Diabetic Emergencies: Hypoglycemia, Hyperglycemia & DKA
Diabetes is a difficult condition to manage and often leads to emergencies. Learn how to respond to some common and not-so-common diabetic emergencies.
Hypoglycemia Symptoms
Hypoglycemia is the most common emergency condition for victims of diabetes. Hypoglycemia is easily treated, but can lead to coma or even death if untreated.
Hypoglycemia is the most common emergency condition for victims of diabetes. Hypoglycemia is easily treated, but can lead to coma or even death if untreated.
First Aid Facts About Coma
There are many causes of coma. Understanding the different causes can mean getting the right help for a victim of coma.
There are many causes of coma. Understanding the different causes can mean getting the right help for a victim of coma.
How To Treat a Diabetic Emergency
The most common emergency diabetic patients face is too little sugar in the bloodstream. Know how to react and you could reverse this life-threatening condition.
The most common emergency diabetic patients face is too little sugar in the bloodstream. Know how to react and you could reverse this life-threatening condition.
Diabetes Symptoms
Review the problem of having sugar or glucose in your urine, or glucosuria, which is one of the signs of diabetes.
Review the problem of having sugar or glucose in your urine, or glucosuria, which is one of the signs of diabetes.
Travel Tips for Diabetics
Long trips, especially those across time zones, can be a real problem for diabetics. Adjusting meal times and insulin dosage when your daily rhythm is knocked out by jet lag, shorter or longer days and the overall stress of travel can be complicated and getting it wrong is dangerous. The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Diabetes Association offer some good advice.
Long trips, especially those across time zones, can be a real problem for diabetics. Adjusting meal times and insulin dosage when your daily rhythm is knocked out by jet lag, shorter or longer days and the overall stress of travel can be complicated and getting it wrong is dangerous. The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Diabetes Association offer some good advice.
Fundamental First Aid: The ABC's
In any emergency, it's important to remember the basics. These are the simple steps that get help started.
In any emergency, it's important to remember the basics. These are the simple steps that get help started.
When To Go To The ER
A diagnosis of diabetes can be very frightening and overwhelming. There is so much to learn. One of the most important things to know is how to recognize two very serious conditions, called hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). These can occur at any time and need to be treated immediately to avoid a medical emergency.
A diagnosis of diabetes can be very frightening and overwhelming. There is so much to learn. One of the most important things to know is how to recognize two very serious conditions, called hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). These can occur at any time and need to be treated immediately to avoid a medical emergency.
Top Warning Signs of Diabetes
Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes share many of the same signs and symptoms. If you notice frequent urination, excessive thirst, unusual fatigue, unexplained weight loss, numbness or tingling of the extremities, blurred vision, dry or itchy skin, recurrent infections, and cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal, you may have diabetes.
Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes share many of the same signs and symptoms. If you notice frequent urination, excessive thirst, unusual fatigue, unexplained weight loss, numbness or tingling of the extremities, blurred vision, dry or itchy skin, recurrent infections, and cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal, you may have diabetes.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis, aka DKA, is a serious complication of diabetes, which occurs when a very high blood sugar level (above 300 mg/dL) is coupled with a severe shortage of insulin in the body. This is more common in Type I diabetes because the body produces very little or no insulin on it's own.
Diabetic ketoacidosis, aka DKA, is a serious complication of diabetes, which occurs when a very high blood sugar level (above 300 mg/dL) is coupled with a severe shortage of insulin in the body. This is more common in Type I diabetes because the body produces very little or no insulin on it's own.
Unconsciousness
If you can't wake 'em up, then you need to know what to do.
If you can't wake 'em up, then you need to know what to do.