Blood sugar 224: What Levels of Blood Sugar Are Dangerous?
What Levels of Blood Sugar Are Dangerous?
If you live with diabetes, you probably know that life with the condition is similar to walking on a tightrope.
Staying in range without too many high (hyperglycemic) and low (hypoglycemic) blood sugars is a constant balancing act.
But what levels of blood sugar are actually considered dangerous?
This article will explore the issue and provide advice for how you can help manage both the highs and lows of diabetes, literally!
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What is a normal blood sugar level?
According to the American Diabetes Association, a normal fasting blood sugar (in the morning when you haven’t had anything to eat or drink except water for 8 hours ) is less than 100 mg/dL.
A fasting blood sugar reading of 100-125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes, and a reading above 125 indicates diabetes.
| Fasting Blood Sugar | Result |
| Less than 100 mg/dl | Normal |
| 100 mg/dl to 125 mg/dl | Prediabetes |
| 126 mg/dl or higher | Diabetes |
(If you live outside the US and are used to measures in mmol/L, just divide all numbers by 18)
If you test your blood sugar two hours after eating or drinking something containing sugar instead (an oral glucose tolerance test), the numbers to look for are:
| Oral Glucose Tolerance Test | Result |
| Less than 140 mg/dl | Normal |
| 140 mg/dl to 199 mg/dl | Prediabetes |
| 200 mg/dl or higher | Diabetes |
You can learn more in the in-depth article: What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?
The danger of high blood sugar
Having a high blood sugar means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body is lacking in insulin.
This can happen for many reasons, including not taking enough insulin exogenously, too little exercise, eating too much, or even stress, hormonal changes, or lack of sleep.
High blood sugar is dangerous, but it’s important to remember that high blood sugar is mostly dangerous over prolonged periods of time (unless you are in DKA, more on that below).
This means that, for the most part, your blood sugar at diagnosis will not cause long-term complications, and the spike you saw last week from eating an ice cream sundae won’t impact you over the long term.
But chronic, prolonged high blood sugars (think a lifetime of diabetes with an average, all the time blood sugar of 200 mg/dL) will cause diabetes complications in most people.
What is considered high blood sugar?
Blood sugar levels are considered high in people with diabetes once they’re more than the 125 mg/dL that indicates a diabetes diagnosis. However, having a blood sugar of 145 mg/dL usually won’t cause any problems (especially if you’re going to sleep or planning to exercise).
For most people, high blood sugars become symptomatic once the blood sugar level reaches between 180-200 mg/dL.
Blood sugars above 200 mg/dL need to be treated immediately with insulin (and water and exercise are helpful, too), and any blood sugar over 250 mg/dL requires that you do a urine test for ketones, to make sure you’re not spiraling into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
This is when the body’s blood turns acidic due to prolonged, dangerously high blood sugar levels and ketones in the blood. This can be fatal if not treated immediately.
This can occur when one is sick or battling an infection, due to a pump infusion site failure, or even if you forgot to take your insulin for a few days.
Unfortunately, about 25% of newly diagnosed people with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed when they are already in DKA.
If you are experiencing a blood sugar higher than 250 mg/dL along with moderate to high ketones for several hours and cannot get your blood sugar down, contact your doctor immediately and seek emergency medical attention.
People with diabetes are at heightened risk of falling into a diabetic coma from high blood sugar once their blood sugar levels reach 600 mg/dL or higher.
At this point, your blood turns thick and syrupy and excess sugar passes from your blood into your urine, which triggers a filtering process that draws large amounts of fluid from your body (called “diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome”).
This is a true medical emergency, is extremely dangerous, and can be life-threatening. If you are in this situation, you should call 911.
What are the symptoms of high blood sugar?
The symptoms of high blood sugar can vary depending on severity.
Early signs and symptoms of high blood sugar
When your blood sugar is around 200 mg/dL, but not yet dangerously high, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent need to urinate
- Fatigue
- Achy muscles
- Slightly blurred vision
- Headache
Later signs and symptoms of high blood sugar
If you have ketones and are at risk of falling into DKA, you may experience these symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fruity-smelling breath
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Extreme fatigue
- Confusion
- Severely achy muscles
- Extremely blurred vision
- Shortness of breath
- Coma
If you are experiencing any of the later-stage symptoms of high blood sugar, seek immediate medical attention.
The danger of low blood sugar
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, can become a lot more dangerous more quickly. Hypoglycemia, if left untreated, can quickly result in diabetic coma and death.
Low blood sugars will not lead to permanent complications in most cases (unless someone experiences brain swelling and a traumatic brain injury from falling into a diabetic coma) but cause frequent, short-term complications in the form of being physically unable to function when experiencing a low. They require fast-acting glucose (or a shot of Glucagon) as treatment.
Symptoms of low blood sugar can hit different people at different times, and some people may not feel their low blood sugars at all (called hypo unawareness), which can be very dangerous.
Continuous glucose monitoring systems and diabetes alert dogs can help people detect their lows earlier, before they become extremely dangerous.
