Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when the extent of glucose in your blood drops below normal. for several people with diabetes, meaning A level of 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less. Your numbers could be different, so ask your health care provider to seek out out what level is just too low for you.
What causes hypoglycemia in diabetes?
Hypoglycemia are often a side effect of insulin or other sorts of diabetes medicines that help your body make more insulin. Two sorts of diabetes pills can cause hypoglycemia: sulfonylureas and meglitinides. Ask your health care team if your diabetes medicine can cause hypoglycemia.
Although other diabetes medicines don’t cause hypoglycemia by themselves, they will increase the probabilities of hypoglycemia if you furthermore may take insulin, a sulfonylurea, or a meglitinide.
What other factors contribute to hypoglycemia in diabetes?
If you're taking insulin or diabetes medicines that increase the quantity of insulin your body makes—but don’t match your medications together with your food or physical activity—you could develop hypoglycemia. the subsequent factors can make hypoglycemia more likely:
Not eating enough carbohydrates (carbs)
When you eat foods containing carbohydrates, your gastrointestinal system breaks down the sugars and starches into glucose. Glucose then enters your bloodstream and raises your blood sugar level. If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates to match your medication, your blood sugar could drop too low.
Skipping or delaying a meal
If you skip or delay a meal, your blood sugar could drop too low. Hypoglycemia can also occur once you are asleep and haven’t eaten for several hours.
Increasing physical activity
Increasing your physical activity level beyond your normal routine can lower your blood sugar level for up to 24 hours after the activity.
Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol without enough food
Alcohol makes it harder for your body to stay your blood sugar level steady, especially if you haven’t eaten during a while. the consequences of alcohol also can keep you from feeling the symptoms of hypoglycemia, which can cause severe hypoglycemia.
Being sick
When you’re sick, you'll not be ready to eat the maximum amount or keep food down, which may cause low blood sugar . Learn more about taking care of your diabetes when you’re sick.
How am i able to prevent hypoglycemia if I even have diabetes?
If you're taking insulin, a sulfonylurea, or a meglitinide, using your diabetes management plan and dealing together with your health care team to regulate your plan as required can assist you prevent hypoglycemia. the subsequent actions also can help prevent hypoglycemia:
Check blood sugar levels
Knowing your blood sugar level can assist you decide what proportion medicine to require, what food to eat, and the way physically active to be. to seek out out your blood sugar level, check yourself with a blood sugar meter as often as your doctor advises.
Hypoglycemia unawareness. Sometimes people with diabetes don’t feel or recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia, a drag called hypoglycemia unawareness. If you've got had hypoglycemia without feeling any symptoms, you'll got to check your blood sugar more often so you recognize once you got to treat your hypoglycemia or take steps to stop it. make certain to see your blood sugar before you drive.
If you've got hypoglycemia unawareness or have hypoglycemia often, ask your health care provider a few continuous glucose monitor (CGM). A CGM checks your blood sugar level at regular times throughout the day and night. CGMs can tell you if your blood sugar is falling quickly and sound an alarm if your blood sugar falls too low. CGM alarms can wake you up if you've got hypoglycemia during sleep.
Eat regular meals and snacks
Your hotel plan is vital to preventing hypoglycemia. Eat regular meals and snacks with the right amount of carbohydrates to assist keep your blood sugar level from going too low. Also, if you drink alcoholic beverages, it’s best to eat some food at an equivalent time.
Be physically active safely
Physical activity can lower your blood sugar during the activity and for hours afterward. to assist prevent hypoglycemia, you'll got to check your blood sugar before, during, and after physical activity and adjust your medicine or carbohydrate intake. For instance , you would possibly eat a snack before being physically active or decrease your insulin dose as directed by your health care provider to stay your blood sugar from dropping too low.
Work together with your health care team. Tell your health care team if you've got had hypoglycemia. Your health care team may adjust your diabetes medicines or other aspects of your management plan. study balancing your medicines, eating plan, and physical activity to stop hypoglycemia. Ask if you ought to have a glucagon emergency kit to hold with you in the least times.
What if I even have severe hypoglycemia and can’t treat myself?
Someone will got to offer you a glucagon injection if you've got severe hypoglycemia. An injection of glucagon will quickly raise your blood sugar level. Talk together with your health care provider about when and the way to use a glucagon emergency kit. If you've got an emergency kit, check the date on the package to form sure it hasn’t expired.
If you're likely to possess severe hypoglycemia, teach your family, friends, and coworkers when and the way to offer you a glucagon injection. Also, tell your family, friends, and coworkers to call 911 directly after supplying you with a glucagon injection or if you don’t have a glucagon emergency kit with you.
If you've got hypoglycemia often or have had severe hypoglycemia, you ought to wear a medical alert bracelet or pendant. A medical alert ID tells people that you simply have diabetes and wish care directly . Getting prompt care can help prevent the intense problems that hypoglycemia can cause.
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