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My blood sugar has dropped, what should I do? Possible causes of low blood sugar

Glucose in the body must be maintained within acceptable concentrations, otherwise health problems may occur. It is worth noting that blood sugar levels drop (hypoglycemia) in a healthy person and in a type 1-2 diabetic for various reasons, and you need to understand why it dropped so sharply and what the symptoms of this process are. It is necessary to do this in order to start the course of treatment on time and avoid irreversible consequences.

In addition, hypoglycemia can cause severe complications, including deep coma and death. This problem arises due to a lack of glucose in the body, which feeds nerve cells, as a result of which unwanted pathological processes are triggered.

Diabetics are often tormented by the question of why blood sugar does not drop, because this is the main cause of the disease, but when it drops, the most important thing is to find out why it happens, especially in a healthy person. Factors influencing this process in diabetes mellitus (DM) may be:

When eating food with fast (simple) carbohydrates;
If the dosage of sugar-lowering drugs is not selected correctly;
After drinking alcohol without eating. This reason can lead to hypoglycemia, since alcoholic drinks block the synthesis of glucose in the liver;
If you use special medications for the treatment of diabetes along with alcohol;
If portions are incorrectly selected or if food is not consumed at the same time;
If you inject the wrong dose of insulin;
If a diabetic is exposed to constant physical activity. Indeed, in this case, you need to consult with your doctor about changing the dosage of the drugs.

The reasons for a sharp drop in blood sugar in diabetics are understandable, but in healthy people other culprits are behind this and the decrease in glucose occurs due to such factors:

If specific medications were used without the doctor’s knowledge, for example, sugar-lowering drugs;
For diseases of internal organs;
After drinking alcoholic beverages in excessive quantities;
When a person is haunted by constant stress and heavy physical activity;
Subject to strict diets that contain a low concentration of carbohydrates;
When there are long intervals between meals (more than 8-9 hours);
After waking up, since there was no food for a long time;
If your diet contains a huge amount of food with fast carbohydrates.

Based on this list, it is easy to understand why blood sugar can drop sharply, but it is important to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia, which are divided into 3 types according to the course of the disease.

Mild hypoglycemia

When blood sugar drops below 3.5-3.8 mmol/l, then you need to start doing something to normalize it, because if you do nothing, the problem may worsen, but hypoglycemia is easily recognized by the following symptoms:

General weakness, feeling of cold (chills);
Sweating, especially in the head and neck area;
My head is spinning;
Persuading feeling of hunger;
Nausea, even vomiting;
Irritability or depression;
Irregularities in heart rhythm;
Numbness and tingling in the tips of the fingers and toes, as well as in the lips;
Loss of visual acuity. In addition, there may be a feeling of fog before the eyes.

In such a situation, it is enough to eat something with a high concentration of sucrose or make sweet tea. After this it becomes easier, but if in type 1-2 diabetes the sugar drops to 3.5 mmol/l or lower, the patient usually does not immediately know about it and the problem can be prevented by monitoring blood glucose, for example, using a glucometer.

Moderate hypoglycemia

If there is a sharp decrease in blood sugar levels to 3 or below mmol/l, then this process may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

Anger over any trifle;
Loss of concentration;
Impaired consciousness. In this case, the person partially ceases to orient himself in space;
Cramps all over the body;
Speech with such pathology becomes incomprehensible and slow;
Problems with walking due to poor coordination of movements;
General weakness;
Uncontrollable emotions, including crying.

If your blood sugar has dropped so low, then in this situation you need to stop taking sugar-lowering medications and make an appointment with a doctor so that he can tell you what to do if such symptoms appear.

As for such signs in diabetics, they need to temporarily stop taking insulin or other medications (before visiting an endocrinologist) and carefully monitor glucose concentrations.

Severe hypoglycemia

In the severe stage of the disease, a sharp drop in blood sugar levels to 1.9 mmol/l or lower has the following symptoms:

Severe cramps;
Falling into a coma and death;
Major stroke;
Body temperature drops below normal.

