When Should I Go To Hospital For High Blood Sugar

What Should I Tell The Health Care Team

If you need to see a doctor or get medical care, health care professionals may ask about:

• your symptoms, like whether you’ve been throwing up or feeling more tired than usual
• your blood glucose levels
• any prescription medications you’re taking and the phone number of your pharmacy
• any foods and drinks you’ve had
• whether you’ve had any drugs or alcohol

If you have time, it can help to write down this info before you visit the doctor.

Best Ways To Lower Blood Sugar Quickly

When treated early, you can bring high blood sugar levels down and prevent complications, including DKA.

Some sources suggest that drinking water or eating a high protein snack can quickly lower your blood sugar levels, though there isnt enough research to support this.

If you have high blood sugar and need to lower it fast, try the following methods:

Know Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in your blood at a given time. It’s important to check your blood sugar level, because it will:

• determine if you have a high or low blood sugar level at a given time
• show you how your lifestyle and medication affect your blood sugar levels
• help you and your diabetes health-care team make lifestyle and medication changes to improve your blood sugar levels

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Treat High Blood Sugar Early

The best way to prevent high blood sugar emergencies is to treat high blood sugar as soon as you have symptoms or when your blood sugar is well above your target range .

• Follow your doctor’s instructions for the steps for dealing with high blood sugar. Post the steps in a handy place at home and work. Make sure other people know what to do if you are unable to treat high blood sugar.
• Keep a record of high blood sugar levels. Write down your symptoms and how you treated them. And take the record with you when you see your doctor.

When You Are Admitted

Once you are in your room, a nurse will talk to you about your medical history. Give as much detail and be as specific as you can about what has worked for you and what hasnt in the past. Provide a copy of your lists . Make sure you highlight any food or drug allergies. Remember to also provide the name and phone number of your main contact person.

Give the nurse any medication you have brought with you. Keep your blood glucose meter, strips, lancing device, lancets, record book and whatever you have brought to treat low blood sugar near your bedside for easy access.

Explain your meal plan and ask that it be shared with the hospital dietitian, who can use it as a basis for your meals at the hospital. Or if you prefer, you can ask that the dietitian visit you personally to discuss the meal plan.

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What Are The Risk Factors For Diabetic Coma

While anyone who has diabetes is at risk for a diabetic coma, the causes depend on the type of diabetes:

• People with Type 1 diabetes have a greater chance of going into a diabetic coma as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia. This is because people with Type 1 diabetes always need insulin and have a wider range in their blood glucose levels than people with Type 2 diabetes.
• People with Type 2 diabetes have a greater chance of going into a diabetic coma from diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome than from diabetic ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia.

Other risks that can lead to diabetic coma in anyone who has diabetes include:

• Surgery.

What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetic Coma

The following symptoms are your bodys warning signs that your blood sugar is too high or too low.

Whenever you have these symptoms, check your blood sugar. If it is too high or too low, treat it according to your healthcare providers instructions to prevent a diabetic coma. If you have had diabetes for a long time, you may fall into a coma without showing any of the symptoms.

Some symptoms of hyperglycemia are:

• Tiredness.

• Taking too much insulin.

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Causes Of Blood Sugar Levels

Whilst the liver and muscles produce some glucose, most comes from the foods we eat. Food and drinks that are high in carbohydrates are most impactful on blood sugar level. What we eat provides us most of the nutrients our body needs and sometimes, does not need. That is not to say that food is a major cause of blood sugar level increasing or decreasing too dramatically.

Typically, if a person has health conditions or poor nutrition, this will lead to a spike or decline in blood sugar level. The causes differ from high to low blood sugar levels and are as follows:

Whats The Normal Blood Glucose Level For A Cat

If she has diabetes, you and your vet will have to work together to ensure her glucose level remains in a normal range throughout the day. According to The Cat Practice in Birmingham, Michigan, the normal blood glucose range for a cat is between 75 and 159 mg/dL, though the number may climb higher if the cat is stressed or frightened.

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What Are Blood Sugar Levels

Blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose level, is the level of sugar/glucose present in the blood. Glucose is a simple version of sugar which comes from the food we eat. Therefore, the more food you consume with high sugar levels over a period of time, will typically increase your blood sugar level.

Glucose comes from the foods we eat and its sugar content. When a person consumes a food with high sugar content, that is turned into glucose. The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream with the support of insulin. This is then distributed between the bodys cells and used as energy.

