Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is designed to control the amount of glucose or sugar traveling through our blood. In certain people, the ability to produce insulin becomes compromised by diseases such as diabetes mellitus, and they require regular injections of insulin.
Function
Insulin acts as a regulatory hormone in the body and lowers glucose levels raised in the blood after eating. According to "Prentice Hall Nurse's Drug Guide," insulin promotes the conversion of glucose in the liver to a substance known as glycogen and increases peripheral absorption of glucose. This action regulates blood glucose levels, staving off abnormally high blood sugar, which can be harmful to blood vessels. An insulin overdose causes abnormally low blood sugar, which can be a medical emergency.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is characterized by feeling shaky, anxious, hungry, dizzy and weak. Typically, hypoglycemia can be treated by drinking juice or consuming glucose tablets. If blood glucose is already low and a person takes insulin, blood sugar can drop low enough to cause severe hypoglycemia, which can result in coma. This can also happen if someone administers an excessive dose of insulin.
Symptoms of Insulin Overdose
Early signs of insulin overdose include hunger, dizziness, anxiety or headache. Since hypoglycemia can occur while someone is asleep, the signs may include nightmares, waking up confused, or night sweats. When hypoglycemia due to insulin overdose becomes severe, the person may experience impaired vision and jerky movements, muscle fatigue, confusion, convulsions or seizures and, finally, loss of consciousness
Treatments For Insulin Overdose
Treatments for insulin overdose vary, depending on the severity of symptoms and how low blood sugar levels have dropped. When early signs of hypoglycemia appear, MayoClinic.com recommends checking glucose levels and taking appropriate measures to raise them to a safe level, such as eating glucose tablets or hard candy or drinking fruit juice. If hypoglycemia has progressed to the point where the person has a decreased level of consciousness, friends or family should first call an ambulance and then check for a glucagon kit in the diabetic's purse or briefcase. Glucagon kits, which include a syringe and needle or injection pen, contain instructions for use.
Prevention
Avoid an insulin overdose by keeping track of blood sugar and administering accurate and appropriate doses of insulin at the correct time. Familiarizing yourself as well as friends and family with the symptoms and causes of hypoglycemia can be beneficial in preventing hypoglycemia. Family education regarding insulin treatment should include triggers of hypoglycemia including exercise, excess insulin, diarrhea, vomiting, infection and consumption of alcohol. Most physicians recommend that type 1 diabetics carry a fast acting carbohydrate and glucagon kit at all times.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetic Hypoglycemia
- MedlinePlus: Hypoglycemia
- "Prentice Hall Nurse's Drug Guide" Wilson, Shannon, Shields, Stang 2008