It is worth noting that a sharp drop in blood sugar levels has dire consequences, but if this phenomenon remains for a long period of time, the brain and cardiovascular system are damaged. In addition, sometimes signs of pathology are not felt if a person takes beta blockers.

Reduced glucose concentration during sleep

This pathological process can occur even during sleep and the patient experiences a headache the next morning. In such a situation, hypoglycemia manifests itself as follows:

Increased sweating;
Nightmarish dreams;
Anxiety;
Strange sounds made during sleep;
Sleepwalking (walking in your sleep), including falling out of bed.

Such symptoms require immediate intervention, because if nothing is done, the disease may worsen and it will show signs of a severe course. An endocrinologist can help with this problem, he will perform an examination and prescribe an examination.

The described symptoms are typical for healthy and sick people with type 1-2 diabetes, but they differ in their manifestation and there are the following reasons for this:

With both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, patients often experience symptoms of hypoglycemia after meals, as blood sugar levels are reduced due to special medications or insulin. In this case, the glucose concentration may not be lower than normal, but even at the level of 5-7 mmol/l;
If diabetes has been around for more than 10-15 years, then the signs of low glucose concentrations become less noticeable;
Babies react worse to low glucose concentrations and show no signs up to 3.3-3.5 mmol/l. In this case, the first manifestations begin closer to 2.4-2.7 mmol/l. In turn, in adults the problem becomes tangible already at 3.7 mmol/l.

Course of therapy

If hypoglycemia is at a mild to moderate stage, then a piece of sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of honey, or eating a caramel-type candy is often enough. Drinks include sweet tea or juice. It is worth noting that you do not need to eat everything with a large concentrate of sucrose, for example, if the product contains fat, it will not allow glucose to be quickly absorbed, as a result of which the problem will not be solved.

In addition, when the course of the disease is severe, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. The arriving doctors will immediately give an injection of glucose to improve the condition and after 20-30 minutes they will check its concentration in the blood.

If the patient’s condition does not improve, the patient will be taken to the emergency hospital. In general, treatment will depend on the cause of such low glucose levels, because you need to know what put the person in such a state in order to subsequently prevent the situation from reoccurring. In addition, the duration of the patient’s stay under a glucose drip will depend on the factor that caused hypoglycemia.

Methods for treating hypoglycemia in diabetes

Diabetics can prevent or correct the situation using the following tips:

If glucose levels decrease after eating a large amount of simple carbohydrates, you should adjust your diet and add food that takes a long time to digest;
Portions should be small;
There should be at least 5-6 meals per day;
If there are signs of hypoglycemia during sleep, it will not hurt to eat food at night that consists of complex carbohydrates and takes a long time to digest;
With insulin therapy, the drop in sugar can be stopped by reducing the dose of the drug.

Methods of treatment in a healthy person

People without pathologies need to think about what could have caused the disease in their case. Maybe there were some changes in diet or lifestyle, because every detail is important. If it is not possible to determine the cause on your own, then you need to consult a doctor who will interview the patient and then send him for tests. At the same time, if the factor that caused hypoglycemia has been determined, then it is enough to eat candy or cookies and everything will go away and avoid making mistakes in the future that led to this problem.

There are many reasons for a drop in sugar, but with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition they can be avoided. In addition, this problem occurs even in diabetes mellitus if the diet has been chosen incorrectly or the incorrect dose of the drug is used.

Hypoglycemia is a word that not every person knows, but it is a simple and understandable concept, and it is used more often by patients. Why this condition occurs, how to deal with it, whether specific treatment for hypoglycemia is needed - such questions will be discussed in this article. is not considered an independent disease. Most often, this condition is a consequence of other pathologies. Identifying the true cause and prescribing appropriate treatment for low blood sugar is the primary task of a specialized specialist.

