Sugar Low's and High's

Hypoglycemia

Insulin is a hormone which is secreted from the pancreas, when blood sugar levels rise to high. Hypoglycemia occurs when there is an abnormal amount of glucose in the blood; it is most common in diabetes. The term literally means ‘low blood sugar’, the level depends on the person but the average level for Hypoglycemia is when the blood glucose level is below 4mmol/L or 70mg/dL. Hypoglycaemia can be the result of too much insulin being secreted, or alternatively the cause is due to glucose being secreted into the blood stream too slowly, or the glucose which is supplied is used up too quickly.

Although hypoglycemia is most common in diabetics, babies with diabetic mothers may experience low blood sugars or due to some weight loss surgery, alcohol, serious heart or kidney failure, hormone deficiency or insulioma. (tumors of the pancreas that produce too much insulin are called insulinomas. Insulinomas keep making insulin, even when your blood sugar drops too low.)

There are many symptoms: dysphoria, dizziness, unconsciousness and seizures are due to a lack of glucose being supplied to the brain this is known as neuroglycopenia.  Other symptoms: include blurry vision, fast pounding heartbeat, feeling nervous, shaking, hunger, sleeping difficulty, tiredness, tingling or shaking. In serious cases, blood sugar cannot rise so patients will end up in faint, have a seizure or end up in a coma. 

Treatment: Effectively it is essential to raise the blood sugar level; the low blood sugar level can be measured by a glucose monitor. Diabetics have to treat it by eating quick release food or drink such as coca-cola or sweets. Although if it is consistent due to insulinoma, the best treatment is to have the tumour remove to prevent too much insulin being secreted.

Hyperglycemia

It is the opposite of the condition I just explained, where there is too much glucose in the blood, and it builds up in blood plasma. The average level for Hyperglycemia is when blood sugar levels raise above 11.1mmol/L, however symptoms are often not seen to above 15mmol/L. It is a common condition for people with diabetes, and they can reduce the glucose level by exercising or injecting on insulin (unless ketones are in the urine.) The symptoms are increased urination (with lots of sugar in urine) and thirst. If the condition is untreated it can lead to ketoacidosis also known as a diabetic coma, which is a result of the body not producing enough insulin and so fat stores are broken down and ketones are a waste product which cause this. Ketoacidosis is distinguished by shortness of breath, fruity smelling breath and very dry mouth.

In this post I have frequently talked about blood glucose level, so I have found a key describing the measurements: (my source: http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Hyperglycemia.aspx)

Glucose levels are measured in either:

Milligrams per decilitre (mg/dl), in the United States and other countries (e.g., Japan, France, Egypt, Colombia); or

Millimoles per litre (mmol/l), which can be acquired by dividing (mg/dl) by factor of 18.

Scientific journals are moving towards using mmol/l; some journals now use mmol/l as

the primary unit but quote mg/dl in parentheses.

Comparatively:

72 mg/dl = 4 mmol/l

90 mg/dl = 5 mmol/l

108 mg/dl = 6 mmol/l

126 mg/dl = 7 mmol/l

144 mg/dl = 8 mmol/l

180 mg/dl = 10 mmol/l

270 mg/dl = 15 mmol/l

288 mg/dl = 16 mmol/l

360 mg/dl = 20 mmol/l

396 mg/dl = 22 mmol/l

594 mg/dl = 33 mmol/l