Diabetes, Fatal 'Shock' Watch Out for Both Blood Glycemia and Hypoglycemia at Risk
Nov 14, 2024
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Diabetes is a risk of accompanying complications, and attention should be paid to sudden shocks.
According to the recently released 'Diabetes Fact Sheet 2024' by the Korean Diabetes Association, as of 2022, the prevalence of diabetes among adults over 30 years of age was 14.8%, reaching about 5.33 million, and the pre-diabetes stage was about 14 million. By age, the number of male diabetic patients in their 50s was the highest at 30.1%, and the number of elderly diabetic patients was the highest at 41.2%. However, about 300,000 young people also suffer from diabetes.
"Diabetes is a chronic disease in which blood sugar in the body rises and organs are damaged," said Kim Yu-mi, head of the endocrine department at Himchan General Hospital in Incheon. "We should pay special attention to diabetes shock caused by blood sugar being too high or too low outside the normal range along with management of complications."
◇ Watch out for changes in consciousness such as high blood sugar shock and shortness of breath
Diabetes is diagnosed if random blood sugar is more than 200mg/㎗, fasting blood sugar is more than 126mg/㎗, blood sugar is more than 200mg/㎗, and glycated hemoglobin levels are more than 6.5%. Hyperglycemia is caused by diabetes, which causes problems in body function due to a rapid increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood. In principle, all cases outside the normal range correspond to high blood sugar, and non-diabetic causes such as overwork, stress, heavy drinking, and infection are also known to have an effect.
When diabetics eat more carbohydrate or snacks than usual and have less activity, when prescription drugs are not taken at the correct time, when insulin storage is incorrect or expired, and when there is severe stress, disease, wound, inflammation, etc. Hyperglycemia occurs when blood sugar continues to rise above 180mg/㎗, and it absorbs water from the body from the blood vessels and gradually begins to drain the sugar into the urine. At this time, abnormal symptoms such as fatigue, frequent urine, extreme hunger, dry skin and mouth, and blurred vision occur. If the blood sugar level exceeds 300mg/㎗, consciousness decreases and changes such as dehydration, lethargy, shortness of breath, and coma occur.
If hyperglycemia continues above 250 mg/㎗, an acute complication called diabetic ketoacidosis can occur. Because blood sugar is not used as energy, ketonic acid, which is harmful to the body, occurs as fat is used as energy, and critical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and shortness of breath occur, causing shock. In addition, if hyperglycemia lasts for more than two weeks, dehydration can lead to decreased organ function, electrolyte imbalance, and cardiac arrest. In the case of elderly diabetic patients, if blood sugar rises to the limit and exceeds 500mg/㎗, a fatal complication of hyperosmotic hyperglycemia may occur.
◇ Risk of hypoglycemic shock without anterior symptoms
On the contrary, hypoglycemia is a condition in which blood sugar is 70mg/㎗ or less on an empty stomach. When you have low blood sugar, you suddenly feel cold sweat, dizzy, or vomiting, your heart palpitates, your hands and feet tremble, and your body loses its strength, causing unpleasant symptoms like motion sickness. Hypoglycemic shock, caused by a sharp drop in blood sugar levels, is caused by insulin-dependent diabetics overdosing insulin or eating irregularly, exercising excessively, or drinking excessively.
Hypoglycemia is just as dangerous as hyperglycemia. If blood sugar levels fall below 50mg/㎗, the risk of shock is greater, and unconsciousness can occur. The brain is the organ that consumes the most glucose in our body, and when low blood sugar causes insufficient supply of glucose to the brain, consciousness becomes blurred and unconscious. If you have hypoglycemia symptoms, you should immediately consume absorbed sugar such as fruit juice, candy, and chocolate, and if you are already unconscious, you should immediately report it to 119 and take emergency measures.
Daily lifestyle management and prevention are important for proper blood sugar management. It is necessary to make a habit of checking changes while regularly measuring and monitoring blood sugar levels. Diet management is also important, and it is recommended to eat an appropriate amount of uniform meals at a fixed time while avoiding refined sugar, instant food, and liquid fructose. It is easy to manage blood sugar if you exercise according to your physical strength, and even before and after exercise, you measure your blood sugar to adjust your intensity.
Director Kim Yu-mi said, `Diabetes should manage blood sugar control and prevention of complications"More than 50% of diabetic patients are obese, so you should maintain an appropriate weight and prepare to respond immediately if you have suspected shock symptoms by examining your physical health related to cardiovascular, kidney, and eyes."
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