Reasons

Doctors know many reasons for low blood levels that lead to hypoglycemia. Among them, the specialist identifies the main causes of hypoglycemia after the examination, since this is what serves as the key to correct treatment and adequate recommendations.

The most common causes of low blood sugar are:

increased physical activity - this can be either short-term, but excessive, or long-term stress on the muscular system;
fasting – if a person refuses to eat food completely for a period of time and loses up to 0.4 kg of body weight daily;
taking certain medications - cases of hypoglycemia have been observed during treatment with antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial drugs, adrenergic blockers and antidepressants;
– not the disease itself, as such, but medications prescribed to correct blood sugar levels;
Gastrointestinal anomalies – both congenital and acquired;
infectious diseases - hypoglycemia is most often caused by intestinal diseases of an infectious nature, such as cholera;
endocrinological diseases - ;
tumors - these can be both benign and malignant if they are located in the abdominal cavity;
features of nutrition and eating behavior - unbalanced nutrition, lack of a sense of proportion when consuming sweets, flour products, and alcoholic beverages.

Symptoms

If it is low or slightly deviates from the norm, then the person most often feels almost the same as usual. In such cases, during a visual examination, the doctor may also not notice, and only this allows one to assess the patient’s condition objectively. Let's look at the symptoms of low blood sugar and its consequences.

Doctors consider the following to be the most common symptoms of low blood sugar:

irritability – occurs without apparent reason, can be almost constant;
feeling tired even when there was no heavy load;
sweating increases;
, arising constantly;
lack of feeling of fullness even after eating, combined with nausea;
decreased visual acuity.

If a sufficient amount of glucose does not enter a person’s blood in a timely manner, the condition may worsen. To prevent it, it is recommended to quickly take a glucose drug, eat something sweet (candy, a piece of chocolate) or drink tea with 2-3 spoons of sugar. If these measures are not taken, it is possible that more severe symptoms of low blood glucose levels may develop.

These patients experience the following signs and symptoms of low blood sugar:

speech disorders - words are pronounced with effort;
attention disorder – a person cannot concentrate on a specific thought;
unstable body position, staggering when walking;
loss of consciousness, even to coma.

If you notice such symptoms of low sugar in the body in yourself or your loved ones, it is strongly recommended to visit a doctor.

Not only in a medical institution, but also at home you can determine whether or not. There are special tools for this that are easy to use, so you don’t need special skills to use them. If, after carrying out simple tests, it becomes clear that there is low blood sugar, a doctor will prescribe treatment.

At home, you can use the following methods for determining blood sugar levels:

– using a safe device that runs on standard batteries and is equipped with special strips for performing the test;
using diagnostic strips - they are treated with a special reagent, and a color scale is applied to them.

Both methods of detecting sugar levels in the body work on the same principle - when mixed with a reagent, a drop of blood, depending on the sugar level, colors the strip in one color or another. On the glucometer, the obtained data is displayed on a display, and the color of the diagnostic strip must be compared with a special scale to find out the result.

When carrying out, it should be borne in mind that the readings vary depending on the meal (they will also differ after that).

Normal blood sugar levels in humans:

before meals - no more and no less than 3.3-5.5 mmol/l;
– the increase can reach values of 8.9-9.9 mmol/l.

If you want to determine your blood sugar level at home, then do not forget about precautions. To pierce the skin, use only special medical needles, do not forget to wash your hands before the procedure and moisten cotton swabs with a disinfectant solution. Disposable materials that have been used should be disposed of correctly - wrapped in a plastic bag or paper before throwing into the trash.

Treatment

Low blood sugar requires a number of measures. Depending on whether the blood sugar is low in a child or an adult, your doctor will tell you in detail what to do. In the treatment regimen for low sugar, the main thing is to prevent attacks of hypoglycemia, so the recommendations relate not only to the prescription of medications containing glucose, but also to lifestyle.

