Low blood sugar strikes me as an irresponsible issue, even if we frequently discuss how high blood sugar is on the rise in India.
“High blood sugars are frequently discussed because we’ve been told that they cause complications like cardiac disease, stroke, neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy, which means, uh, kidney damage, nerve damage, and eye damage,” says Dr. Dheeraj Kapoor, Chief – Endocrinology, Artemis Hospital Gurugram. And just now, liver damage is being discussed. But the majority of us are unaware of how serious a hyperglycemia might be. Low sugar levels have the potential to be catastrophic. We don’t discuss it since the majority of us are unaware of its importance. The other problem is that we tend to believe that the lower, the better. If we maintain our blood sugar really low, we may be able to prevent difficulties, but it’s also crucial to remember that hyperglycemia should not be disregarded.
The majority of diabetics are unaware of hypoglycemia.
Ganga Thakur, 63, who uses insulin to control her blood sugar levels, passed out while out for her evening stroll. She was fortunate to have her son with her to transport her safely home. When she was diagnosed, she was informed that her blood sugar had decreased, which startled her. “How can my blood sugar decrease when I take medications to control high sugar? She is not by alone. The majority of diabetics are unaware that if their blood sugar drops, they must seek medical help right away.
People with diabetes who take sulphonylureas, which raise insulin, or insulin itself frequently experience hypoglycemia. According to Dr. Ambrish Mithal, Chairman & Head Of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Max Healthcare, hypoglycemia can happen in such patients if there is an imbalance between medicine, diet, and exercise.
The first is that patients are unaware that this ailment exists because most doctors do not explain it in the crowded OPDs, according to Dr. Kapoor. The second is that if the patient’s blood sugar is consistently low, the body becomes accustomed to those low sugar levels. As a result, if there is a slight drop in glucose levels, such as 65 or 60 mg%, the body may not recognize it because it is accustomed to the 75s and 80s; this condition is known as hypoglycemia unawareness. Yes, certain hormones may become low with long-term diabetes. These hormones are responsible for the hypoglycemic symptoms. Therefore, if those hormones are low, hypoglycemia symptoms may not be obvious and this may occur. We therefore have three factors to consider: the patient’s lack of education, low blood sugar, and a deficiency in hormones that cause hypoglycemia.
According to Dr. Harish Kumar, clinical professor and director of the Amrita Hospital’s Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, all diabetic patients need to be considerably more vigilant about low blood sugar levels. Because low blood sugar can result in extremely dangerous circumstances, there has to be better awareness of hypoglycemia. Even when blood sugar levels in type II diabetes patients are high, there is typically no immediate threat to health or life, but if hypoglycemia falls dangerously low, it can cause unconsciousness and have significant repercussions. So it seems essential to be mindful of hypoglycemia. Although hypoglycemia is relatively uncommon, patients should be aware that it is possible and that being aware of it is crucial.
All diabetics should be aware that if their food is delayed or they skip a meal while receiving treatment for their diabetes with either tablets or oral hypoglycemic agents, it is highly likely that their blood sugar will decrease a little. They must therefore constantly be alert for the danger of hypoglycemia. In general, I believe individuals should be alert for hypoglycemic signs. They ought to take action as soon as hypoglycemia manifests itself.
What they can do is if the next meal is due, say, at 12 o’clock in the afternoon and you typically eat lunch at 1 or 1:30, do not wait until lunchtime; instead, you can likely have an early lunch. If you are not in a position to have an early lunch, then you need to have a snack; perhaps a cup of tea with sugar, a few biscuits, a banana, or something else that will keep your blood sugar up until your meal time is due. Therefore, you must take corrective measures to stop hypoglycemia from worsening, the doctor continues.
Blood sugar low warning signs
- Dr. Mithal discusses common hypoglycemic symptoms
- Initial indications of hypoglycemia include, among others:
- appearing pale
- Shakiness
- Unsteadiness or faintness
- Sweating
- Hunger or sickness
- a rapid or erratic heartbeat
- difficulty paying attention
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Lips, tongue, or cheek tingling or numbness
The following signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia might worsen without treatment:
- Confusion
- Unusual behaviour
- Loss of coordination
- Difficulty speaking or slurred speech
- Blurred vision
- Inability to eat or drink
- Muscle weakness
- Drowsiness
- Severe hypoglycemia may cause:
- Convulsions or seizures
- Unconsciousness
Home care for blood sugar
There’s no need to freak out if the patient has a hypoglycemic episode. Understanding how to handle it at home is important for both the patient and the caregiver.
According to Dr. Kumar, mild hypoglycemia is relatively simple to treat; all the patient needs to do is be aware of it and have a sweet drink or a little snack. They could possibly eat early if the mealtime is approaching, as I previously said. Mild hypoglycemia will end as a result. Naturally, all of these are simple to complete at home or as part of your daily activities. All of these corrective steps can be done while you are at work.
However, if the patient has more serious hypoglycemia and is ill, he may require assistance. The level of hypoglycemia is more severe when the patient requires assistance. He must therefore inform those around him that he has diabetes and could potentially experience hypoglycemia. People who are around the patient should persuade him to eat something sweet, have a snack, or drink some glucose if the patient is confused and acting strangely and unable to help himself. For kids with type 1 diabetes, you can accomplish all of this at home, at school, or at work. A glucagon injection must be given if the crisis is more serious and the patient is unconscious. Therefore, it is advised that glucagon injection be kept at home and that passersby be trained to administer glucagon injections, which would quickly raise blood sugar levels, for all patients who are prone to severe hypoglycaemia. However, in most cases, blood sugar levels wouldn’t dip so low. The majority of the time, hypoglycemia is mild to moderate and is readily treated by consuming calories to raise blood sugar levels.
Low blood sugar is treatable at home. According to the “rule of 15,” if the sugar levels are below 70, specifically between 55 and 69, 15 mg of carbs should be provided, the sugar should be checked after 15 minutes, and this process should be continued until the sugar levels are outside of the range. How do you figure out 15 grams of carbs now? A teaspoon of sugar contains around 4.5 grams of carbs. If not, you could provide glucose, honey, and juice. For the time being, I advise against wasting your efforts in producing sweet tea or sherbet because, in the first place, every moment is valuable. The tea should be avoided because it is hot and cannot be gulped down all at once. The ideal combination is juice, glucose, and sugar. Now, if the patient is asleep, kindly refrain from giving him any drink or food because it will flow into his windpipe and trachea and could suffocate him. Then, according to Dr. Kapoor, you may form a paste out of sugar and apply it to the mouth, the area beneath the lips, or the inside of the cheeks.
