Blood glucose levels should remain stable throughout the day. High levels may indicate diabetes, while low levels may indicate hypoglycemia. Insulin helps maintain normal levels, but diabetics may require injections. Severe hypoglycemia can be dangerous. Monitoring glucose levels is important for managing diabetes.
Blood glucose levels refer to the amount of sugar glucose that can be found in the bloodstream. A healthy person should have only small fluctuations in blood sugar levels throughout the day. If the blood glucose levels are too high, the patient may have the disease diabetes. Very low blood glucose levels could indicate that the patient is suffering from hypoglycemia.
After a meal, carbohydrates are digested in the intestines and glucose passes from the intestines to the liver. The liver controls the rate at which glucose is released into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, glucose becomes available to all cells in the body for use as an energy source. In order for cells to absorb glucose, they need a supply of the hormone insulin.
In a healthy person, insulin is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas. Insulin helps maintain normal glucose levels, which should range from 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). These normal values can also be expressed as 3.8-5.6 millimoles/liter (mmol/L). After a meal, blood sugar may rise to 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L). As the body’s cells absorb glucose from the blood, the level should start to drop to normal levels.
If blood glucose levels exceed 180-200 mg/dL (10-11 mmol/L), the patient may have diabetes. A diabetic patient does not have pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot be absorbed by cells and instead builds up in the bloodstream.
The excess glucose from the bloodstream is then excreted in the urine. As the kidneys work harder to dilute this sugar, the patient will feel the need to urinate frequently. Extreme thirst is another symptom of diabetes. Diagnosis of diabetes is made by measuring glucose levels. If left untreated, the diabetic patient can develop circulatory problems which will have detrimental effects on many organs in the body.
Treatment for diabetes involves periodic injections of insulin throughout the day to reduce blood glucose levels. The patient will also need to monitor their blood sugar with a home monitoring kit. A drop of blood on an indicator stick can quickly give a patient a blood glucose reading.
If blood sugar levels fall below 60-65 mg/dL (3.3-3.6 mmol/L), the diabetic patient may have injected too much insulin. Otherwise, a patient may suffer from hypoglycemia. The symptoms of hypoglycemia are weakness, sweating and shaking. With moderate hypoglycemia, the symptoms should go away when the patient eats something.
Severe hypoglycemia can be a serious medical emergency. This can occur if the patient’s blood glucose levels drop below 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L). The patient may lose consciousness or have a seizure. Maintaining glucose levels through insulin therapy, as well as diet and exercise, is critical to staying healthy.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