Such patients need to follow the following rules:

do not take any medications without medical prescription;
follow the recommendations prescribed by the specialist;
If possible, monitor your sugar levels at home using diagnostic strips or a glucometer;
be examined regularly in a medical facility, even if at home you use known methods for determining blood sugar levels;
eat right and lead an appropriate lifestyle.

To avoid glycemic attacks or minimize their number when blood sugar is low, you should:

do not consume products containing caffeine;
before use, check the glycemic index indicated on the package;
completely stop smoking and drinking alcohol;
eat a varied diet, including focusing on foods rich in chromium (nuts, cheese, sprouted cereals, etc.).

According to experts, making changes to your diet for at least 2 weeks invariably leads to positive results - your blood sugar level will be within normal limits.

Low blood sugar is not uncommon. People can feel such a deviation without even knowing it. For example, the feeling of fatigue, depression, irritability in the middle of the working day is for some reason attributed to the weather, a long absence of days off, and so on. But a cup of sweet tea or coffee does a miracle, and strength and energy appear again. Such drastic changes are caused precisely by an increase in glucose in the blood.

A healthy person experiences symptoms of low sugar at a value of 3.3 mmol/l. Diabetic patients – much earlier. This is due to the fact that their body is accustomed to high sugar levels and, if it drops, for example, to 10 mmol/l (at a normal level of up to 5.5 mmol/l), they feel unwell. In the case of a constantly low concentration of glucose in the lymph (less than 3.5 mmol/l), doctors note hypoglycemia.

Causes of hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar develops due to insufficient intake of glucose into the body. This means that organs and systems do not fully receive the necessary nutrients. This “hunger” primarily affects the functioning of the brain. With a very low supply of glucose to this organ, coma is possible.

Hypoglycemia can be of two types: on an empty stomach (if fasting for more than eight hours) and response (two hours after eating)

Sugar can drop on an empty stomach for the following reasons:

prolonged fasting;
dehydration;
constant consumption of fast foods;
use of pharmacological drugs;
oncological diseases;
alcohol abuse;
liver dysfunction;
disorders of the pancreas;
hormonal imbalance;
obesity;
heart failure;
renal pathologies.

Responsive hypoglycemia can be caused by:

operations on the gastrointestinal tract;
early diabetes mellitus;
pathologies of idiopathic origin.

In addition, prolonged physical activity and the use of beta blockers can cause a sharp drop in serum glucose.

Low blood sugar levels are also observed in young pregnant women and in children after consuming acetylsalicylic acid.

In addition, the concentration of glucose in biological fluid drops rapidly due to excessive use of sweets.

So, if you consume culinary products with a high glycemic index in large quantities, for example, candy, chocolate, baked goods, your blood sugar will immediately increase, but then it will also drop sharply. Alcohol and soda have a similar effect on glucose.

Signs of low sugar

Manifestations of hypoglycemia vary from person to person. For some, the drop in sugar occurs in the morning. Moreover, after waking up, the person is irritable, weak, and feels sleep-deprived. But if you consume breakfast, everything changes: the symptoms disappear, strength and mood appear. Others experience a sharp drop in glucose after eating. This manifestation is more alarming, as it indicates the development of diabetes mellitus.

The main symptoms of low glucose concentration:

irritability;
general weakness;
rapid fatigue;

chills or fever;
high sweating;
dizziness;
hand trembling;
headache;
heaviness in the legs;
muscle weakness;
numbness of the limbs;
nausea;
hunger;
visual defects: veil, spots, darkness.

If such symptoms are observed, then you need to immediately check your blood glucose level. When this figure is less than 3 mmol/l, you need to eat something with a large amount of quickly digestible carbohydrates.

If timely assistance is not provided, the condition may worsen in the form of convulsions, incoherent speech, inability to concentrate, unsteady gait, and loss of consciousness. In critical situations, stroke and coma are possible.