Hypo unawareness occurs in about 40% of people with type 1 diabetes, and less frequently in people with type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, one study showed that the average person with type 1 diabetes experiences two episodes of low blood sugar per week!
Low blood sugars can happen for many reasons, all of which result from too much insulin in the bloodstream and not enough glucose for the body to function properly.
Reasons can be anything from taking too much insulin for food, to accidentally over-bolusing with an insulin pump, to not finishing a meal, to drinking alcohol in excess, or even after physical exertion and exercise while not reducing basal insulin settings appropriately.
What is considered low blood sugar?
For the average person with diabetes, low blood sugar means anything under 80 mg/dL (for pregnant women, who need to have tighter control, low blood sugars are anything under 60 mg/dL).
Very low blood sugars are any readings under 40 mg/dL. Anything under 40 mg/dL is considered extremely dangerous and potentially fatal.
A person is at a significantly higher risk of falling into a diabetic coma if they cannot get their blood sugar above 40 mg/dL for several hours.
If a person is experiencing a severe low, and they are unable to chew food or swallow liquids, they will require an emergency shot of Glucagon (typically in the thigh muscle or buttocks).
What are the symptoms of low blood sugar?
- Confusion
- Anger/Frustration
- Sweating/Clammy
- Shaky, unsteady movement
- Rapid pulse
- Hunger
- Lethargy
- Irritability
- Dizziness
- Difficulty speaking
- Muscle weakness
If you are experiencing an extremely low blood sugar, which is anything less than 40 mg/dL, that is not responding to fast-acting glucose or glucagon, and you have taken fast-acting insulin within the previous 2 hours, call 911 and seek immediate emergency medical attention.
This condition can be life-threatening if not treated.
Tips for avoiding high and low blood sugars
Walking the tightrope of a life with diabetes is not easy.
We need to strive every day to make sure that we don’t let our blood sugars go too high or too low, and that can be exhausting.
Here are some strategies to help keep your blood sugar in balance:
- Eat similar foods and meals that have predictable carbohydrate counts
- Cook food at home, so you know all of the ingredients in your meal
- Keep to a routine, and eat at the same times every day
- Get enough sleep!
- Double-check your insulin doses to make sure you’re not taking too much, nor too little
- If you’ve counted carbohydrates for a meal and dosed insulin for those carbohydrates, eat everything
- Check the expiration dates on your insulin regularly
- Always have fast-acting glucose and glucagon nearby
- Take all insulin and diabetes medications as prescribed
- Wear a CGM or get a diabetes alert dog to help you detect low blood sugars if you’re experiencing hypo unawareness
- Wear a diabetes alert bracelet
- Don’t over drink alcohol on an empty stomach
- Work with your doctor to increase or decrease your insulin needs as you experience life changes (puberty, pregnancy, aging, training for a race, etc.
) - Treat all high and low blood sugars early and often, before they become dangerous
) High and low blood sugars can be a nuisance, but they don’t always have to become scary and dangerous.
Enlisting these strategies can help you better prepare for and (hopefully) prevent many of them in the future.
How to Avoid Blood Sugar Highs and Lows
Blood sugar control is a main goal for people living with type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar levels can lead to a variety of complications over time including nerve damage, heart disease, and vision problems. Low levels can cause more immediate problems such as dizziness, confusion, and potentially a loss of consciousness.
While everyone’s blood sugar goals differ based on factors like age and overall health, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends these target levels:
- Before a meal: 80 to 130 mg/dl
- One to two hours after the start of a meal: less than 180 mg/dl
Keeping your blood sugar levels as close to your target as possible is key to preventing complications and living well with type 2 diabetes.
Blood Sugar Highs and Lows
Glucose, or blood sugar, comes from two places — the food you eat and your liver. “Blood sugar is basically used to supply energy to the body,” explains Deborah Jane Wexler, MD, an endocrinologist in practice at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. For instance, one of your most valued organs — your brain — runs entirely on glucose, she notes.
Insulin moves glucose into cells to be used for energy. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does produce. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, leading to high blood sugar levels. You may also experience a rise in blood sugar if you eat a meal high in carbs, if you don’t take enough insulin or other diabetes medication, or if you experience physical or emotional stress.
Low blood sugar can occur when you take too much insulin or other diabetes medication, skip a meal or eat fewer carbohydrates than usual, or increase your physical activity.
Monitoring your blood sugar — by making sure it doesn’t spike too high or dip too low — is an important part of managing your type 2 diabetes.
And you can start by learning the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and what steps to take to bring those levels back to normal:
Hypoglycemia: If blood sugar is too low — usually below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) — you may have symptoms such as confusion, sweating, nervousness, nausea, and dizziness. You could even pass out, according to the ADA.
What to do: Follow the 15–15 rule. Have 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate — such as three to four glucose tablets, 4 ounces of fruit juice or regular soda, or a tablespoon of sugar — to raise your blood sugar, wait 15 minutes, and then check your blood sugar. If you’re still not in your target range, have 15 more grams of carbs. Repeat these steps until your blood sugar is back up to normal.
