Diabetics need to monitor their blood glucose levels to make sure they don't get too high. High blood glucose, also known as hyperglycemia, can be very dangerous if it gets above a certain level or stays too high for too long. Watching out for the symptoms of dangerously high blood glucose can help you to catch and correct this problem before it is too late.
Significance
High blood glucose is a sign that your body does not have enough insulin, either because it is not using the insulin efficiently or because your body is not making enough, depending on whether you have type 2 diabetes or type 1 diabetes. If this condition is not corrected, you are at a higher risk for complications, including heart attacks, kidney disease, eye problems and strokes, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. Leaving this condition untreated can also result in a coma.
Symptoms
Symptoms don't start to appear until your blood glucose has gotten very high, usually over 200 mg/dL. Some of the earliest symptoms that occur include having to urinate more often, having blurry vision, being thirsty all the time, having a headache and experiencing fatigue. Later signs include abdominal pain, dry skin and mouth, unexpected weight loss, infections that heal more slowly than normal, vomiting and nausea, fruity-smelling breath, ketones in your urine, shortness of breath, feeling weak and experiencing confusion.
Diagnosis
There are two tests used to diagnose dangerously high blood glucose. First, you need to do a blood glucose test. If the results show that your blood glucose is above 240 mg/dL, then you need to do a urine test to determine whether you have ketones in your urine. If the test is positive, you need to see your doctor to get help lowering your blood sugar in a safe way because your body is already moving toward ketoacidosis, or a diabetic coma, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Causes
Eating too much, exercising too little, missing a dose of your diabetes medications, and being sick or stressed can all raise your blood sugar levels. Sometimes other medications can interfere with your blood sugar as well, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Sometimes spoiled insulin or a blood glucose meter that is not working correctly can also cause this problem.
Warning
Although exercising is a common way to lower blood glucose levels, do not do this before checking to make sure that you don't have ketones in your urine. If you have ketones exercising can make your blood glucose levels rise even more, risking a diabetic coma, according to the American Diabetes Association. You should check with your doctor on other ways to lower your blood glucose levels safely.