Treatment and diagnosis

The first thing to do if frequent attacks of hypoglycemia occur is to consult a doctor. Only a doctor can correctly determine the cause of the pathology and give the right recommendations.

The diagnosis of hypoglycemia is established based on the collected medical history and laboratory tests.

This disease can be confirmed using a glucose tolerance test or a home test:

In the first case, two measurements of serum glucose concentration are made. First on an empty stomach. After the indicators are recorded, the person is given a glass of glucose solution to drink. After two hours, repeat measurements are taken.
In the second option, the analysis is carried out at home independently using a traditional glucometer, and the data is reported to the doctor.

The basis of pathology therapy is to prevent attacks, eliminate symptoms, and the causes that led to the anomaly.

If low blood sugar is observed in people suffering from diabetes, then it is necessary to recalculate the required dose of insulin. Under no circumstances should you independently adjust the amount of sugar-lowering drugs used. Only the attending physician can do this correctly.

Low blood sugar is often a symptom of pancreatic cancer. In this case, the doctor may recommend surgery to eliminate the tumor.

One of the points of successful treatment of hypoglycemia is diet. A proper, balanced diet will help maintain optimal serum glucose levels.

You need to eat often, in small portions.
You can't skip breakfast.
It is not recommended to take long breaks between meals.
You can have small snacks.

Don't get carried away with coffee. This leads to significant insulin production.
It is necessary to give up bad habits: smoking, alcohol.
You should eat vegetables, cheese, nuts, and fish daily.

Sample menu for the day:

First breakfast: a sandwich of grain bread and cheese, weak tea.
Second breakfast: milk or yogurt.
Lunch: low-fat soup, whole grain bread, vegetable salad, juice.
Afternoon snack: fruit.
Dinner: stewed vegetables, boiled or baked fish.

The diet can be adjusted according to your preferences. It is also recommended to have snacks between meals.

Many people don't make a big deal about low blood sugar. For some reason, it is believed that such a deviation is normal, has no serious reasons and will go away on its own.

If low glucometer readings are detected, processes occur in the body that dangerously affect human life. First of all, this concerns the psychological aspect of the problem.

In addition, low blood sugar negatively affects physical condition.

Orientation in space decreases, and inappropriate behavior may occur. If a sharp decrease in glucose occurred while the patient was driving, an accident may occur, at home or on the street - injuries and injuries are inevitable.

Therefore, if you have hypoglycemia, you should not delay going to the doctor. Low blood sugar requires proper attention and timely comprehensive therapeutic measures.

A condition known as hypoglycemia, which is characterized by a low level, is considered dangerous for the human body. When glucose levels are low, organs do not receive the necessary nutrition they need to function normally.

The consequence of this is the appearance of problems with the functioning of the brain, that is, it gradually turns off and coma occurs. What are the causes of low blood sugar in a person, what symptoms appear with this pathology, and how to restore normal blood sugar levels?

Many patients mistakenly believe that only those who have been diagnosed should take care of their levels. There is some truth to this statement, since in the body of diabetics the concentration of sugar is labile and can reach critical levels. Many patients with diabetes are aware of this feature of their body, so they use a piece of sugar or candy as an emergency aid.

There are situations when a decrease in sugar levels is observed in completely healthy people, and the levels reach a critical level.

Experts identify several reasons that can provoke such a pathological state of the body:

One of the most common reasons for a decrease in sugar levels in the human body is considered to be improper and inadequate nutrition. This leads to depletion of the body’s internal reserves and, above all, to a significant reduction in the amount of carbohydrates, which serve as the main suppliers of energy.
A decrease in blood sugar concentration can be observed when the time intervals between meals are too long. The fact is that along with food, the body is saturated with carbohydrates, which are quickly broken down during metabolism. A certain part of them is recycled, and the rest is converted into energy reserves. If there is a long-term abstinence from eating, then the consequence of this may well be a strong decrease in blood sugar. In addition, low glucose concentrations are observed in the morning, when a person has not yet had time to eat.
The presence of a large amount of sweets in a person’s diet leads to a rapid increase in blood glucose. The fact is that a too rapid increase in blood sugar is replaced by a sharp decline. Exactly the same effect is accompanied by a person drinking alcoholic beverages and sweet water with gases.
Active physical activity on the body, even with adequate nutrition, is accompanied by a decrease in blood sugar concentration. The consequence of this is the appearance of a lack of energy, since the level of consumed carbohydrates significantly exceeds consumed ones.

