Hypoglycemia is not a disease, but a condition of the body that can be caused by various reasons: diabetes mellitus , liver disease, metabolic disorders, some tumors. This syndrome is manifested by disorders in the activity of many organs, including the central nervous system. With hypoglycemia, there is a violation of consciousness up to hypoglycemic coma, which threatens a person's life. Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible when symptoms of hypoglycemia appear.
Circulatory Shock, types and stages, compensatory mechanisms
Disadvantages of Glycemic.pdf
1. Disadvantages of Glycemic
Hypoglycemia is not a disease, but a condition of the body that
can be caused by various reasons: diabetes mellitus , liver
disease, metabolic disorders, some tumors. This syndrome is
manifested by disorders in the activity of many organs, including
the central nervous system. With hypoglycemia, there is a
violation of consciousness up to hypoglycemic coma, which
threatens a person's life. Treatment should be initiated as soon as
possible when symptoms of hypoglycemia appear.
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a clinical and laboratory syndrome that
develops when the concentration of glucose in the blood plasma
drops below 3.5 mmol / l. When the sugar falls below 1.6 ー the
person falls into a coma.
Glucose is an important component of energy metabolism. Its
concentration in the blood should always remain within the normal
range. Otherwise, all cells in the body will stop working. The brain
is most sensitive to glucose deficiency.
Signs of hypoglycemia
Glucose deficiency is manifested by characteristic symptoms from
the central nervous system and other internal organs. This
condition is most common in people with diabetes , so it is
2. important for them and their loved ones to know the symptoms of
hypoglycemia and be able to recognize it.
With a decrease in plasma glucose concentration, the body
experiences an acute energy deficit, this is manifested by
symptoms such as severe hunger, muscle weakness. A starving
organism activates the sympathetic-adrenal system, releases
stress hormones into the blood. And because of this, in the first
minutes of hypoglycemia, there is increased agitation, an
accelerated heartbeat, irritability, fear, hand trembling, pallor,
dilated pupils.
This condition is quickly replaced by the following symptoms:
general weakness, malaise
inability to concentrate
dizziness, headache
double vision
speech disorder
inappropriate behavior
convulsive seizures
drowsiness, lethargy
loss of consciousness
Causes of hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a frequent companion of diabetics. Not
only diabetes , but other causes can cause low blood
3. sugar. Among them, physiological (possible in healthy people)
and pathological (associated with the disease) are distinguished.
Physiological causes of hypoglycemia:
prolonged fasting;
dehydration;
severe emotional stress;
exorbitant physical activity in unprepared people (especially on an
empty stomach).
Pathological causes of hypoglycemia:
diabetes mellitus (with an overdose of injectable insulin or
hypoglycemic drugs, skipping meals, exercise) ー reserves of
stored glucose in diabetics are very small, because their liver is
not sensitive to the effects of insulin, so when fasting, the body
has nowhere to take the carbohydrates it needs;
cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure ー this organ synthesizes
glycogen from glucose ー “stored sugar”, which, if necessary,
breaks down back and replenishes the deficiency in the blood;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract ー glucose is not absorbed
from food;
alcohol poisoning ー ethyl alcohol inhibits the processes of
glucose synthesis;
kidney failure ー loss of sugar in the urine;
sepsis;
congenital deficiencies of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes
(galactosemia, fructosemia, glycogenoses).
4. Since the level of glucose is regulated by hormones, it is worth
mentioning separately about the imbalance between insulin and
contrainsular hormones. Insulin lowers the level of sugar in the
blood, stimulates its absorption by the cells of the liver, muscles
and adipose tissue.
If there were no contrainsular hormones (opponents of insulin),
then a person would fall into a hypoglycemic coma every day. But
that doesn't happen. due to the action of glucagon, adrenaline,
cortisol, growth hormone, ー they all have a hyperglycemic effect
(increase sugar). Based on this, we can distinguish
such endocrine causes of hypoglycemia:
excess insulin occurs with insulinoma ー a benign tumor from
pancreatic cells, some types of malignant tumors, Hirata disease
ー the presence of antibodies to insulin receptors;
lack of cortisol (hypocorticism) ー violation of the development of
the adrenal cortex or its destruction (Addison's disease);
growth hormone deficiency ー pituitary dwarfism.
Recommendations for the Prevention of
Hypoglycemia
People with diabetes should take a responsible attitude to the diet
and administration of insulin: do not skip meals, calculate the
dose of insulin, measure glucose with a glucometer before and
after meals.
It is recommended to always have lozenges, refined sugar pieces
or glucose tablets with you to eliminate the first manifestations of
hypoglycemia.