First Aid Guide: Diabetic Emergencies

First Aid Guides and Checklists

About Diabetes

There are generally two kinds of sugar levels associated with diabetics: hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.


Hyperglycemia

This condition occurs when there is TOO MUCH SUGAR and too little insulin in the bloodstream and body cells do not get enough nourishment. This condition can lead to what is known as a diabetic coma.

Diabetic coma can be caused by eating too much sugar, by not taking prescribed medications, by stress and by infection.

Symptoms
Diabetic coma develops more slowly than Insulin shock (see Hypoglycemia), sometimes over a hours or even days. Signs and symptoms include drowsiness, confusion,deep and fast breathing, thirst, dehydration, fever, frequent need to urinate, a change in the level of consciousness and a peculiar sweet or fruity-smelling breath.

Treatment
Get prescribed medication and drink lots of water, and avoid carbohydrate and sugar consumption. If prescribed medication is not working, seek medical help.


Hypoglycemia

This condition occurs when there is TOO LITTLE SUGAR in the bloodstream, and is usually a side effect of treatment with blood-sugar-lowering medication, too much insulin, unexpected or too much physical activity, or not consuming enough sugar or carbohydrates. This condition can lead to what is known as insulin shock.

Symptoms
Signs that your blood sugar is too low may include a racing pulse, cold sweats, pale face, constant headache, feeling incredibly hungry, shivering, feeling weak in the knees, feeling restless, nervous or anxious, difficulty concentrating, and confusion. The severity of these symptoms depends on the blood sugar levels and can vary from person to person. The symptoms don’t occur all at once.

Treatment
It is important to react quickly enough and eat or drink something, like dextrose sugar or a sugary drink (no “diet” or “zero” soft drinks with artificial sweeteners!). Sport energy drinks, snacks, and bars (avoid sugar-free or artificially sweetened) are also good choices.

If someone has severe hypoglycemia they may feel drowsy and confused, and might even become unconscious. People who have type 1 diabetes often carry a pre-filled syringe on them in case that happens, containing the hormone glucagon. Glucagon makes the liver release sugar into the bloodstream. Someone else can then inject the hormone if necessary. If unavailable, seek medical help immediately.