There are reasons that cause a decrease in sugar levels in the body of people with a disease such as diabetes:

taking certain types of antidiabetic medicines
drinking alcoholic beverages without food
injecting too much insulin into the body
mixed intake of alcohol with antidiabetic drugs

Often, low sugar concentrations are diagnosed in completely healthy people as a result of various pathologies, and, as well as problems with metabolic processes.

Symptoms of the disease

A disease such as hypoglycemia can be mild or severe. When diagnosing a mild stage of the pathology, the patient may complain of the appearance of cold sweat mainly on the back of the neck, severe hunger, increased anxiety and slight trembling throughout the body. In addition, signs of the disease such as headaches, dizziness, mild chills and attacks of nausea are noted.

As the pathology progresses, an even greater deterioration in the person’s condition and the development of the following signs are possible:

problems with orientation in space
sudden change of mood
crying or joy without any expressed reason
speech is too slow and unclear
the appearance of problems with consciousness

With severe hypoglycemia, a person becomes like a very drunk person, and often those around him are convinced that this is exactly what he is doing and refuse to help him. In fact, this condition is considered extremely dangerous, because a person is no longer able to help himself on his own.

In the absence of timely measures taken, the state of health deteriorates even more and a convulsive syndrome occurs in combination with loss of consciousness.

Gradually, a diabetic coma sets in, which is accompanied by cerebral edema and leads to death.In some cases, hypoglycemia can develop completely unexpectedly, for example, at night.

If a decrease in blood sugar occurs at night, the following symptoms may appear:

increased sweating
increased anxiety
sleepwalking
nightmares

When the amount of glucose decreases during sleep, a person usually complains of a headache in the morning.

Features of hypoglycemia

Experts say that hypoglycemia predominantly develops in adult patients with long-term diabetes therapy. Not strictly following the daily routine and diet, disruption of circadian rhythms in combination with physical activity leads to the fact that taking glucose-lowering drugs or insulin injections causes a too strong decrease in concentration.

People with alcohol dependence are also diagnosed with severely low blood sugar. The fact is that ethanol has a side effect on the body and the consequence of this is the accelerated depletion of gluten reserves and the inhibition of the genesis associated with it.It is important to monitor the concentration of glucose in the blood throughout the day, because hypoglycemia can cause a dangerous condition such as coma.

The main reason for low blood sugar concentrations in childhood may be a low-calorie diet.

In addition, too long intervals between meals against the background of increased physical activity and strong psychological stress can cause the development of the disease.Hypoglycemia is detected in premature infants with asphyxia during labor, respiratory distress and hypothermia.

Treatment method

Hypoglycemia is diagnosed in a person if a blood test shows low sugar levels. In addition, the patient exhibits signs of the disease, which disappear after eating sweet foods. Diagnosis of pathology is complemented by a physical examination, studying the patient’s lifestyle and state of health.

In the event that there is an insignificant drop in sugar in the body, then it can easily cope with such a pathological condition on its own. To do this, it is recommended to eat some sweet product, for example, a little honey, candy or a piece of sugar. With a strong decrease in sugar, loss of consciousness is possible, so you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible. In such a situation, a glucose solution or glucagon is injected into the patient’s body intravenously, after which the concentration of sugar in the blood is determined an hour later.

