If you often feel tired and thirsty and have difficulty concentrating on something, you may have hyperglycemia, also known as high blood sugar. If you suspect you have high blood sugar you should visit a cardiology hospital and have a test for early hyperglycemia diagnosis and prevention/treatment.
Late hyperglycemia diagnosis and treatment may lead to damaged blood vessels and organs in the long term.
What is Hyperglycemia?
Hyperglycemia, which is commonly known as high blood sugar, is a condition that occurs when there is too much sugar in your bloodstream or when your body doesn’t use sufficient amounts of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and it helps balance your blood sugar level.
What blood sugar level is considered hyperglycemia?
- For people undiagnosed with diabetes, more than 125 mg/dL (when fasting) is considered hyperglycemia.
- For people who have prediabetes, 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL (when fasting) is considered hyperglycemia.
- For people with diabetes, more than 180 mg/dL (when one to two hours after eating) is considered hyperglycemia. People with Type 1 diabetes have very high blood sugar more than 250 mg/dL upon hyperglycemia diagnosis.
If you measure your blood sugar level at home, a normal level is 4-7 mmol/l before eating and under 8.5-9 mmol/l two hours after a meal.
Hyperglycemia vs. Hypoglycemia
These conditions are connected to blood sugar, but they’re quite different. Hyperglycemia happens when your blood sugar goes too high, while hypoglycemia means your blood sugar level is lower than usual.
Symptoms of Hyperglycemia
Symptoms of hyperglycemia occur gradually over time. The longer blood sugar levels stay high, the more serious symptoms you may experience. If you have some of the symptoms below, you should consider going to the hospital for hyperglycemia diagnosis.
Early hyperglycemia symptoms include:
- Thirst
- Headaches
- Trouble concentrating
- Blurred vision
- Frequent peeing
- Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar more than 180 mg/dL.
Serious hyperglycemia symptoms include:
- Vaginal and skin infections.
- Slow-healing cuts and sores.
- Limited or blurred vision.
- Nerve damage which causes ache, cold, or insensitive feet.
- Problems in your stomach such as chronic constipation or diarrhea.
- Damage in your eyes, blood vessels, or kidneys.
Causes of Hyperglycemia
As your body breaks down the food you eat, it turns carbohydrates into a type of sugar called glucose, providing energy. After you eat, glucose enters your bloodstream, but it requires insulin, a hormone from the pancreas, to enter your body’s cells for use. When your blood sugar increases, the pancreas releases insulin, allowing glucose into cells. Extra glucose is stored in the liver and muscles to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Diabetes disrupts this process. In type 2 diabetes, the body either resists insulin or doesn’t produce enough, causing sugar to remain in the blood.
Common causes of insulin resistance include:
- Obesity, especially excess fat tissue in your belly.
- Physical inactivity.
- Consuming highly processed and high-carbohydrate foods such as fast-food and junk food.
Certain hormonal conditions such as:
- Cushing syndrome (excess cortisol).
- Acromegaly (excess growth hormone).
- The placenta releases hormones that cause insulin resistance during pregnancy.
Certain inherited genetic conditions such as:
- Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome.
- Donohue syndrome.
- Myotonic dystrophy.
- Alström syndrome.
- Werner syndrome.
Risk Factors
You’re likely to get hyperglycemia diagnosis if you:
- Don’t use enough insulin.
- Use expired insulin.
- Don’t inject insulin the right way.
- Don’t follow your diabetes diet plan.
- Don’t stay active.
- Are sick or have an infection.
- Are injured or have had surgery.
- Are stressed.
Hyperglycemia Diagnosis
Healthcare providers order blood tests to do hyperglycemia diagnosis. Hyperglycemia diagnosis tests may include:
- Fasting glucose tests.
- Glucose tolerance tests.
- A1c test.
Most people with diabetes do their blood sugar testing at home by using a glucose meter to monitor their blood sugar and check for hyperglycemia.
Home Blood Sugar Monitoring
Regularly monitoring your blood sugar with a glucose meter is essential to ensure that your treatment plan is effectively maintaining your blood sugar within the desired range. Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for the frequency of blood sugar checks.
If your blood sugar reaches 240 mg/dL (13.3 mmol/L) or higher, utilize an over-the-counter urine ketones test kit. A positive result indicates that your body might be undergoing changes that could lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. Consult with your healthcare provider to discuss safe measures for lowering your blood sugar level.
Hemoglobin A1C Test
During a medical appointment, your healthcare provider might perform an A1C test, a blood test revealing your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. This test assesses the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, known as hemoglobin.
An A1C level of 7% or less indicates that your treatment plan has been effective, maintaining your blood sugar consistently within a healthy range. If your A1C level exceeds 7%, it suggests that, on average, your blood sugar was elevated beyond the healthy threshold. In such instances, your healthcare provider may recommend adjustments to your diabetes treatment plan.
What are The Treatments for Hyperglycemia?
If you have hyperglycemia diagnosis, your doctor may suggest doing a home treatment or emergency treatment based on the severity of your condition.
Home Treatment
- Get physical: Exercising regularly is a successful method for controlling blood sugar levels. However, avoid exercising if ketones were found in your urine, as this can raise your blood sugar even further.
- Adjust your diet: Adjusting your diet includes consuming smaller portions, steering clear of sugary beverages, and minimizing eating snacks.
- Check your blood sugar regularly: Follow your doctor’s instructions for monitoring your blood sugar level. Increase the frequency of checks if you have concerns about hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.
- Adjust your insulin doses as needed: Adjustments in your insulin doses or the addition of short-acting insulin can effectively manage hyperglycemia.
Emergency Treatment for Severe Hyperglycemia
- Fluid replacement: You will be administered fluids, typically intravenously, to replenish the fluids your body requires. This addresses fluid loss due to urination and aids in diluting the excess sugar in your blood.
- Electrolyte replacement: Electrolytes are essential minerals in your blood that play a crucial role in the proper functioning of your tissues. Insufficient insulin levels can reduce electrolyte levels in your blood.
- Insulin therapy: Insulin counteracts the mechanisms leading to the accumulation of ketones in your blood. In addition to fluids and electrolytes, insulin therapy will be administered, typically intravenously.
