Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar): Causes, symptoms and treatments

Hyperglycemia means high blood glucose. Diabetes can occur thanks to some endocrine disorders like glucagonoma, Cushing’s syndrome, and therefore the use of certain drugs like cortisone. it's symptoms like frequent urination, urination in the dark, desire to drink water, weakness, and fatigue. Symptoms like frequent infections and delayed wound healing can also occur. In the initial stages of hyperglycemia, some lifestyle changes like weight loss, regular exercise, and diet are required for treatment. If blood glucose can't be reduced by these methods or if an explosion is detected, drug treatment is started.

Table of Contents

1. what's hyperglycemia (High blood sugar)?

2. Hyperglycemia causes

3. Hyperglycemia and diabetes

4. Symptoms of high blood glucose

5. Diagnoses of hyperglycemia

6. Emergency treatment of hyperglycemia

7. Treatment of hyperglycemia

8. Hyperglycemia and nutrition

9. Tips for Hyperglycemia

What is hyperglycemia (High blood sugar)?

Hyperglycemia means high blood sugar value, and maybe a distinctive sign of diabetes (type 1 diabetes and sort 2 diabetes) and prediabetes. blood glucose should be at a particular level within the blood. It shouldn't fall just in case of hunger and will not increase much after meals. to realize this balance, many hormones, especially insulin and glucagon, are involved.

Hyperglycemia is taken into account if blood glucose is above 100 mg/dl on an empty stomach and 140 mg/dl when full.

Who has hyperglycemia?

• Diabetes patients

• People who miss an insulin dose or use insufficient insulin

• People with any infection problems

• Cortisone users

• Patients with carcinoma

• Patients with hemochromatosis (excess iron accumulation within the body)

• Cystic fibrosis patients

• Glucagonoma (a tumor of pancreas) patients

• Cushing syndrome patients

• Acromegaly patients

• Patients with hyperthyroid    

• Patients with pheochromocytoma (a tumor of the adrenal glands)

Hyperglycemia causes

• Inadequate secretion of insulin hormone, which reduces blood glucose levels

• Inadequate dosing or skipping of insulin used as a drug in diabetic patients

• Non-regular use of oral antidiabetic drugs that lower blood glucose

• Insulin hormone secreted from the pancreas can't be utilized in the body for various reasons

• Excessive secretion of glucagon, adrenaline, cortisone and growth hormones thanks to some diseases that increase blood glucose level

• Use of cortisone-derived drugs

• High consumption of high-calorie and quick-breaking simple sugar-containing foods

• Feeding on foods rich in saturated fats and fewer amount of pulp

Risk factors of hyperglycemia

• Obesity

• Having diabetes within the family

• Hypertension

• High cholesterol

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• Still lifestyle

• Organ transplantation (especially kidney transplantation)

Hyperglycemia and diabetes

Not all people with high blood glucose have diabetes. However, to be diagnosed with diabetes, there must be hyperglycemia condition. Fasting blood glucose above 100 mg/dl is hyperglycemia; if it's above 126 mg/dl, it's called diabetes.

Blood sugar control is at the guts of the diabetes treatment plan, and high blood glucose is extremely dangerous for both type 1 and sort 2 diabetes patients. If left untreated, it can cause serious complications like Kussmaul's coma. Prolonged, if not severe, hyperglycemia may cause complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, systema nervosum, and heart in diabetic patients.

Hyperglycemia coma (Diabetic coma)

The condition of confusion and loss of consciousness due to the high blood glucose level is named Kussmaul's coma. it's more common in diabetes patients.

 

There are two important hyperglycemic coma: diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic condition.

In diabetic ketoacidosis, blood glucose increases above 250 mg/dl, whereas in hyperosmolar hyperglycemic condition, it increases above 600 mg/dl. Infections in diabetics may occur in cases of non-regular use of medication, stroke, and attack. Since the sugar within the urine draws an excessive amount of liquid, excessive fluid and electrolyte loss occur.

Because both conditions are important causes of death in diabetes, they need to be urgently intervened. an individual whose blood glucose level is just too high should consult the emergency department with none delay.

What are the consequences of high blood sugar?

• Hyperglycemia coma

• Heart attack

• Stroke

• Kidney failure

• Damage to nerve cells

• Vision problems

• Non-healing wounds

• Infection

• Sexual dysfunction

• Risky pregnancy

Symptoms of high blood glucose

• Frequent urination

• Urination in the dark

• Extreme thirst, beverage too often

• Dry mouth

• Weakness, fatigue

• Late healing of opened wounds

• Unexplained weight loss

• Dry skin

• Blurred vision

• Frequent infection

If hyperglycemia has been present for an extended time and been gradually increasing, it's going to not always show symptoms. However, if it's extremely high during a short time, unconsciousness or loss of consciousness could also be the primary symptoms.

Diagnoses of hyperglycemia

Diagnosis is formed by measuring the quantity of sugar within the blood taken intravenously or from the fingertip on an empty stomach. When full, the reference ranges of blood glucose for hyperglycemia vary.

• If the blood glucose is above 183 mg/dl, the sugar passes into the urine. The presence of sugar in urine suggests that there could also be a high blood glucose level.

• HemoglobinA1C measurement provides information about 3-month blood glucose. If it's above 6.5, it indicates that the blood glucose is high within the last 3 months.

Emergency treatment of hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemic emergencies usually occur in diabetics. For this reason, people that have diabetes should frequently follow their blood glucose levels. it's necessary to understand which situations are urgent.

What to do?

• The patient or his/her relatives should call 112 immediately and invite help.

• If the patient is conscious, he/she should drink many liquids due to the loss of fluid.

What to avoid?

• If the patient is unconscious or unconscious, nothing to eat or drink should tend.

