Hypoglycaemia means a low blood glucose level. Hyperglycaemia
means blood glucose is too high. Symptoms of low blood glucose level useally appear quite rapidly,
over 10-15 minutes. It is impotant to recognise them becuase the remedy is very
simple, namely eating sugar or carbohydrate. Some symptoms of hypoglycaemia are:
Anxiety
Palpitations or rapid heart beat
Sweating
Shaking
and Hunger
Later signs are:
Confusion, clumsiness
blurred vision
Drowsiness
unconsciouness
The most common causes of low blood glucose in a person with diabetes are:
Insufficient food intake
or delayed meals
Excess insulin
Excess phyiscal activity
Aiming at perfect diabetic control
Alcohol
The treatment of low blood glucose levels is very important and should be carefully
studied by the person with diabetes and those he or she lives with and works with.
Prevention is always better than cure. All people on insulin should carry a supply
of sugar in a form of glucose tablets, sugar lumps, jelly beans, or barley sugar
etc. These should be available in the car an in a drawer at work. Stay alert, early
recognition of sympoms of hypoglcaemia will prevent progression to move severe stages.
Monitoring blood glucose levels is extremely helpful in this situation.
