for 5-10 minutes, waiting for the signs of hypoglycemia to disappear.

So, you prevented an acute attack with foods containing pure sugar. It begins to be absorbed in the mouth and after 3-5 minutes will increase the level of glucose in the blood. But you have not yet completely eliminated hypoglycemia: from the sugar you eat, glucose in the blood will quickly increase, and then begin to fall, as insulin continues to act. To compensate for this second wave of hypoglycemia, you need to eat something with “slow” sugar for 1-2 XE - best 1-2 sandwiches with black bread, or 1 apple, 1 sandwich with a roll (or cookies), or 1-2 sandwich with bread.

It's best to stop the attackhypoglycemia So:

* As a product with “instant” sugar, eat a few fresh grapes, a handful of raisins or a spoonful of honey with warm tea.

* Then, to prevent a second wave, eat an apple, cookies, a sandwich with black bread - they contain “slow” sugar.

When all the threatening signs of hypoglycemia have been eliminated, eat cabbage. For what? After hypoglycemia, sugar increases - this is a protective reaction of the body plus the foods you eat. This increase can reach 12-15 mmol/l and last for hours. Cabbage, as well as carrots and green salad contain many ballast substances that will slow down the absorption rate and prevent blood sugar from rising too high.

If it comes to fainting...

This is how you will be treated. The doctor will make a jet injection into the vein, that is, slowly and smoothly inject 60-80 ml of a 40% glucose solution. This glucose preparation is available in pharmacies, but only a professional can inject it into a vein, and even in a stream. This is usually done by an emergency doctor.

Relatives can also help you, but with the help of another drug - glucagon, which is also sold in pharmacies. Glucagon in the form of a solution is injected subcutaneously (in the same way as insulin) or intramuscularly, thus providing emergency assistance.

* If a person is on the verge of losing consciousness, but is still able to swallow, then he needs a warm, sweet drink. If he cannot swallow, whoever is nearby should put the patient on his side, clear his mouth of food, remove dentures, put sugar under his tongue, carefully watch so that he does not bite his tongue, and wait for an ambulance.

* If after the first injection the person does not regain consciousness, he will be injected with another 40-50 ml of glucose solution intravenously, and then sent to the hospital.

* If the sufferer does not regain consciousness after the second injection, in the hospital he is given a 5% glucose solution using a dropper.

Keep in mind that the physical manifestations of ketoacid coma (high sugar) and hypoglycemic coma (low sugar) are very similar. But hypoglycemia is a more acute situation than ketoacidosis, so the ambulance doctor will first give you glucose and will be right, even if ketoacidosis has occurred and not hypoglycemia. There is no time to figure out what happened: if there is hypoglycemia, then the doctor is trying to save life and mind, and if there is ketoacidosis, then excess sugar will not worsen the patient’s condition too much.

Loss of consciousness, coma is severe hypoglycemia. When blood glucose does not fall so low and not so quickly, the body manages to cope with it itself - due to the release of sugar from the liver. During the daytime, you should not wait until the body uses its reserves - you should not hesitate and help it relieve an attack of hypoglycemia. But at night, during sleep, a person is not able to control his condition, and the body fights hypoglycemia alone.

Hidden signs of hypoglycemia may appear in the form of dreams. You will have nightmares, called food dreams, caused by hunger. And in the morning you will wake up sweating, with a headache and high sugar.

Sugar after hypoglycemia always increases due to the release of glycogen from the liver - this is the body’s protective reaction. Slightly higher sugar levels than usual last for 5-8 hours, and there is no need to increase the insulin dose because of this.

What causes nocturnal hypoglycemia?

After all, at night you do not experience physical activity, so there seems to be no reason to reduce sugar in the body. This is a false opinion: if you worked hard in the evening, for example, dug up a garden, washed clothes by hand until 21-22 o’clock, and ate at 23.00, and not much, then at 2-3 o’clock in the morning hypoglycemia may occur. To prevent this from happening, in the evening you need to either reduce the dose of insulin, or eat a very heavy meal, or do both. Other causes of nocturnal hypoglycemia: taking too much insulin, eating too little or at the wrong time, drinking alcohol.

