Hypoglycemia – Causes, symptoms and treatment.
Hypoglycemia is a state where a person’s blood glucose drops below alarming levels. This occurs when the blood glucose level typically drops to or below 70 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter). The victims of hypoglycemia most commonly are people with type 1 diabetes and less commonly people with type 2 diabetes who are on insulin.
Causes:
- An overdose of insulin or blood sugar regulating medications given to a diabetic patient can cause the person to experience hypoglycemia.
- At times, an excessive physical activity which is out of the endurance levels of a person, results in a state of low blood sugar levels and the person ends up with the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Patients with diabetes should be especially careful with this situation, as they are most vulnerable to uncontrollable fluctuating blood glucose levels.
- Anorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder where the person does not consume the amount of carbohydrates to release the required glucose into the blood stream, may lead to low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia.
- Improper medication or a non- diabetic person accidentally consuming a diabetic medication, lowers the blood sugar levels of the person unnecessarily, causing hypoglycemia.
- Disorders in the body such as kidney dysfunction or glands like pituitary not functioning properly may cause the blood glucose fluctuations in the body.
- Improper working pancreas might be producing excessive insulin which leads to abnormally low blood sugar levels. Such a disease of the pancreas is known as insulinoma.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of hypoglycemia demand quite a lot of attention because in severe cases or if left unattended, coma or death may result. If the case is not worse it might as well end up giving the patient a nervous breakdown or a permanent damage of some kind to the organs or tissues in the body. The most obvious symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
- Trembling of the body.
- Vision and speech impairment (temporarily)
- Anxiety.
- Palpitation and increased heart rate.
- Weakness.
- Dizziness.
- Irritability
- Sweating
- Hunger.
- Numbness around and in the mouth.
- Headaches.
- Unconsciousness.
- Seizures.
As the symptoms themselves suggest, hypoglycemia is a state which can never be overlooked and should be acted upon as soon and urgently as possible. However the major and reliable indication of low blood sugar is to monitor the glucose level using a good glucose monitor. The normal values of blood glucose levels are different for non diabetic people as compared to diabetics and pre-diabetics (or other types of diabetes). To confirm whether you are diabetic, a non diabetic or a pre- diabetic, you need to consult your medical practitioner and understand where you stand. You will have to be monitored for the first few times by your medical practitioner when you experience the symptoms of diabetes to determine if you are a diabetic.
Treatment:
- You would want to stop your physical activity regime (in case it might be the reason for your occasional blood glucose fluctuations).
- On an occasion of hypoglycemia, the patient might not be in a state to handle himself / herself owing to the severe symptoms associated. Therefore, someone else might be required to take over. An emergency call bell or some kind of indication to someone close by might be necessary
- An immediate intake of carbohydrates (about 13 to 15 grams) is a must in order to help in bringing back the blood sugar to normal levels. This might be something like a glucose powder, juice, honey, sweet syrup, etc.
- Next, keep monitoring the blood sugar levels every 10 to 15 minutes till it is back to the normal levels.
- If things don’t seem to get into control for a considerable time, don’t hesitate to rush to the emergency department.
Causes:
- An overdose of insulin or blood sugar regulating medications given to a diabetic patient can cause the person to experience hypoglycemia.
- At times, an excessive physical activity which is out of the endurance levels of a person, results in a state of low blood sugar levels and the person ends up with the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Patients with diabetes should be especially careful with this situation, as they are most vulnerable to uncontrollable fluctuating blood glucose levels.
- Anorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder where the person does not consume the amount of carbohydrates to release the required glucose into the blood stream, may lead to low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia.
- Improper medication or a non- diabetic person accidentally consuming a diabetic medication, lowers the blood sugar levels of the person unnecessarily, causing hypoglycemia.
- Disorders in the body such as kidney dysfunction or glands like pituitary not functioning properly may cause the blood glucose fluctuations in the body.
- Improper working pancreas might be producing excessive insulin which leads to abnormally low blood sugar levels. Such a disease of the pancreas is known as insulinoma.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of hypoglycemia demand quite a lot of attention because in severe cases or if left unattended, coma or death may result. If the case is not worse it might as well end up giving the patient a nervous breakdown or a permanent damage of some kind to the organs or tissues in the body. The most obvious symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
- Trembling of the body.
- Vision and speech impairment (temporarily)
- Anxiety.
- Palpitation and increased heart rate.
- Weakness.
- Dizziness.
- Irritability
- Sweating
- Hunger.
- Numbness around and in the mouth.
- Headaches.
- Unconsciousness.
- Seizures.
As the symptoms themselves suggest, hypoglycemia is a state which can never be overlooked and should be acted upon as soon and urgently as possible. However the major and reliable indication of low blood sugar is to monitor the glucose level using a good glucose monitor. The normal values of blood glucose levels are different for non diabetic people as compared to diabetics and pre-diabetics (or other types of diabetes). To confirm whether you are diabetic, a non diabetic or a pre- diabetic, you need to consult your medical practitioner and understand where you stand. You will have to be monitored for the first few times by your medical practitioner when you experience the symptoms of diabetes to determine if you are a diabetic.
Treatment:
- You would want to stop your physical activity regime (in case it might be the reason for your occasional blood glucose fluctuations).
- On an occasion of hypoglycemia, the patient might not be in a state to handle himself / herself owing to the severe symptoms associated. Therefore, someone else might be required to take over. An emergency call bell or some kind of indication to someone close by might be necessary
- An immediate intake of carbohydrates (about 13 to 15 grams) is a must in order to help in bringing back the blood sugar to normal levels. This might be something like a glucose powder, juice, honey, sweet syrup, etc.
- Next, keep monitoring the blood sugar levels every 10 to 15 minutes till it is back to the normal levels.
- If things don’t seem to get into control for a considerable time, don’t hesitate to rush to the emergency department.
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