High blood pressure is also referred to as hyperglycemia, a condition that you often hear about. This is why it is a common health condition that affects most people. In this article, we’ll elaborate on the definition, symptoms of high blood sugar, causes, and effective treatment that will help manage this disease in the long term.
Overview
What is High Blood Sugar (hyperglycemia)?
High blood sugar or hyperglycemia occurs when too much sugar or glucose is in your blood. It happens when your body produces too little insulin (a hormone) or if your body does not use insulin properly (insulin resistance). It means you have diabetes, and people with diabetes can go through hyperglycemia episodes frequently.
If you have high blood sugar that has been left untreated for long periods of time, it can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues and other organs.
Acute (sudden and severe) diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is another potentially fatal consequence of high hyperglycemia, particularly in insulin-using diabetics or those with untreated Type 1 diabetes. It requires immediate medical attention.
What level of blood sugar is considered hyperglycemia?
Hyperglycemia is defined as blood glucose levels of more than 125 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) during fasting (without eating for at least eight hours) in individuals who have not been diagnosed with diabetes.
If a person’s fasting blood glucose is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, they have prediabetes.
A person is usually diagnosed with diabetes, usually Type 2, if their fasting blood glucose level is more than 125 mg/dL on many occasions. When diagnosed, people with Type 1 diabetes typically have extremely high blood sugar levels (over 250 mg/dL).
One to two hours after eating, a blood glucose level of more than 180 mg/dL is typically considered hyperglycemia in diabetics. However, this can change based on your ideal blood sugar levels.
How common is high blood sugar?
About 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes, making hyperglycemia and the disease extremely prevalent. People with diabetes also often experience episodes of hyperglycemia.
What are the symptoms of high blood sugar?
Early signs of hyperglycemia consist of:
- Excess thirst & hunger
- Frequent urination
- Blurred vision
- Headache
Long-term hyperglycemia symptoms include
- Tiredness/Fatigue.
- Weight loss
- Vaginal yeast infection
- Skin infections.
- Slow-healing cuts and sores.
What causes high blood sugar?
The most common cause of high blood sugar is insufficient insulin. Other lifestyle factors include:
- Obesity
- Lack of physical activity
- A diet of highly processed, high-carbohydrate foods and saturated fats.
How is high blood sugar treated?
Injectable insulin is the primary treatment for episodes of hyperglycemia if you take insulin to control your diabetes. Insulin dosages vary from person to person.
You and your healthcare practitioner will determine the best dosage to treat and prevent high blood sugar. Dietary changes and exercise routines can also help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent hyperglycemia.
Changes in diet and exercise, along with oral diabetes medications, can help control hyperglycemia in patients with Type 2 diabetes who do not need injectable insulin. You and your provider will decide on the best plan for you.
How can I prevent episodes of high blood sugar?
Unfortunately, when you have diabetes, it might be challenging to entirely prevent high blood sugar. However, you may change your diabetes treatment regimen to reduce the frequency of your episodes of hyperglycemia.
Understanding what causes your blood sugar to rise and working with your healthcare professional to address it will make this process easier. Provide as much information as you can about any instances of elevated blood sugar to your healthcare professional. It might be as easy as managing when you eat, exercise, and take your medications.
