What is a diabetes attack?
A diabetes attack refers to a condition where the body’s blood sugar levels rise too high or drop too low. This can happen due to episodes of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. If diabetes is uncontrolled and treatment is not properly administered, it can lead to medical emergencies.
In this article, you will know the symptoms of diabetes attacks depending on it causes. We also included several precautionary measures to prevent emergencies like this. Read on to learn more.
As mentioned, the two primary conditions leading to a diabetes attack are hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. While they may share common maladies, they are handled differently. Let us start with their symptoms.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia:
- Frequent thirst
- Increased urination
- Blurry vision
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Headache
- Slow-healing wounds
- Unexplained thirst
- Dryness of the mouth
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
- Weakness
Symptoms of hypoglycemia:
- Sweating
- Fast breathing
- Lightheadedness
- Blurry eyesight
- Headaches
- Convulsions
- Irregular heartbeat
- Nausea
- Increased hunger
- Too much sleep
- Change in skin color
- Numbness in body parts
How to handle a diabetes attack?
Understanding how your blood sugar works can help prevent a diabetes attack. It also includes awareness of the symptoms mentioned above. However, if either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia occurs suddenly, specific measures need to be taken.
For people suffering from hyperglycemia, proper insulin administration is necessary. Aside from insulin, taking in sugar-free liquids to drink will help stabilize blood sugar levels. Choosing water is a smart option as it does not contain sugar. Mild cases of hyperglycemia can be resolved by exercising more, consuming less food, and changing insulin dosage or oral diabetes medications. However, if symptoms of this condition worsen, immediate medical help is necessary.
On the other hand, hypoglycemia is best handled by using an emergency glucagon kit. This treatment option is prescribed together with diabetes medications. However, it is only used during cases of severe hypoglycemia. Aside from administering glucagon, other steps to follow when hypoglycemia occurs are as follows:
- Test blood sugar levels if symptoms develop.
- Eat food rich in fast-acting sugar (sweet juice or candy).
- Wait for 15 minutes and test blood sugar levels again.
- Repeat steps 2-3 until your blood sugar levels become normal again.
Complications of a diabetes attack
One of the complications of a diabetes attack is a diabetic coma. This condition is referred to as the loss of consciousness due to severely high or low blood sugar levels. This condition requires immediate medical action. Aside from diabetic coma, the following are complications of a diabetes attack.
- Cardiovascular problems (heart attack or stroke)
- Poor blood circulation
- Loss of eyesight
- Kidney malfunction
- Obesity
- Development of infections
How to prevent a diabetes attack?
Preventing a diabetes attack starts with preventing what causes it from happening. However, balancing blood glucose in the first step. Here are other things you can do to reduce the risk of diabetes attacks.
- Follow your diabetes treatment plan.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Stop alcohol addiction.
- If infections occur, treat them early.
- Exercise regularly.
Lastly, do not forget to visit your healthcare professional regularly. Such an action will help a lot in preventing unexpected complications of diabetes. You will also know and learn more ways how to manage your blood sugar levels effectively.