So, nocturnal hypoglycemia is especially dangerous, and thereforeThe tactics to deal with them are as follows:

1. Do not inject insulin after 11 p.m. (and if you do inject, the dose should be the minimum required).

2. At night, eat something with “slow” sugar for 1-2 XE: a glass of milk, a sandwich with black bread, both, plus some ice cream.

3. Remember that you need to go to bed with blood sugar at 7-8 mmol/l. When sugar is less than 5.7 mmol/l, the risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia increases to 70%.

4. If you sleep together, then the wife (husband) of the patient (patient) should be aware of the possibility of nocturnal hypoglycemia and wake you up at the first signs of restless sleep. Unfortunately, some patients do not feel the signs of impending hypoglycemia and lose consciousness immediately; Often in diabetics, sensitivity to these signs weakens over time. What to do?

Firstly, be sure to monitor your sugar using test strips or a glucometer, because hypoglycemia strikes like a sudden hurricane; secondly, it is necessary to immediately inject glucagon subcutaneously or intramuscularly; thirdly, you need to stop driving vehicles, working on machines, etc. During moments of a sudden eclipse, this is dangerous for others. Only a diabetic who has a good sense of the approach of hypoglycemia can perform work on which the lives of other people depend.

How to prevent an attackhypoglycemia?

A diabetic should always have with him 5-10 lumps of sugar or a small bottle of a sweet drink, an apple, sweet cookies and 3-4 sandwiches with brown bread. This is an emergency first aid kit for a diabetic. Yes, it’s not convenient to crunch on sugar or eat sandwiches everywhere, but you can sip lemonade and put cookies in your mouth on the street, in public transport, and even during a theatrical performance. This first aid kit should also include a card, carry it in your wallet or purse, that says you are diabetic. The card should contain your address, the brand and dose of your insulin, the name of the attending physician and his telephone number, as well as a request to urgently take you to the endocrinology department of the hospital at such and such an address.

These are precautions for patients who receive insulin or glucose-lowering drugs. Hypoglycemia also occurs in type II diabetes, although not as often as in the case of insulin-dependent diabetes.

Is it possible to avoid it altogether? hypoglycemia?

Even if you receive insulin, you can avoid it if we are talking about severe hypoglycemia with loss of consciousness, that is, the third phase or even the second. But you cannot avoid mild hypoglycemia (phases zero and one): if they try to convince you otherwise, do not take it seriously. There is no need to be afraid of hypoglycemia - you just need to react to the situation in time. The better your diabetes is compensated, the greater the likelihood of hypoglycemia. Moreover, the greatest likelihood occurs with frequent injections of “short” insulin, that is, in the case of basal-bolus therapy. At first glance, this is paradoxical: hypoglycemia is a sign of good compensation! How good is she then?

But think about it. Good compensation means that you balance within a narrow range of normal sugars - approximately 4 to 8 mmol/L. This balancing is not done by the pancreas, a delicate feedback device; you do it yourself, using the means at hand: insulin, diet, glucometer, physical activity. Are you (plus all these tools) able to accurately simulate the most complex biochemical processes that occur in your body? Of course no. With good compensation, you will make mistakes: sometimes the sugar level in your blood will be more than 8 mmol/l, sometimes less than 4 mmol/l. The last case is hypoglycemia.

What happens when there is poor compensation? In this case, the patient lives with high sugar levels: on an empty stomach his level is 10-11 mmol/l, and after meals - 16-20 mmol/l. Of course, the likelihood of hypoglycemia is less, but chronic complications develop at an alarming rate. Hence the conclusion: there is no need to strive for sugar levels of 4-6 mmol/l, like in healthy people; you will achieve quite good compensation if you have 6.7 mmol/l on an empty stomach, and 7.8-8.5 mmol/l after meals.

And one more conclusion , There is no need to be afraid of mild signs of hypoglycemia - you need to catch them and know how to block the impending disaster.