Hyperglycemia Symptoms Causes Treatment

Hyperglycemia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Doctors use the term hyperglycemia to describe higher blood glucose. This phenomenon occurs when a patient’s body has insufficient insulin or is incapable of utilizing insulin properly. It is commonly seen in people that have type one and two diabetes.

Symptoms

The most frequent symptoms associated with this condition include a persistent need to urinate, excess thirst, elevated sugar levels within the urine, and higher blood sugar in general. A fundamental part of managing diabetes is regularly inspecting one’s blood sugar levels with on OKRA Glucose Meter. Do this and treat your elevated blood sugar in advance to help prevent problems.

Hyperglycemia Symptoms Causes Treatment

Causes

There are a number of factors that can lead to hyperglycemia, which include:

  • Type 1 diabetes patients not administering adequate insulin
  • Type 2 diabetes patients might have sufficient insulin, but it isn’t very effective
  • You exercised or ate less than you planned
  • You’re stressed out because of an illness such as the flu or cold
  • You’re exhibiting general anxiety because of job pressures or family conflicts
  • You’ve developed a dawn phenomenon where your hormones surged early in the morning

Treatment

One of the best ways to naturally lower the levels of your blood sugar is by exercising. However, there are circumstances where you should not exercise, such as when blood sugar levels exceed two hundred and forty mg/dl. At this point, you’ll want to inspect your urine for the presence of ketones, and if they are there, don’t work out. 

The reason is that physical fitness, while normally good, will make the blood sugar increase, and you’ll have to speak with a doctor to determine a safe way to lower it. One thing that can definitely help is reducing your food consumption. Consulting with a dietitian can help you establish a healthy meal plan and if this doesn’t resolve the issue the doctor will likely alter the level of insulin or medication you’re using.

If this condition remains untreated, it can become serious, progressing into a devastating condition named ketoacidosis, or diabetic coma. It results from the body not having adequate insulin, which prevents it from utilizing glucose as fuel, prompting a diabetic’s system to dissolve fats for energy usage. However, when this occurs, waste products are produced named ketones and since the human body can’t tolerate excessive levels it will try to remove them via urine, but even this is not sufficient which causes a ketone buildup in the blood that results in ketoacidosis. As you can imagine, a diabetic coma is life-threatening and requires emergency medical assistance.

The Importance of Having A Medical ID

Anyone that has diabetes and uses insulin should always carry medical identification. That way, if a serious hyperglycemic episode or accident occurs, first responders will have the crucial information needed about the patient’s health status, whether they’re using insulin, and any allergies they might have. Paramedics are trained to look for medical identification when coming to the aid of people that are unconscious or nonresponsive so it is important to carry it at all times. Medical IDs should be worn in a form that is readily accessible, such as a necklace or bracelet. 

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