Foods high in glucose include most carbohydrates and a handful of proteins and fats. Most foods contain glucose as it is simply a natural sugar that occurs in most dietary forms. However, it is carbohydrates that contain the most sugar and 100% of it turns into glucose, through the process mentioned above, once consumed. The concentration of glucose present in the blood will determine your blood sugar level.

Here is a quick video explaining Blood sugar levels chart :

Your blood sugar level can either be low, normal or high. Depending on what you eat and health conditions, it will vary from person to person. Here is a breakdown of how your blood sugar works and how low or high blood sugar levels happens:

If Youre Taking Steroids

Some conditions, like Addison’s disease, severe asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are treated with steroids. If you have diabetes, taking high doses of steroids for periods of time can make your blood sugar levels rise. This is called steroid-induced hyperglycaemia. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about this. They may ask you to make some changes to how you manage your diabetes, so that you can keep your blood sugar levels within your target range.

Some people with coronavirus are being treated with a type of steroid called dexamethasone. Not everyone with coronavirus will need this steroid its only used in hospital when someone is really unwell and needs help to breathe. It works by reducing the inflammation that coronavirus can cause and supports your immune system to fight it.

While this works well for treating coronavirus, its not so good when it comes to diabetes. Dexamethasone makes your body more resistant to insulin, making your blood sugar levels go very high. If youre given dexamethasone, you may need insulin to help reduce your blood sugar levels. If you already take insulin, you may need to take more or take a different one that does a better job of bringing your blood sugars down.

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How To Know When Do I Go To The Hospital With High Blood Sugar

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What Is Considered Very High Blood Sugar

What is high blood sugar? Blood glucose is commonly considered too high if it is higher than 130 mg/dl before a meal or higher than 180 mg/dl two hours after the first bite of a meal. However, most of the signs and symptoms of high blood glucose dont appear until the blood glucose level is higher than 250 mg/dl.

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Heart Attack And Type 2 Diabetes Emergencies

Heart disease rates are up to 4 times higher among adults who have diabetes than among those who do not. This is because diabetes causes damage to the nerves and blood vessels, along with arteries, which supply the heart with blood.

Some of the symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain such as tightness, or a feeling of pressure or squeezing. The pain or discomfort can come and go, as well a being constant.
• Stomach pain, which can feel like heartburn.
• Anxiety, feelings like youre having a panic attack although you dont know why.
• Feeling short of breath. This can happen before you develop any chest discomfort. Alternatively, you may not feel any chest pain.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Sweating, especially with skin that feels cold or clammy.

Getting regular cardio tests can help keep you informed on the condition of your heart, but if you experience any of the above you should call 911 for emergency care immediately.

Things To Do If Your Blood Sugar Is Too High

Want to know how to lower blood sugar? Here are six things to do to combat with high blood pressure.

Blood sugar is a tricky little beast. Yes, you can get a high reading if you throw caution to the wind and eat several slices of cake at a wedding.

The problem is that you can also have a high blood sugar reading if you follow every rule in the type 2 diabetes handbook. That’s because it’s not just food that affects blood sugar. You could have a cold coming on, or stress may have temporarily boosted your blood sugar. The reading could be wrong, and you need to repeat it. Or it could mean that your medicine is no longer working, and it’s time to try a new one.

The point is, it’s the pattern that matters, not a single reading.

Whatever you do, don’t feel bad or guilty if you have a high blood sugar reading. A 2004 study found that blood sugar monitoring often amplifies feelings of being a “success” or “failure” at diabetes, and when readings are consistently high, it can trigger feelings of anxiety or self-blame.

This can cause some people to give up on testing completely. Try not to think of blood sugar monitoring as a “test” administered by a sour-faced teacher lurking in your distant past. Blood sugar monitoring is simply a tool that you can use to fight the disease. Here, six things you should know about how to lower your blood sugar when it’s way too high.

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What Is A Diabetic Coma

Diabetic coma is a life-threatening emergency that can happen to you if you have diabetes. In a diabetic coma, youre unconscious and unable to respond to your environment. Youre either suffering from high blood glucose or low blood glucose . You need immediate medical attention if you go into a diabetic coma.

Guide To Hospital Stays

If you experience some difficulties managing your diabetes or other health conditions, or you have an accident, you may need to go to the emergency department for assistance or be admitted to the hospital. If this happens, it can help to know what to expect and what questions to ask the health-care team you meet to ensure you are well cared for. It is also important to know what your rights and responsibilities are in these situations.

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How Does Hyperglycemia Happen

Insulin is a hormone that lets your body use the sugar in your blood, which comes primarily from carbohydrates in the food that you eat. Hyperglycemia happens when your body has too little insulin to use the sugar in your blood.