• Liquids consumed for fluid loss shouldn't be sugary.

• Oral diabetes medications shouldn't be used.

Treatment of hyperglycemia

• If there's an underlying disease which will cause hyperglycemia, this condition should be treated first.

• One should reduce.

• Walking, sports or exercise should be done regularly.

• Diet content should be administered by a dietitian.

• The patient should be educated on issues like treatment regimen and therefore the use of medications like insulin.

Hyperglycemia medications and medicines

If diabetes develops, drug treatment is initiated. These drugs are often used alone or in combination:

• Insulin-releasing antidiabetics: Sulfonylureas and glinides are during this group. They act by increasing insulin secretion from the pancreas. the utilization of those drugs can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and thus should be used with caution. they'll cause weight gain.

• Insulin sensitizing drugs: Drugs like metformin and thiazolidinediones are during this group. They act by reducing insulin resistance. they will cause digestive disorders like nausea and vomiting. It should be used with caution in heart, liver, and kidney insufficiencies.

• Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: They affect hyperglycemia by reducing carbohydrate absorption within the intestine. Acarbose is during this group. it's side effects like abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.

• Incretin-mimetic drugs: It acts by increasing insulin secretion from the pancreas and slowing gastric discharge. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are during this group.

Insulin treatment

Insulin treatment is initiated,

• if blood glucose doesn't fall despite oral medications

• if your blood glucose levels are too high at the start

• If the HBA1C is just too high

• if urgent intervention like hyperglycemia coma is required

• if there's a liver or renal failure.

Insulin is run by injection, by intravenous route or by pump. There are long-acting and short-acting varieties. the foremost important side effect is low blood glucose. Before using insulin, you ought to be educated about the way to use insulin and related problems.

Other treatment methods of hyperglycemia

Pancreatic islet transplantation: Studies on pancreatic islet transplantation is still being administered in well-equipped centers.

Herbal remedies for hyperglycemia

It is a standard concept some plants and spices like cinnamon and tea have blood-glucose-lowering effects. However, there's not enough research to support this information. Research remains ongoing.

If you're experiencing hyperglycemia, you ought to consult your doctor before starting any herbal method.

Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia may be a condition during which blood glucose is a smaller amount than 70 mg/dl in patients with diabetes and 50 mg/dl in patients without diabetes. Hypoglycemia occurs within minutes. Hyperglycemia develops slowly, it's going to take hours or days to emerge.

Since hypoglycemia is more urgent, the patient should be treated urgently just in case s where sugar can't be measured or in case of unconsciousness. Hypoglycemia should be kept in mind, especially in patients with diabetes using insulin.

Hyperglycemia in infants and newborns

It is also common in newborns despite the low level of sugar is more observed thanks to insufficient reserves. Hyperglycemia may occur in the time of life especially in premature babies thanks to given external sugars, insulin resistance, and sugar intolerance.

Some medications employed by the mother and a few hereditary diseases also can cause hyperglycemia. blood glucose in newborns is targeted to be between 70-150 mg/dl. blood glucose level exceeding 150 mg/dl is defined as hyperglycemia.

Prevention of high blood glucose

• Lose weight.

• Follow an appropriate diet under the supervision of a dietitian

• Exercise regularly.

• If you've got diabetes, follow the treatment given by your physician.

Hyperglycemia and nutrition

It is important to work out the nutritional content to stop problems associated with hyperglycemia. Weekly and daily nutrition programs should be made, foods that are good or harmful to be consumed should be known and shopping should be done accordingly.

Diabetes nutrition pyramid is often used for determining dietary content. From rock bottom to the highest “Cereals, legumes and starchy foods”, “vegetables and fruits”, “milk, yogurt”, “meat” and “fats, sugar and sugary foods and alcoholic drinks” groups. Foods at rock bottom of the pyramid should be consumed more.

Main and intermediate meals must be followed. The interval between snacks and main meals should be kept short. The meal shouldn't be skipped. Always have healthy snacks in your bag, car, your workplace drawer.

What to eat?

• Complex carbohydrates: Cereals, bread, legumes, fruits, vegetables, milk, and yogurt.

• Red meat: a minimum of 2-3 meals per week

• White meat (chicken, fish, turkey): a minimum of 2-3 meals per week

• Legumes: 2-3 meals per week

• Whole wheat bread rather than light bread, rye or oat bread, soup,

• Plenty of water

Which foods to avoid?

• Simple carbohydrates: sugar, sweets, honey, molasses, marmalade, jam

• Foods with high glycemic index: Bananas, grapes, melons, watermelons, figs, carrots, and boiled potatoes.

• Fruit juices

• Foods with high fat and sugar content: Pastry, cake, cookies, biscuits, pies, donuts, halva and other desserts

• Fat-fried, roasted foods: meat, vegetables, dough, french-fried potatoes

• Fatty meat and fish: Chicken skin, fatty animal parts, offal.

• Whole milk and dairy products

• Delicatessen: Salami, sausage, bacon

• Fatty foods: Cream, ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings, cake sauces,

• Solid fats: Butter, suet, tail fat, solidified margarine

Tips for Hyperglycemia

• Hyperglycemia can cause diabetes if not treated properly. Always follow the doctor’s instructions.

• If diabetes develops, get training for medications, especially the way to use insulin.

• Because hyperglycemia is typically a long-term illness, don't skip doctor’s appointments.

• Learn about the long-term problems of the disease and take precautions accordingly.

• Go to the nephrologist for kidney control and ophthalmologist for eye control at the recommended intervals.

• Do regular exercise under the supervision of your doctor.

• The perineal area should be kept clean (the area between the vagina and therefore the anus) as infections may develop frequently.

• Pay attention to oral and dental health.

• Stop smoking because it increases the danger of an attack.

• Get pneumonia and flu vaccines.