Hypoglycemia, or a "hypo", is an unusually low level of glucose in the blood. This is most commonly connected with diabetes, and someone skips or misses a meal or exercises excessively. Patients with type 1 diabetes are more prone than patients with type 2 diabetes.
People who don't have diabetes can experience hypoglycemia too. It can be triggered by malnutrition and binge drinking caffeine and other unhealthy beverages. Interestingly, a survey has shown that people from New Delhi and Meghalaya are more prevalent to this health problem.
Hypoglycemia patients can be divided into 3 grades on the following clinical criteria
- Grade 1: when the patient can detect and treat hypoglycemia himself/herself
- Grade 2: when someone else has to go to the aid of the patient, but treatment
is possible orally
- Grade 3 or severe hypoglycemia: when the patient is unconscious
Symptoms of hypoglycemia
- Cold, sweaty skin
- Weakness
- Faintness
- Tremors
- Headache
- Irritability
- Dullness
- Nausea
- Palpitations
Types of Hypoglycemia patients:
- Grade 1 - Patients who can detect and treat by themselves
- Grade 2 - When someone else is treating, then oral treatment is possible
- Grade 3 - When the patient is unconscious
Blood sugar levels can be tested at home with the following steps
- First, wash and dry your hands well
- Insert a test strip into your meter
- Prick the finger with a small, sharp needle
- Then smoothly squeeze and massage the finger until a drop of blood forms.
- Touch and hold the end of the test strip to the drop of blood
- Then, the meter will display the glucose level on a screen after a few seconds
Hypoglycemia Management for grade 1 and grade 2 patients
- To control the blood glucose level, eat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates like sugary drinks but without protein and fat
- 1 cup fruit juice
- 3 cup non-diet soda
- 1 cup milk
- Glucose candies and fruit juices can also help
- Frequent meals/snacks are advisable
Doctor consultation is always advisable. For the best guidance contact: http://vcure.co.in/