Of the many complications of diabetes, diabetic coma is undoubtedly one of the most serious.
Coma is when a person is unconscious and cannot wake up. During a coma, brain activity is minimal and the person does not respond to stimuli such as sound or pain.
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Even basic reflexes like coughing or swallowing are reduced.
In the case of a diabetic coma, once proper treatment is received, most people make a full recovery in a short time.
However, if they do not receive treatment shortly after entering the coma, there may be long-term effects, for example, a risk of irreversible brain damage.
Without treatment, diabetic coma can be fatal.
What is a diabetic coma and what are its causes?
Diabetic coma is when the diabetic patient loses consciousness because the amount of sugar in their blood is very low, as in hypoglycemia , or very high, as in hyperglycemia, which is when their body tries to get rid of excess sugar. sugar in the blood eliminating it in the urine.
After days or weeks, this can cause life-threatening dehydration and eventually a coma.
A third cause of diabetic coma is called diabetic ketoacidosis , this type of coma is triggered by the accumulation in the body of chemicals called ketones.
When there is not enough insulin circulating in the blood, the body cannot use glucose for energy. Instead, body fat is broken down and then converted into ketones in the liver.
Ketones can build up excessively when insulin levels in the blood stay too low.
Ketones are very acidic and make the blood too acidic.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is more common in type 1 diabetes.
Some of the risk factors that can lead a person with diabetes to suffer from these complications include:
- Infections
- Incorrect use of insulin
- Medications such as steroids
- Illnesses like the flu or pneumonia
- Stress
- Overweight
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What are the pre-diabetic coma symptoms?
The following symptoms listed below are the most common during episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels).
Whenever you have any of these symptoms, check your blood sugar level.
Hypoglycemia or low blood glucose levels
The most common symptoms of hypoglycemia are:
- Dizziness
- Feeling nervous, anxious, or irritable
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating, chills
- Hungry
- Sickness
- Weakness
- Drowsiness or mental confusion
- Blurred or impaired vision
- Tingling or numbness in the lips, tongue, or cheeks
- Headache
High levels of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia)
Symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) in people with diabetes tend to develop slowly over several days or even weeks.
In some cases, such as those who have had diabetes for many years, there may be no symptoms until the blood sugar level is already very high.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia can include:
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- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Need to urinate more often
- Weak pulse
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Increased thirst
- Fast heart rate
- Dry mouth
- Breath with a fruity smell
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Diabetic cetoacidosis
The symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are very similar to the symptoms of hyperglycemia mentioned above, these include:
- Stomach ache.
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fruity smell of breath.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Dry mouth and thirst.
- General decline.
- Very frequent urge to urinate
- Tiredness and mental confusion
Treatment of diabetic coma
The type of treatment for diabetic coma depends on whether your blood sugar is too high or too low, and the exact cause of the level.
If it is too high, intravenous potassium, sodium, or phosphate IV may need to be given to treat dehydration, insulin to help tissues absorb sugar, and antibiotic treatment in case of an underlying infection.
If your blood sugar is too low, you may get an injection of glucagon (a hormone that increases blood sugar) or dextrose (a type of sugar).
In the case of diabetic ketoacidosis, basic treatment includes intravenous serum with insulin and potassium. At all times the levels of blood sugar, as well as potassium must be monitored.
Until the blood sugar level is back under control, watch out for additional symptoms that could be a sign of a more serious condition.
