Responding to a diabetic emergency is not difficult, though, diabetic emergencies can be deadly if uncured. Luckily, most diabetic patients know when & how to take action.
There are 2 kinds of diabetic emergencies that can usually occur: Insulin Shock (hypoglycemia) or Diabetic Coma (hyperglycemia). In the former there is a surplus of insulin and a shortage of sugar in the blood (“hypo”=low). In the latter, the individual suffers from a shortage of insulin, resulting in a surplus of sugar in the blood (“hyper”=excess).
A diabetic patient consequently has to learn to live cautiously between these conditions.
Diabetic coma can result if an individual has not been detected and/or cured; or if an individual has not taken his/her insulin.
Well, it can even occur if a person has overeaten (hence flooding his body with huge amounts of carbohydrates); or if they are suffering from an infection that disturbs their insulin/glucose balance.
Instead, too high a consumption of insulin or skipping meals (lowered sugar intake), over-exertion (causing a lessening in the blood sugar level) or even vomiting could indicate insulin shock.
Surprisingly, these severe situations can result in the individual losing consciousness. Nonetheless, there are various other indications by which they can be discriminated against.
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In the case of Diabetic Coma, an individual’s breathing will be low & his breath might even smell of acetone. It is also seen that he may also vomit abundantly. Well, similarly, in the case of Insulin Shock, an individual will be sticky to the touch due to extreme sweating thus; they will also have an increased heart rate.
The most certain method to check if it is Insulin Shock or Diabetic Coma is to give the individual some sugar, preferably in milk or tea instead of sugar granules.
If he/she is suffering from Insulin Shock then she/he will show instant signs of recovery. But, if not, then it is a case of Diabetic Coma. Thus, an individual should be quickly rushed to a nearby hospital without any further delay.
Therefore, it is essential to keep a regular check on blood sugar levels. Invest in a glucometer that can come in handy to check blood sugar levels even on the go.
Moreover, the BeatO App allows you to monitor your blood glucose anywhere, anytime. It also sends a report to the doctor and alerts you if your blood glucose is very high or low.