FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 18, 2021 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 35
health
How to take action when you
see hypoglycemia symptoms
Everyone needs blood sugar (glucose)
because it provides essential fuel for the
body and mind. However, for people with
diabetes, getting the right amount of glucose
is critical because low blood sugar,
also known as hypoglycemia, can lead
to stupor, confusion, loss of consciousness,
seizures or other severe complications.
If you or a loved one has diabetes,
it’s important to understand the warning
signs of hypoglycemia and what to
do during a low blood sugar emergency.
“Hypoglycemia occurs when blood
sugar levels fall lower than normal and
can lead to life-threating complications,”
said Felice A. Caldarella, MD,
MBA, FACP, CDCES, FACE, president
of Th e American Association of Clinical
Endocrinology (AACE). “Hypoglycemia
causes approximately 100,000 emergency
room visits per year in the U.S., and diabetics
are at the highest risk of experiencing
a low blood sugar episode.”
In addition to having diabetes, Dr.
Caldarella shares other common risk factors
for hypoglycemia:
Age: Speak with your health care team
to fi nd out how this may aff ect you.
Diet: Having irregular eating habits,
such as skipping a meal or eating less
than usual (if using a sulfonylurea, which
is a medication that causes insulin to be
secreted from the pancreas regardless of
what your blood sugar level is or insulin).
Activeness: Increasing your physical
activity, especially without enough nutrition.
Drinking: Consuming an excessive
amount of alcohol.
To spread the word about hypoglycemia,
the AACE team created Th e
Lowdown on Low Blood Sugar campaign.
For people with diabetes, low
blood sugar typically occurs when blood
sugar levels fall below 70 mg/dl, though
this may diff er from person to person.
It’s key to understand the symptoms of
hypoglycemia and what to do during an
episode.
Mild hypoglycemia symptoms:
• Nausea and dizziness
• Fast heartbeat
• Sweating and/or chills
• Clamminess
• Unusual irritability or moodiness
Actions to take:
If you or a loved one are experiencing
mild symptoms of hypoglycemia,
act quickly by following the “Rule of 15”
by eating 15 grams of high sugar foods,
drinks or medications to get your blood
sugar back up. Th en re-check your blood
sugar aft er 15 minutes. If your blood
sugar is still low, consume another 15
grams of carbohydrates and check your
blood sugar again aft er 15 minutes. If
your blood sugar fails to return to normal
levels aft er two tries of the Rule of 15, you
could experience severe symptoms and
may need medical attention.
Severe hypoglycemia
symptoms:
• Blurred or impaired vision
• Coordination problems or clumsiness
• Tingling or numbness in the lips,
tongue or cheeks
• Color draining from the skin
• Confusion
• Seizures
Actions to take:
If you or a loved one has severe hypoglycemia
symptoms and have access,
administer hypoglycemic rescue therapy
via injected or nasal glucagon as prescribed
by your doctor. Do not inject
insulin, as this will further lower blood
sugar. If you start to feel very sleepy or
your blood sugar falls below 70 mg/dL,
have someone take you to the hospital
immediately or call 911 for medical
assistance.
Hypoglycemia can sneak up on you.
It might be the day you skipped a meal,
exercised more than usual, or took too
much of the wrong medication. Know
the symptoms and work with your health
care team, including endocrinologists,
to come up with a treatment plan that is
right for you, which may include substituting
medications known to potentially
produce low blood sugar reactions with
other ones that do not.
Endocrinologists are specially trained
doctors that are qualifi ed to diagnose
and treat diabetes and hormone-related
diseases and conditions, including hypoglycemia.
If you’re experiencing any of
the symptoms listed, speak with your
health care professional to adjust medications
accordingly. You may even consider
scheduling an appointment with an
endocrinologist in your area.
A network of support:
Did you know 31% of severe low blood
sugar related events happen outside the
home? Fift y-seven percent of patients
experience lows at least once a night, and
one-third of adults with diabetes worry
about driving safely because of serious
problems from low blood sugar. Th at’s
why it’s important for you, your family
and friends to all know the signs and
symptoms of a low blood sugar emergency
and how to manage it.
Support for hypoglycemia provided
by: Lily Diabetes, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi ,
Medtronic.
Visit www.bloodsugarlows.com to
learn more about hypoglycemia.
/www.bloodsugarlows.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.bloodsugarlows.com
