How to give first aid in case of sudden low blood sugar

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Hung, a doctor at the Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang.

Hypoglycemia can occur in many subjects but the most common are people with diabetes who are being treated with blood sugar-lowering drugs. Most of us often think that hypoglycemia only occurs when hungry. In fact, this disease has many causes, understanding this disease will help us early detect and minimize the risk of affecting health.

1. What is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is a decrease in blood sugar (specifically glucose) below the normal range of an individual. In our body, glucose is carried throughout the body, has the role of nourishing the organizations that ensure the life of each person. It is considered as a very important and necessary source of energy for the nervous system and brain organization. Therefore, when blood sugar drops, it affects the function of the body. When blood glucose concentration is <2.8mmo/l (50mg/dl) is severe hypoglycemia, while blood glucose <3.9mmol/l (<70mg/dl) has begun to be considered hypoglycemia.

2. Causes and symptoms of low blood sugar

Causes of hypoglycemia can be due to:
Drug-induced hypoglycemia: During the treatment of diabetes, some drugs can cause hypoglycemia. Due to insulin injection: Is one of the complications in diabetics when blood sugar is not well controlled, leading to excessive use of insulin, causing blood sugar to drop suddenly. Due to the influence of some diseases: Hypoglycemia can occur when the patient has a number of other diseases that cause disorders affecting sugar metabolism in the body, such as endocrine disorders, liver disease. , kidney or adrenal gland... Drinking a lot of alcohol - Diet is not reasonable Postprandial hypoglycemia: Usually occurs 1-2 hours after a meal, the reason is that the body produces too much insulin (insulinome disease)

Symptoms of hypoglycemia: When having low blood sugar, the patient often has symptoms such as low blood pressure, heart palpitations, sweating, feeling tired, hungry, dizzy. .... If not overcome, it will become more serious with many complicated symptoms such as difficulty walking, weakness, blurred vision, most dangerously causing coma and convulsions. It is necessary to quickly find a remedy to avoid the serious progression of the disease, which can lead to complications of coma, leaving many sequelae.

3. How to give first aid when having a sudden drop in blood sugar

When there are signs of hypoglycemia, the patient should immediately stop using oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin. If the patient's case is mild, still awake, should immediately drink sugar water, ... or supplement sugar-containing drinks. Then can use more porridge, milk, fruit, cakes. In severe cases, the patient has fallen into a coma, because of loss of consciousness, he is unable to swallow. If given orally, it may cause aspiration into the respiratory tract. These patients need quick intravenous injection of 20-30% (40-60ml) of hypertonic sweet solution, then combined with drip infusion of glucose solution with concentration of 5-10% to avoid the risk of recurrence. Hypoglycemia. Glucose will continue to be infused until the patient fully recovers and is able to eat and drink on his own.

4. Prevention of hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is very common and has signs of rapid progression, so in addition to overcoming the disease, patients should actively prevent and control their daily blood sugar to protect their own health by some measures. Simple measures such as:
Build a scientific diet, eat enough carbohydrates before exercise and snack during exercise if necessary. Eat more snacks as soon as your sugar levels show signs of low or when new signs of illness appear. Regularly check blood sugar and follow the treatment according to the instructions of the doctor, do not arbitrarily take medicine without a prescription or stop taking it when the symptoms of the disease are relieved Always have sugar or sugary products available such as candy, cake, chocolate in a bag in a briefcase to prevent hypoglycemia and use it right away Here are detailed information about hypoglycemia as well as effective remedies and prevention measures. If treated early and properly, the disease can be cured without leaving any dangerous complications. Therefore, doctors recommend that patients should actively visit the doctor as soon as they see signs of disease for timely examination and treatment.
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