Hyperglycemia: Signs of high blood sugar include excessive thirst and urination, blurry vision, and fatigue.
High blood sugar can be a problem for two reasons. Over the long term, high blood sugar quietly damages the small vessels of the eyes, kidneys, and nerves, leading to serious complications like blindness, kidney damage, and nerve damage. In the short term, it can cause weight loss and excessive urination. It also may pose a threat of coma or death. If you have blood sugar over 240 mg/dL, you may be at risk for ketoacidosis (when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones), which requires emergency care, according to the ADA.
What to do: If your blood sugar levels are too high, exercise can help bring them down. One note: If your blood sugar is above 240 mg/dl and you have ketones, you should not exercise. Exercising when you have ketones may make your blood sugar go even higher, according to the ADA. Talk to your doctor about the safest way to lower your blood sugar if this is the case.
Testing your blood sugar throughout the day is the best way to keep track of your levels and discover the impact food, exercise, and other activities have on your blood sugar.
You should also see your doctor at least twice a year for an A1C test, which gives an overall picture of your blood sugar control for the previous two to three months.
“We strive to keep A1C under 7 percent for most people with diabetes,” says Dr. Wexler. Blood sugar that isn’t well controlled can make it hard to hit that goal.
Strategies to Control Blood Sugar
There are steps you can take to control blood sugar every day.
Educate yourself The more you know about type 2 diabetes, the more confident you’ll feel about diabetes management. That feeling of “self-efficacy” is linked with better blood sugar control, taking medication as prescribed, and making lifestyle changes such as improving your diet and exercising, researchers reported in the Summer 2014 issue of Ethnicity & Disease.
Test your blood sugar on schedule When researchers followed adults with type 2 diabetes over the course of a year, they found that those who used a structured blood sugar testing approach throughout the day had better blood sugar control than those who did not, according to an October 2013 study published in Diabetes Care.
Common times to test your blood sugar include when you first wake up, before and after meals and exercise, and at bedtime. Talk to your doctor about when and how often you should test.
Exercise Physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, which can help control blood sugar. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days during the week. How to tell if your intensity level is moderate? You should be able to talk but not be out of breath or able to sing out loud, according to the ADA.
And for best results, do both aerobic exercise and strength training throughout the week, researchers reported in the September 2014 issue of Diabetologia. The ADA recommends strength training at least twice a week, in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic exercise.
Because exercise can lower blood sugar, you should keep a source of fast-acting carbohydrate on hand in case you need to treat hypoglycemia. Test your blood sugar before and after exercise to make sure it’s in a safe range.
Count your carbs Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on your blood sugar, so monitoring the amount of carbs in your meal plan can help keep blood sugar levels steady. The ADA recommends aiming for 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrate at each meal. Working with a certified diabetes educator or registered dietitian can help you set your personal goals for meals and snacks and master carb counting, notes Wexler.
Take medications as prescribed Skipping doses of your diabetes medication or taking too much can cause swings in your blood sugar levels. Always take your medication as prescribed. If you’re having trouble sticking to your medication plan, talk to your doctor about changes that can make it easier for you. He or she may recommend keeping a medication log or setting an alarm or other reminder to take your medication at the same time each day.
Improve sleep quality. “There’s evidence that people with sleep apnea and sleep deprivation have impaired glucose tolerance,” Wexler says.
Health and sleep data from a study involving 6,616 European adults revealed that people with diabetes who also have obstructive sleep apnea have worse blood sugar control. The findings were published in the May 20014 issue of Chest.
Most adults should aim for seven to eight hours of shut-eye per night. Ask your doctor about undergoing a sleep study if you wake up several times during the night or have frequent trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
Getting your blood sugar under control may seem like work, but you’ll soon get used to your new habits and enjoy a healthier future.
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Kamchatka doctors called food dangerous for the liver – Information Agency Kamchatka
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Kamchatka doctors called food dangerous for the liver
Health
yesterday, 17:25
photos:
IA “Kamchatka”
The liver is the body’s main filter that neutralizes toxins and removes them naturally.
The modern rhythm of life, an abundance of unhealthy food and alcohol, treatment with certain medications can adversely affect the liver.
“If you already have liver problems, your doctor may recommend a specific diet that avoids foods that cause weight gain and high blood sugar” – said the specialists of the Kamchatka Regional Public Health Center.
These products include:
– alcoholic beverages. They adversely affect the health of the liver, destroying its healthy cells;
– sugar. Promotes an increase in the amount of fat accumulating in the liver;
– fried foods and fatty foods. It forces the liver to produce new portions of bile, enzyme systems work in a state of stress. Fatty foods lead to fatty liver, which begins to work worse;
– white bread. White flour and products made from it can increase blood sugar levels;
– red meat. People with a diseased liver are contraindicated in meat delicacies with a high content of saturated fats.
To maintain a healthy liver, it is important to eat a balanced diet, add vegetables, fruits, and cereals to the diet. Also, do not forget about the drinking balance.
Kamchatka doctors spoke about liver diseases.
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