Blood glucose that gets too high or too low can be dangerous. To stay safe and healthy, check your blood glucose regularly and watch for certain symptoms, like being very hungry, tired or sleepy. If your blood glucose is outside the normal range, take the steps described below to start feeling better. Show
High Blood Glucose: HyperglycemiaHyperglycemia means that you have too much blood glucose. It happens when your blood glucose level is around 200 mg/dL or higher. Hyperglycemia can happen if you miss taking your diabetes medications, eat too much or do not get enough exercise. Sometimes, the medications you take for other problems cause high blood glucose. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. If it’s too high, follow these steps:
High Blood Glucose: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)If your insulin level is too low, your blood glucose could become so high that it is unsafe. You might develop a serious problem called diabetic ketoacidosis (or DKA). This usually happens in people with Type 1 diabetes and those with glucose levels over 500. If you have DKA, chemicals called ketones start to make a lot of acid in your body. The acid and high blood glucose can make you very sick. You might also become dehydrated (lose body fluid). You can prevent DKA by carefully giving yourself the correct insulin dose every day. If you have any of the following symptoms of DKA, get to your local emergency department right away. You need to be treated with insulin and fluids that are given to you through an IV (a thin tube placed in your arm):
Low Blood Glucose: HypoglycemiaHypoglycemia can occur when blood glucose drops below normal levels or drops too quickly. Your blood glucose level is too low if it is under 70 mg/dL. Hypoglycemia can be caused by:
You can have hypoglycemia without any symptoms. That makes it important to check your blood glucose levels regularly. When hypoglycemia does cause symptoms, they can include:
If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. If it is too low (under 70 mg/dL), take something with sugar right away. This quickly raises your blood glucose level. Some good options include:
You should also check your blood glucose again after 15 minutes. If it’s still low, again take something with sugar. Check your blood glucose level again after another 15 minutes. If it is still low, call a member of your diabetes team. If your next meal is more than an hour away, eat a small snack. *The content on this website is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a physician regarding your specific medical condition, diagnosis and/or treatment. A diabetic coma is a life-threatening disorder that causes unconsciousness. If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma. If you go into a diabetic coma, you're alive — but you can't wake up or respond purposefully to sights, sounds or other types of stimulation. If it's not treated, a diabetic coma can result in death. The idea of a diabetic coma can be scary, but you can take steps to help prevent it. One of the most important is to follow your diabetes treatment plan. Products & Services
SymptomsSymptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar usually develop before a diabetic coma. High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)If your blood sugar level is too high, you may have:
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)If your blood sugar is too low, you may have:
Some people, especially those who've had diabetes for a long time, develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness. That means they don't have warning symptoms that signal a drop in blood sugar. If you have any symptoms of high or low blood sugar, test your blood sugar right away. Based on the test results, follow your diabetes treatment. If you don't start to feel better quickly, or you start to feel worse, get medical care right away. When to see a doctorA diabetic coma is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of high or low blood sugar and you think you might pass out, call 911 or your local emergency number. If you're with someone with diabetes who has passed out, call for emergency help. Tell the emergency personnel that the unconscious person has diabetes. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inboxSign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data.To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. How can you bring high blood sugar down quickly?When your blood sugar level gets too high — known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose — the quickest way to reduce it is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way to lower blood sugar. In some cases, you should go to the hospital instead of handling it at home.
What does it feel like when your blood sugar is too high?Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body lacks enough insulin. Associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia can cause vomiting, excessive hunger and thirst, rapid heartbeat, vision problems and other symptoms. Untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious health problems.
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