In severe cases, it is possible to hospitalize the patient in a hospital facility and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Drug therapy depends on the reasons that provoked the development of hypoglycemia. After identifying the cause of low blood glucose, it is determined how long the glucose infusion will last and the rate of its elimination. In fact, the sugar content should be between 5-10 mmol/liter.

More information about hypoglycemia can be found in the video:

Elimination of hypoglycemia is based on conservative treatment of the underlying disease and relieving the patient of the symptoms of the disease. For this purpose, the following medicinal measures are carried out:

administration of glucose intravenously using a dropper or oral administration of the monosaccharide dextrose, which is immediately absorbed in the oral cavity into the blood without entering the digestive tract
consumption of simple fast and slow carbohydrates in a certain dosage
intramuscular injection of glucagon
fractional injections of corticosteroids - adrenaline and hydrocortisone
compliance with special diet instructions

Hypoglycemia can be treated using traditional medicine, but only after consulting a doctor.In order to prevent a significant decrease in sugar in the human body, it is necessary to comply with certain preventive measures. First of all, you should adhere to a special diet with divided doses and a proper daily routine.

In addition, it is necessary to take multivitamin complexes, which must contain chromium. Prevention of hypoglycemia involves giving up bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol. It is important to correct the treatment of diabetes mellitus, and physical education and sports should be strictly dosed. In addition, you should familiarize your family members with how to act in the event of a sudden onset of a symptom.

Blood glucose (or sugar) is an important element in the human body. Being a product of carbohydrate metabolism, it enters the blood, maintaining the viability of formed elements and nourishing all internal organs. Normally, glucose levels can have variable values and range from 3.5 to 6.0 mmol/l. Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia.

Classmates

A decrease in blood sugar concentration indicates a possible disruption of carbohydrate metabolism in the liver tissues, where incoming glucose is metabolized. Considering what it means if glucose is low in an adult, it should be noted that hypoglycemia can be false and true:

A false decrease in glucose is typical for individuals with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Normal values in diabetics are overestimated, and therefore a change in glucose from 15.8 mmol/l to 5.2 (and below) is considered false hypoglycemia.
With a true drop in concentration, the glucose level does not exceed 3.3 mmol/l.

A low sugar level in the body that persists for a long time is highly likely to mean the development of oxygen starvation of vital organs. Hypoglycemia is less common than hyperglycemia and poses a particular threat to women and men with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Reasons why I fell

Why blood sugar levels drop can be determined by identifying the cause of the pathology. Typically, low glucose is a secondary consequence of other diseases. The main reason is the production of insulin in excessive quantities. Factors that cause low sugar levels include:

and gastrointestinal tract;
prolonged refusal of food or fasting;
following a low-carbohydrate diet;
alcohol poisoning;
late gestosis in pregnant women;
disruption of the endocrine glands;
renal pathologies;
acute infectious processes.

The reasons why sugar drops in existing diabetes may be due to exceeding the permissible dose of insulin or hypoglycemic drugs. Low blood sugar can lead to the development of a coma, from which it is extremely difficult to get out.

Some causes of low glucose are relative in nature, that is, by switching to a normal type of diet or eliminating strength training, the glucose level is restored on its own. The decrease is often associated with stressful situations, in which case the elimination of nervous tension allows the synthesis of carbohydrates to be restored.

No matter what causes your sugar level to drop, a comprehensive examination is necessary in any case.

Symptoms and signs in an adult

Signs of pathology depend on the level of glucose in the blood. When it drops slightly, the following symptoms may develop:

apathy;
drowsiness;
moderate headache;
slight dizziness after waking up;
constant feeling of hunger.

In pregnant women, the manifestation of the disease is temporary and goes away as the gestational age increases, however, with a pronounced drop in sugar (less than 3.8 mmol/l), standard symptoms such as headaches and attacks of nausea develop.

