Hyperglycemia – Causes, Symptoms, and Management
Hyperglycemia is high blood sugar, a complication observed in people with diabetes. It develops when the body has significantly less insulin than required or when the body is unable to process insulin. A person with hyperglycemia usually has a blood glucose level of more than 125 mg/dL when fasting and over 180 mg/dL after eating. When hyperglycemia is left untreated for a long time, it can damage the nerves, organs, and blood vessels. Causes and risk factors Many factors can increase the risk of hyperglycemia in people with diabetes. Some of them are: Insufficient or inaccurate dosage of insulin that one takes to manage diabetes Body’s inability to effectively utilize insulin treatment Excessive carbohydrate intake Leading a sedentary lifestyle Physical or emotional stress Dawn phenomenon, which is a hormonal surge or rise in blood sugar people with diabetes experience every morning Some of the other possible causes of hyperglycemia: Cushing’s syndrome results in insulin resistance Being affected by pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer Using certain treatment options Experiencing trauma or surgery Some of the risk factors of high blood sugar are: A family history of diabetes Unhealthy lifestyle High cholesterol Polycystic ovarian syndrome History of gestational diabetes Symptoms Hyperglycemia may not exhibit symptoms unless one experiences extremely high blood sugar levels, for instance, blood glucose over 180 mg/dL. The symptoms start developing over several days or weeks. The longer one has high blood sugar levels, the more severe the symptoms. If it remains undetected for a long time, a possible complication is a diabetic coma or ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome develop as a complication of high blood sugar levels. As this is a serious complication, one should contact a doctor when they notice any such issues. When affected by DKA, ketone levels increase in the blood and urine, mainly in people with type 1 diabetes.
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