People with type 1 diabetes can have episodes of hyperglycemia every day. Although this can be frustrating, it rarely creates a medical emergency. Not taking enough insulin can lead to hyperglycemia .

Other things that can cause hyperglycemia include:

• Caffeine

• Having trouble seeing or concentrating
• Experiencing stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
• Having sweet-smelling or fruity breath
• Cuts or sores that do not heal, infections, and unexplained weight loss may also be signs of long-term hyperglycemia.

If you notice any of these symptoms, you should check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is very high, you should also test for ketones in either your blood or urine.

Recommended Blood Sugar Targets For Most People With Diabetes*

Your targets may not be the same as the examples in this chart. Your targets are important and should be specific to you.

* This information is based on the Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada and is a guide.** A1C is a measurement of your average blood sugar control for the last two to three months and approximately 50 per cent of the value comes from the last 30 days.

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What Does It Feel Like When Your Blood Sugar Is Too High

Weight loss: High blood sugar can cause sudden or unexplained weight loss. This occurs because the bodys cells are not getting the glucose they need, so the body burns muscle and fat for energy instead. Numbness and tingling: High blood sugar can also cause numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands, legs, and feet.

Can A 7 Year Old Cat Be Diabetic

Cats under 7 years of age rarely get diabetes. Overweight cats are more prone to become diabetic than cats of healthy weight males are slightly more likely to become diabetic than females. Each cats diabetes is an specific condition your veterinarian will provide individualized treatment for your pet based on his symptoms.

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When To Go To The Er

High blood sugar can be very concerning because your body can start burning fat for energy instead of blood glucose.

This can cause conditions such as DKA and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome . These conditions are medical emergencies and can be fatal if left untreated.

DKA is a serious complication of type 1 diabetes. Its rare in people with type 2 diabetes, but can occur.

Symptoms that can indicate you should go to the emergency room include:

• ketones in your urine, as diagnosed using a urine dipstick test
• confusion
• stomach pain
• vomiting

High blood sugar levels can cause a fluid imbalance in the body and can cause the blood to become acidic in a manner that doesnt support life.

Medical treatments for these conditions include administering intravenous insulin on a continuous basis and IV fluids to correct dehydration.

Summary

High blood sugar can become a medical emergency. Go to the ER if you suspect DKA or HHS.

About High Blood Sugar

High glucose levels occur when the body doesn’t have enough insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it has to shuttle glucose from the bloodstream to the bodys muscles, organs, and tissues for fuel, ONeill says. As a result, the amount of sugar in the blood builds up.

Hyperglycemia typically happens when you consume more carbohydrates or bigger portions of food than usual if you don’t take enough insulin or other diabetes medication as prescribed and if you decrease your levels of physical activity, she says. Heightened stress levels can also increase blood sugar levels. Non-diabetes-related medications that are known to raise blood sugar levels include steroids, beta-blockers, birth control pills, and many mental health medications, she explains.

Signs of high blood sugar include frequent urination, fatigue, dry or itchy skin, feeling thirsty, more frequent infections, and eating more food but not gaining as much weight as usual, says Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD, the corporate vice president for the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute in La Jolla, California.

High blood sugar levels can cause these symptoms through various mechanisms, according to the Mayo Clinic. For example, high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels and nerves throughout the body. They can also deprive organs of energy and can cause fluid to accumulate in the eyes. And in an attempt to get your blood sugar to a healthier level, your body will often increase urine output.

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What To Do In An Emergency

A diabetic emergency happens when symptoms relating to diabetes overwhelm the body.

At this point, home treatment is unlikely to help, and delaying medical care could cause permanent damage or death.

Some of the signs that can indicate a serious problem include:

• chest pain that radiates down the arm
• difficulty breathing
• a severe headache and weakness in one side of the body
• seizures
• loss of consciousness

If there are signs of an emergency, the person should go to the emergency room, or they or someone with them should call 911 immediately.

Without rapid help, some diabetic emergencies can be life-threatening.

It is not always possible to prevent an emergency, but being able to recognize the signs can improve the chances of early treatment and a full recovery.

Strategies that can help to reduce the risk of an emergency include:

Following the treatment plan: Use medications as a doctor prescribes and keep in touch with the healthcare team. If a person cannot remember whether or not they took their last dose of drugs, they should ask a doctor before taking a further dose. This can help to prevent hypoglycemia. Anyone who notices a change in their symptoms should see a doctor.

Eating healthful, balanced, regular meals: People who use insulin or other medications that lower blood glucose should ask their doctor about what foods to eat, how much, and when, in order to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Small, frequent meals are better than fewer larger meals.