It's led to terms like heart attack or stroke and now stroke is being changed to brain attack. Some of the terms make sense, but there are others that simply don't work for anyone other than the doctors who thought them up in the first place. Insulin shock and diabetic coma are two terms that just don't make sense. Insulin shock refers to the body's reaction to too little sugar — hypoglycemia — often caused by too much insulin. Diabetic coma refers to a victim of high blood sugar — hyperglycemia — who becomes confused or unconscious.
These terms are confusing, and not because my blood sugar is too low. They don't have any connection to reality. Indeed, if I was nicknaming medical conditions today, I would switch these.
Insulin shock makes it sound like the body is in shock , which isn't true. Shock is, first and foremost, a lack of blood flow to important areas of the body, like the brain. It usually comes with very low blood pressure. The most common symptom of low blood sugar is confusion yeah, I know, that's supposed to go with diabetic coma — just stay with me here , not low blood pressure. In fact, insulin shock doesn't affect the blood pressure much at all. Insulin shock also implies that insulin is to blame, but insulin — at least from injections — is not required for someone to develop low blood sugar.
Plenty of diabetics take pills, which do not contain insulin, to control their blood sugar levels. Some diabetics control their blood sugar levels simply by watching their diets. To make it even worse, some folks get low blood sugar even though they're not diabetic at all, which means they would have no reason to take insulin or pills although they do have to check their blood sugar levels.
So why is it called insulin shock? Because it sort of looks like shock. Shock — the real, low blood pressure kind — causes the body to react with what's known as the Fight or Flight Syndrome. Balance Between Insulin and Glucagon Both insulin and glucagon are made and released from the pancreas, an organ associated with the intestines that also makes digestive enzymes to break down food that is eaten.
Diabetic Coma In both HSS and DKA there is a hyperosmolality overconcentration of glucose within the blood that causes neurologic changes, beginning as focal neurologic weakness, lethargy, and mental changes that progresses to seizures, stupor, and coma. Identifying HHS vs. DKA as the Cause of Diabetic Coma: Blood pH pH—a measure of the acid nature of blood, is determined by an arterial blood gas which has the pH as one of its measurements.
Can a Diabetic Coma Be Diagnosed? The approach to treating either cause is similar and includes the following: Infusion of fluids to dilute the over-concentration in the blood from the hyperglycemia, replenish the volume of fluids lost, and improve blood pressure and perfusion of organs to stabilize the cardiovascular status. Frequent monitoring of the arterial blood gases is necessary for status of the pH and bicarbonate levels.
Prevention of a Diabetic Coma Prevention of serious complications of diabetes, including diabetic coma, requires keeping the diabetes in strict glycemic control by vigilant and aggressive blood glucose management. Related Health Information Lipidemia. Diabetic Foot Problems. Diabetic Retinopathy. Diabetes Mellitus.
Metabolic Syndrome. Advertisement Vascular Health Clinics is a regional multi-specialty program. All rights reserved. Stay Informed. Connect with us. Eating 15 grams of quick-acting carbohydrates — such as glucose tablets or high-sugar options like fruit juice, raisins, honey, or candy — can help stabilize your blood sugar and reduce symptoms. After 15 minutes, test your blood sugar.
If you blood sugar is not increasing after repeating this step again, contact your doctor or visit the emergency room. Insulin shock can also happen in the middle of the night. In that case, the symptoms may include:. When we consume food or beverages that contain carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose. Glucose is a type of sugar that fuels the body, giving it the energy it needs to perform everyday functions. Insulin is a hormone that works like a key. This is called high blood glucose, which is linked with a number of health issues.
High blood glucose can cause eye and foot problems, heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, and nerve damage. Insulin shots help people with diabetes use glucose more efficiently. Taking an insulin shot before eating helps the body absorb and use glucose from the food.
The result is a more balanced and healthy blood sugar level. Mild to moderate hypoglycemia can normally be treated as described above. A diabetic coma results from either very high or very low blood glucose levels. This is a life-threatening complication which causes the patient to fall into a state of unconsciousness.
The coma is reversible if treated immediately, but if left untreated they may receive permanent brain damage or potentially die. There are three main types of diabetic comas: severe hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic hyperosmolar.
0コメント