What is Hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index)? Symptoms and treatment

Diabetes is a very common disease due to today’s living conditions and learning to live with diabetes is essential to improve the quality of life. Individuals living with this disease should learn the solutions to the problems they will encounter and adapt to the treatments to be applied. Otherwise, diabetes affects many parts and organs of the body and affects human health a lot. The treatments for these effects are also quite severe and can even lead to limb loss. One of the problems that diabetic patients who use insulin will face is hypoglycemia. In order for hypoglycemia to be prevented and treated, blood sugar must be constantly kept at a certain level. Constant high or low blood sugar will lead to other diseases such as hypoglycemia. This complicates the treatment process and causes more serious problems.

What is Hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index)?


The question of what is hypoglycemia has begun to be asked quite a lot nowadays. The reason for this is that this disease is now quite common in societies. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and needs to be taken at a certain level every day. Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood glucose value is normally low. This disease is often related to diabetes. However, as a side effect of very rare medications, low blood sugar may also be seen in people without diabetes. If the blood sugar level is lower than normal, immediate treatment is required. Fasting blood glucose levels of 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL) or 3.9 millimoles per liter (mmol / L) or less may indicate hypoglycemia in most people.

Although this situation differs from individual to individual, those who have fasting blood sugar at these levels should be examined. Otherwise, more serious problems may arise. In the case of low blood sugar, blood sugar should be brought back to normal with high sugar foods, drinks, or drugs that increase blood sugar. In order to apply a permanent treatment, the underlying cause of the disease is determined and treatment is applied to eliminate these causes. If hypoglycemia is left untreated, it can lead to hypoglycemic episodes and loss of consciousness. In more severe cases, it can be fatal. Therefore, patients should learn to live with hypoglycemia and should have the necessary treatments without delay.

In addition, reactive hypoglycemia, which is a type of hypoglycemia, has recently been seen as quite common. As a general definition, reactive hypoglycemia is a rapid decrease in blood sugar after eating. This is related to the food consumed and stomach conditions. Sugary foods consumed while hungry cause blood sugar to rise rapidly and drop suddenly. In addition, when individuals with gastric and intestinal surgery consume food, the food taken can be rapidly absorbed through the stomach and mixed into the blood. In this case, the pancreas produces intense insulin production, and blood sugar drops suddenly. In both cases, it is referred to as reactive hypoglycemia.

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index)?


Symptoms of hypoglycemia vary from person to person. The most important part of managing type 1 diabetes is recognizing the signs of hypoglycemia and recognizing the symptoms. For this, it is necessary to have an idea of ​​all the symptoms of hypoglycemia. General early signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia:

  • Shivering or sweating at any time of the day
  • Unusual nervousness and anxiety,
  • Seeing more nightmares than they are
  • Confusion and difficulty making decisions,
  • Pale skin color,
  • Increased heart rate,
  • Dizziness, drowsiness, and clumsiness,
  • An intense feeling of hunger and nausea,
  • Unwanted weight loss,
  • Speech disorders and tingling felt around the mouth.

More severe and advanced hypoglycemia causes seizures. It causes loss of consciousness. Therefore, if one or more of these symptoms are seen, it is necessary to be examined immediately for treatment.

What are the causes of hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index)?


Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar is too low. Although there are several reasons why this might happen, the most common reason is the side effects of drugs used to treat diabetes. While eating, the human body breaks down carbohydrates from foods such as bread, rice, pasta, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products into various sugar molecules, including glucose. Glucose, the main energy source for the body, nourishes the cells with the help of insulin secreted by the pancreas.

The excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. These stored glycogens provide nutrition to the human body when hungry. Thus, blood sugar is kept at the required values. Patients with diabetes cannot provide sufficient insulin production and as a result, glucose accumulates in the blood. Insulin therapy is used to prevent this. However, too much insulin or other diabetes medications cause blood sugar levels to drop too low and hypoglycemia. This is usually due to eating less food or consuming more energy by moving around after using diabetes medications.

In addition, side effects of some drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, and severe liver diseases such as severe hepatitis or cirrhosis can cause hypoglycemia. Insulinoma, a rare pancreatic tumor, causes too much insulin production, which leads to hypoglycemia. In addition, some adrenal gland and pituitary tumor disorders can cause hormone deficiency that regulates glucose production. This hormone deficiency is also among the causes of hypoglycemia. In children, growth hormone deficiency can cause hypoglycemia.

How is hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index) diagnosed?


Individuals who use insulin or various diabetes medications to lower blood sugar can measure their glucose with blood glucose meters when they show one or more of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. If, as a result of regular measurements, blood glucose is constantly below 70 mg / dL, this indicates hypoglycemia. These measurements are one of the most effective methods for diagnosing hypoglycemia. If the examination has been made, the doctor first asks whether the patient shows signs of hypoglycemia.

If there are no signs or symptoms, the doctor can keep the patient under control in the hospital overnight. In this way, the level of blood sugar is checked during the period. In addition, the level of sugar of the patient after the meal is checked. Blood is taken at regular intervals in the hospital and examinations are made in the laboratory environment. Hypoglycemia is diagnosed if blood sugar is below normal. Early diagnosis is very important for the success of treatment. It is possible to prevent possible negative consequences of hypoglycemia with correct and early diagnosis. After the results are obtained, the doctor starts the treatment without wasting time by recommending the appropriate treatment.

What are hypoglycemia (Glycemic Index) treatment methods?


Immediate and immediate treatment of hypoglycemia is very important in terms of not causing serious consequences. In order for blood sugar to be brought to normal levels quickly, protein and fat-free sugary foods that can be easily converted into sugar in the body must be taken into the body. These can be glucose tablets, juices, honey, or sugar. These foods are taken into the body for 15 minutes. then blood glucose should be measured again.

If the blood sugar is still below the required value, these foods should be taken again. 15 minutes Then the final situation is checked by making a new measurement. Snacks or meals are required when blood sugar returns to normal. This helps the body replenish its glycogen stores. Advanced hypoglycemia can cause fainting. In such cases, the patient must have someone to inject glucagon. Glucagon is a prescription drug that raises blood sugar and is used in patients with severe hypoglycemia.

It is important that family members of patients prescribed glucagon learn to administer this injection. Because it is vital that this injection can be applied in cases of fainting. In addition, it may be necessary to apply a hypoglycemia diet to keep the disease under control. It is important to prepare a diet with an expert. Compliance with this diet is among the most effective treatments. The patient’s blood values ​​are taken into account when planning the times to pass between meals. The foods that the patient should not consume are determined and the appropriate diet is prepared and the patient must comply with this diet. If the diet is followed, hypoglycemia can be kept under control and the patient continues his life in a healthier way.

If you also show symptoms of hypoglycemia, it is useful to apply to a healthcare facility as soon as possible and undergo an examination. By ensuring the determination of your health problem causing the problems you are experiencing, you can start appropriate treatments immediately, thus preventing the development of more serious health problems.

The page content is for informational purposes only. Items containing information about therapeutic health services are not included in the content of the page. Consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment.

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