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What to Do If Someone Goes Into Diabetic Shock

You don't have to suffer from diabetes to experience hypoglycemia, more commonly known as diabetic shock. The condition can arise any time anyone suffers from low blood sugar, due to skipping meals or increased physical activity. Fortunately, the condition is easy to identify and treat.

  1. Definition Of Glucose

    • Glucose, or blood sugar, is your body's main energy source. Every cell in your body requires glucose to function. The body makes glucose from food, primarily carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes and other starches. These foods are broken down into glucose in our stomachs and then distributed to the rest of the body, where insulin helps the cells use it.

    Significance

    • In a healthy body, feelings of low blood sugar may occur if a person does not eat for a long period of time. However, the pancreas typically regulates the blood sugar levels by releasing stored glucose reserves. A number of factors may determine whether a person will experience low blood sugar including consumption of alcohol or certain medications as well as internal tumors, endocrine deficiencies or diabetes.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of hypoglycemia may include fatigue, shakiness, sweating, disorientation, dizziness, forgetfulness, nervousness, cold extremities, heart palpitations, mood swings, headaches, craving sweets or sudden hunger.

    Symptoms May Vary

    • The signs of hypoglycemia will be different from person to person. A patient who suffers from hypoglycemia more than once should recognize their own individual symptoms of the condition, and inform friends and family so that they will have help spotting the issue. Since disorientation is one of the common signs of hypoglycemia, a friend or family member may spot the signs before the person having the difficulty.

    Treatment

    • A person who suspects that she may have hypoglycemia should check her blood sugar levels. If the levels test low, the patient can remedy this by quickly consuming sugar to raise her levels. Some good forms of sugar include hard candy, glucose tablets or gel, fruit juice, honey, regular soft drink or milk.

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