Diabetes Phobias: Conquering Your Fears
December 27, 2021
Does Diabetic Retinopathy Lead To Blindness Or Can It Be Treated?
January 3, 2022
Most diabetes patients and caregivers have come across the term ‘diabetic coma’, but few really understand what this means. As the term suggests it is a state of unconsciousness that can affect a diabetes patient. However, there’s more to the condition that you might realize.
What Is A Diabetic Coma?
A diabetic coma is a complication that can develop when diabetes is left untreated or if it is poorly managed. The affected individual loses consciousness and enters a coma, which can be fatal if not treated with urgent medical care.
A diabetic coma can affect individuals who suffer from either type 1 or type 2 diabetes when blood sugar levels fall too low or rise too high. Prior to the patient losing consciousness, there are warning signs, such as altered mental state, difficulty communicating, visual difficulty, fatigue, sleepiness, and headache.
If steps are not taken to remedy the situation, the patient then enters a diabetic coma and cannot wake up and will not respond to any external stimuli, including visual, audio, or other sensory stimulation. If treated swiftly, a patient can be revived, but without timely treatment a diabetic coma can be fatal.
There are three main types of diabetic coma and these include
- diabetic ketoacidosis coma,
- hyperosmolar coma, and
- hypoglycaemic coma.
Why Do Diabetic Comas Happen?
The three types of diabetic comas develop for different reasons, pertaining to poor management of blood sugar levels.
Diabetic ketoacidosis coma:
When the muscle cells in your body do not receive an adequate supply of energy from your diet, your body turns to fat deposits as an energy source. While this may be desirable to some extent for weight loss, it results in the release of toxic acids known as ketones. This is a concept familiar to anyone who has studied the keto diet.
In diabetic patients’ high levels of blood sugar combined with the presence of ketones in blood and urine is problematic and the condition is termed as diabetic ketoacidosis. Regarded as a diabetes complication, untreated diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to a coma.
The risk of a diabetic ketoacidosis coma is higher for type 1 diabetes patients, but can also affect those with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes.
Diabetic hyperosmolar coma:
Diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome is a condition in which blood sugar levels rise dangerously high (hyperglycemia), climbing to 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 33.3 millimoles per litre (mmol/L).
When blood sugar levels are this high, blood becomes increasingly viscous or thick. As your body attempts to flush out excess sugar via urine, it also leads to a severe loss of fluid from the body. Without treatment, this results in severe dehydration and the individual can enter a diabetic coma.
A coma is seen to develop in up to 50 percent of diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome cases.
Hypoglycemia coma:
Glucose is the main source of fuel for your body, including the brain. When levels of blood sugar fall to low, your brain does not get the energy it requires and this can cause you to lose consciousness. Low blood sugar is described as hypoglycemia and refers to levels of glucose that fall below 70 mg/dL.
If hypoglycemia is dealt with swiftly, diabetic coma can be avoided. In fact, studies show that individuals with type 1 diabetes suffer from hypoglycemic symptoms at least twice a week. Type 2 diabetes patients on insulin therapy are at a lower risk of hypoglycemia, but it can occur as a result of too much insulin or inadequate food intake.
Vigorous or high-intensity exercise or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can have similar effects.
The risks of diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia are high in patients who do not receive diabetes treatment, do not manage the condition effectively, and fail to monitor glucose levels regularly. This is why strict adherence to a diabetes treatment plan and regular monitoring of blood sugar levels is so important to prevent life-threatening complications. It is also important to understand and recognize the warning signs of ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia, so that you can take steps to prevent a diabetic coma.
