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Hypoglycemic coma occurs when blood sugar levels drop below normal, which can cause brain damage. Symptoms include shaking, hunger, confusion, sweating, and mood changes. Treatment involves restoring blood sugar levels and seeking medical attention. Prevention involves monitoring blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy diet.
A hypoglycemic coma is a type of diabetic coma that occurs when blood glucose or blood sugar levels fall well below accepted norms. This condition can also occur in people who habitually have low blood sugar conditions. Any coma is a serious health risk, and hypoglycaemic coma needs prompt treatment to make sure no brain damage occurs. Timely treatment means emergency medical care, in most circumstances.
In this condition, people do not respond to external stimuli. This does not mean they are necessarily silent or motionless, but these should not be assumed to be signs of consciousness. In response to low glucose levels, the body is shutting down and in part it does this by starting to destroy neurons in the brain. Continued destruction may cause loss of memory or functionality.
The main cause of hypoglycaemic coma is a sharp drop in blood glucose levels. There are several ways this can occur. Poor diet with skipping meals could lead to a drop in blood sugar levels and people with diabetes are particularly vulnerable to this. Excessive alcohol intake is another precursor to this form of coma. An additional cause is injecting too much insulin, which can cause blood sugar levels to drop rapidly.
It’s not that there aren’t signs that lead to a crisis. Some of the more common symptoms include a feeling of jitteriness or shaking. People may be hungry, but they ignore these feelings. You may also notice tiredness, mental confusion, excessive sweating and mood changes tending towards irritation or anger. For those at risk for this complication, it is especially important to check blood glucose levels at this time and adjust medications as needed to restore blood sugar to acceptable levels.
Many people experience some of these symptoms right after an insulin injection. Checking blood sugar amounts is vital. People can correct the early expression of hypoglycemia before hypoglycemic coma occurs by using glucose candy or things like juice to restore sugar levels in the body.
If the condition progresses to hypoglycaemic coma, this is medically urgent. People should be taken to hospital or 911 should be called. People are advised to follow the protocol suggested by their doctors. In hospitals, the comatose person will receive an injected or intravenous form of a hormone medicine called glucagon. This can help restore blood sugar levels quickly.
While glucagon can be effective, it is far better to prevent hypoglycemic coma than to suffer from it and risk potential brain damage. Careful attention to blood sugar levels, a healthy diet, and little or no alcohol fights half of this battle. The other half are aware of the symptoms that indicate low blood sugar levels. People should know what they are and be attentive to the body’s reaction, learning to understand the signs of low blood sugar and taking appropriate action when it is noticed.