Main signs of low sugar

The clinical picture during a pathology of moderate severity, when the indicator has dropped to a period from 3.0 to 2.2 mmol/l, is characterized by the following symptoms:

nervousness;
hyperhidrosis;
lack of perseverance and concentration;
deterioration of vision and hearing;
frequent mood changes;
inability to stay in a standing or lying position for a long time;
hallucinations occur;
sleepwalking;
worry for no reason;
insomnia or nightmares.

With such indicators, there is a likelihood of developing a coma, especially in older people and people with type 1 diabetes.

When blood sugar is 2.0 - 1.1 mmol/l, symptoms develop gradually, but extremely quickly:

At first, speech disappears and the tongue becomes slurred.
Convulsions occur.
Loss of consciousness.
Coma.
Death without treatment or medical attention.

Important! Hypoglycemic coma can lead to irreversible and severe consequences in the form of patient disability or death, so it is important to promptly identify the cause of low sugar levels and carry out appropriate treatment.

Alarm bells of developing pathology are frequent headaches after waking up at night, an apathetic state and increased fatigue. With low sugar, the symptoms do not differ between men and women.

Treatment

A low blood glucose level is temporary, may not manifest itself with any symptoms, and when the cause is established, it gradually disappears without requiring treatment. Actually, there is nothing to treat hypoglycemia: there are no specialized medications.

The main treatment is to follow a diet and eat foods high in sugar.

Some antihypertensive drugs contain lactose, which is another carbohydrate and has a mediocre effect on glycogen synthesis. Having identified the cause of the disease and carried out appropriate treatment,.

What to do?

With a sharp drop in sugar, hypoglycemic syndrome develops, requiring immediate external intervention. This decline is observed in diabetes mellitus. In persons without endocrine pathology, this phenomenon is impossible.

Here's what to do if you notice low sugar levels:

Call an ambulance.
If the person is conscious, ask if he or she has diabetes.
Lay on a horizontal plane, raising your legs and turning your head to the side.
Unfasten or remove tight clothing to allow oxygen to enter.

Before you do anything, before raising your sugar levels, it is important to identify whether your sugar levels are high or low. When elevated, a characteristic feature is the appearance of a specific odor of acetone and most often the person does not lose consciousness, but complains of dizziness. Let us next consider what to do if your sugar level has dropped significantly.

How to lift?

For emergency correction of carbohydrate concentration, you need to drink sweet tea, put a piece of chocolate, sugar or caramel under your tongue. Such manipulations are carried out before the arrival of the medical team.

In everyday life, the level should be correlated after obtaining a laboratory analysis of fasting glucose. It is necessary to change your diet, give up diet and excessive exercise. Get some sleep and rest. If hypoglycemia is caused by relative disorders, then these measures are sufficient.

Foods that increase blood sugar include:

sugar;
citrus fruits, especially oranges;
cereals (to a lesser extent).

By adding the necessary foods to your daily diet in moderation, carbohydrate metabolism is restored and the body does not lack glucose. Medicines include Glycine, used to improve brain activity. The components in its composition increase carbohydrates in the peripheral blood.

Fruits are an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

Health implications

Timely detection of pathology helps reduce the manifestation of the disease and eliminates the risk of developing an unfavorable outcome. Long-term low blood sugar levels lead to neurotic disorders and a hypoxic state of the brain. Efficiency and resistance to stress decreases.

In more severe manifestations of the pathological process, fainting, impotence and coma develop.

Attention! Due to the lack of specific treatment, it is extremely difficult to get out of a comatose state caused by a drop in glucose.

A pronounced and persistent decrease in blood sugar in elderly patients leads to senile dementia.

Useful video

Endocrinologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Yulia Vladimirovna Struchkova will tell you how dangerous low blood sugar levels are:

Conclusion

Low blood sugar corresponds to values below 2.5 mmol/L in men and 1.9 mmol/L in women.
Pathology is rare and often does not involve a pathological process, but it is necessary to take preventive and treatment measures.
People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes suffer more severely from the disease. For them, a decrease in glucose can be fatal, just like.