Low blood sugar or hhypoglycemia is condition when rate blood sugar is belownormal. This condition soften experienced by diabetics as a result of the drugs taken.
Blood sugar or glucose is a source of energy for the body. Besides being produced naturally by the liver, glucose can also be obtained from foods that contain carbohydrates, such as rice, bread, potatoes, or milk. When blood sugar levels are low, the body will lack energy for activities.
Hypoglycemia that is left untreated can lead to loss of consciousness and seizures, to permanent damage to the brain. Although it often occurs in diabetic patients due to treatment, hypoglycemia can also be experienced by people who do not have diabetes.
Reason Hhypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop drastically. This condition is more often experienced by people with diabetes due to:
- Excessive or irregular use of insulin or diabetes medications.
- Unhealthy eating patterns, such as eating too little, lacking carbohydrates due to a low-carb diet, or delaying eating.
- Excessive physical activity or exercise, without eating enough.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Although rare, hypoglycemia can also occur in people who do not have diabetes. The causes include:
- Lack of hormones that regulate the balance of sugar in the blood.
- Nutritional deficiencies, for example due to anorexia nervosa.
- Excessive insulin production, for example due to tumors in the pancreas gland (insulinoma).
A person is also at risk for hypoglycemia if they have the following conditions:
- Are taking certain medications, such as blood sugar-lowering drugs, antimalarials, antibiotics, antiarrhythmics, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- Have had gastric reduction surgery.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Are suffering from hepatitis, kidney problems, malaria, or sepsis.
Symptom Hhypoglycemia
Symptoms of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia can appear suddenly and vary from person to person. These symptoms include:
- Easily hungry
- Easy to get angry
- Difficult to concentrate
- tingling
- Tired
- Dizzy
- Shaking or tremor
- Pale
- A cold sweat
- Heart beat
Hypoglycemia will worsen if left unchecked, especially if the patient is not aware of his blood sugar level dropping. As a result, people with hypoglycemia may:
- Having vision problems
- Looks confused and behaves abnormally
- Have a loss of consciousness
- Seizures
It is important to be aware of the symptoms of low blood sugar and treat them as soon as possible. Otherwise, sufferers can experience permanent brain damage.
When to go to the doctor
For diabetics, it is advisable to consult with an internal medicine doctor at least 2 times a year, to evaluate the treatment that has been carried out and detect complications due to diabetes as soon as possible.
In diabetics who experience complaints of hypoglycemia, immediately eat sweets or drink syrup to increase blood sugar levels. If the complaints do not decrease, immediately go to the hospital emergency room.
If you are not a diabetic, and experience symptoms of low blood sugar, consult a doctor immediately.
Diagnosis Hhypoglycemia
Diabetics are recommended to have their own blood sugar measuring device, so that if you feel symptoms of low blood sugar, you can immediately check your blood sugar level independently.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia usually appear when blood sugar levels are below 70 mg/dL. However, this number can vary from person to person, so it is important to recognize the symptoms well.
To detect hypoglycemia, the doctor will ask about the symptoms experienced by the patient and take blood samples to check blood sugar levels.
In addition to blood sugar levels, doctors can also perform kidney, liver, and adrenal function tests to detect the cause of hypoglycemia, so that appropriate treatment can be provided.
How to Overcome Hypoglycemia
For diabetics, it is recommended to always carry sweets with you wherever you go, so that if you experience low blood sugar, you can immediately consume sweets to raise blood sugar levels quickly. In addition to sweets, sufferers can also consume fruit juice or soft drink.
Then, check blood sugar levels 15 minutes after eating these foods. If it's still below 70 mg/dL, eat more sugary foods or drinks and check your blood sugar again 15 minutes later.
Repeat all these steps until the blood sugar level is above 70 mg/dL. Once your sugar levels return to normal, keep them stable by eating heavy or healthy snacks.
If symptoms do not improve, immediately ask someone else to accompany you to the hospital. While in the hospital, the doctor will give you a liquid infusion of sugar.
Keep in mind, if you find someone who is suspected of having low blood sugar and is unconscious, do not give any food because it is at risk of getting into the lungs.
In addition to returning blood sugar levels to normal, treating the cause is also important. Diabetics can discuss with their doctor about the dosage of antidiabetic drugs used, or replace them with other types of drugs if necessary.
To treat hypoglycemia caused by pancreatic tumors, doctors will recommend patients to undergo tumor removal surgery.
Trick wheezingndariHhypoglycemia
There are several tricks to avoid hypoglycemia, especially in diabetics, including:
- Monitor blood sugar levels regularly and always be aware of symptoms of hypoglycemia so that they can be treated quickly.
- Always bring snacks or sugary drinks.
- Limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages and avoid alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach.
- Do light exercise and consume foods containing carbohydrates beforehand, to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.
- Consume a snack containing carbohydrates before bed, to prevent blood sugar from dropping too low during sleep.
- Eat regularly according to a schedule.
In people who do not have diabetes but experience symptoms of hypoglycemia repeatedly, prevention can be done by consuming sweet snacks occasionally. However, it is more advisable to consult a doctor, so that the cause can be identified and treated appropriately.