What to do if your blood sugar level has become critically low?
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a lack of glucose in the body. If the norm for fasting glucose is 5.8 mmol/l, then a decrease to 3.9 mmol/l is considered life-threatening. A person will not necessarily lose consciousness right away at this level of glucose. But if you don’t get help in time, your blood sugar may drop below three within a few minutes and a hypoglycemic coma will develop.
In most cases, hypoglycemia can be managed on your own if the symptoms are recognized early. The glucose level will be reliably shown only by a glucometer — a device for measuring sugar in capillary blood. But knowing the signs of hypoglycemia, you can suspect a lack of glucose even without gadgets.
Signs that there is not enough glucose left
- I broke into a sweat.
- I felt very weak.< /li>
- Dizziness or headache occurs.
- Diarrhea may begin.
- The heart begins to beat faster.
- Tremor appears.
- An attack of hunger occurs.
- The person becomes drowsy or difficult to make contact.
- Problems with coordination have become noticeable.
- Speech has become slurred and slow.
What to do if your blood sugar drops?
-
Make sure your glucose levels are low if possible.
< li>
Eat 15-20 grams of fast carbohydrates. Suitable:
- a glass of fruit juice or non-diet soda;
- 3-4 teaspoons of sugar , dissolved in water.
The British Health Service (NHS) does not recommend using chocolate or milk because the carbohydrates from them may take a little longer to be absorbed.
If someone else has hypoglycemia, you can gently “rub” honey or jam onto the buccal mucosa. The NHS warns that this should not be done if the person is already confused or excessively sleepy!
If you know that hypoglycaemia is caused by long-acting insulin (this can happen at night), then you need to add 1-2 bread units of slow carbohydrates. For example, porridge or bread.
-
Now you can eat something more serious: cookies, fruit or a sandwich.
-
After a quarter of an hour, check your sugar levels again. 15-20 minutes should be enough to recover.
-
If glucose is still below 4 mmol/l, then eat some sweets again and check the result after another 10 minutes.
This cycle can be repeated only three times. If after 30-45 minutes the glucometer still shows below 4 mmol/l, you should call a doctor.
What to do if a person has lost consciousness?
- Call an ambulance.
- Lay the person on their side.
- Ensure that glucose levels are low.
- Never attempt to feed or drink an unconscious person! This poses a risk of suffocation.
- Hypoglycemic coma is treated by administering a solution of glucose or glucagon. Only a relative or doctor has the right to give an injection.
- If the patient has regained consciousness, give him a cookie or sandwich to eat.
A person who has had diabetes for a long time may fall into a coma without any warning signs. Therefore, if a diabetic faints, it is important to check their sugar levels. A hypoglycemic dose of insulin can be fatal.
Will I go into a hypoglycemic coma if I don't eat?
Some people may experience symptoms of hypoglycemia if the level glucose will drop to at least five. Fasting, excessive exercise, and severe stress affect blood sugar levels. Of course, a glucose level of 5 mmol/l will not result in a coma. It is also unlikely that you will be at risk of a coma if you are healthy and decide to experiment with fasting.
Coma is most likely to occur in those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Hypoglycemia is more typical for type 1. Such patients experience symptoms of “low sugar” about twice a week, although even then coma rarely occurs. Type 2 diabetics may suffer from low glucose if they are on insulin therapy and do not dose the medication correctly.