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Show details Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care IQWiG ; Search term. Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes Last Update: October 22, ; Next update: When is blood sugar considered to be too high or too low?

Signs of hyperglycemia Hyperglycemia doesn't always have immediately noticeable effects. But very high blood sugar can cause the following symptoms: Extreme thirst.

What can you do if your blood sugar levels are too high? Signs of hypoglycemia Low blood sugar is most common in people who use insulin or take certain tablets to reduce high blood sugar. Signs that your blood sugar is too low may include: Racing pulse. What can you do if your blood sugar levels are too low?

Sources Bundesärztekammer BÄK , Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung KBV , Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften AWMF. Nationale Versorgungsleitlinie: Therapie des TypDiabetes S3.

December PubReader Print View Cite this Page InformedHealth. Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes. In this Page. Signs of hyperglycemia What can you do if your blood sugar levels are too high?

Signs of hypoglycemia What can you do if your blood sugar levels are too low? Informed Health Links. More about Type 2 diabetes. Overview Learn more: Measuring sugar levels in blood and urine yourself Learn more: Preventing type 2 diabetes Learn more: Medication for type 2 diabetes.

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Diabetes Resources Diabetes Basics Hyperglycemia Symptoms: The Telltale Signs and What to Do. Recognize The Symptoms of Hyperglycemia and Take Action. Symptoms of high blood sugar usually come on gradually and may only start when your blood sugar level gets very high.

You can also get high blood sugar if your diabetes medicine is not working well, you're taking certain medicines such as steroids or you recently had an operation.

If you have diabetes, it's important to try to stop your blood sugar level getting too high. take any diabetes medicine you've been prescribed, as advised by your doctor or care team.

follow advice from your doctor or care team about what to do while you're ill sometimes called "sick day rules". do not skip or change doses of your diabetes medicine unless advised by your doctor or care team.

It's not usually a serious problem if your blood sugar is sometimes slightly high for a short time. But high blood sugar can cause serious problems if it stays high for a long time or gets to a very high level.

If you have high blood sugar, your doctor or care team may ask you to test your blood or pee to check for ketones. A high level of ketones is a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis. You can call or get help from online.

Too little sugar in the bloodstream hypoglycemia is usually a side effect of treatment with blood-sugar-lowering medication. Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which there's a problem with insulin a hormone. It can affect your health in many ways. In type 1 diabetes, the body only produces very little insulin, or none at all.

This is equivalent to a blood sugar concentration of between 3. It describes the amount of a certain substance per liter. If someone has readings over 7. These high blood sugar levels mainly occur if there isn't enough insulin or the insulin doesn't work properly.

Without the effect of insulin, the organs can't make good use of the sugar in the blood, so the sugar builds up.

If type 1 diabetes is left untreated, blood sugar levels can increase to over Such high levels tend to be uncommon in type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar levels below 3.

But, as you can see in the illustration below, there are no clear-cut borders between normal blood sugar levels and too high or too low blood sugar levels.

Hyperglycemia doesn't always have immediately noticeable effects. Someone might have it for years without having any physical symptoms. But very high blood sugar can cause the following symptoms:. If someone has extremely high blood sugar levels, they may feel confused and drowsy or even lose consciousness diabetic coma.

If you have the above symptoms over a long period of time or if they keep occurring, it's important to see a doctor. They could be a sign of diabetes. If these symptoms occur in people who have already been diagnosed with diabetes, they could be a sign that the treatment is no longer effective enough.

Then medication can be prescribed or adjusted to make your blood sugar levels go back down. You may stay at the hospital while your blood sugar levels are being stabilized. If you are feeling drowsy, confused or lose consciousness, the emergency services should be called in Germany and many other countries, in the U.

Low blood sugar is most common in people who use insulin or take certain tablets to reduce high blood sugar. This is because things like unexpected physical activity, eating too little food or drinking too much alcohol can mean that you need less insulin than you thought, causing your blood sugar to drop too low.

The severity of these symptoms depends on the blood sugar levels and can vary from person to person. Mild hypoglycemia doesn't usually have any serious health effects. But severe hypoglycemia can lead to a loss of consciousness and become life-threatening.

It is important to react quickly enough and eat or drink something, like dextrose sugar or a sugary drink no "diet" or "zero" soft drinks with artificial sweeteners! Glucose is a type of sugar that comes from food.

When someone has diabetes, they have a problem with insulin. A person with type 1 diabetes can't make insulin. Blood sugar levels can get higher than normal for different reasons.

But treatment for hyperglycemia is always the same: Follow the diet and exercise plan and give insulin or other medicines on schedule.

In the short term, high blood sugars can turn into diabetic ketoacidosis DKA. This is an emergency condition that needs treatment right away. DKA can happen to kids with type 1 diabetes and, less often, kids with type 2 diabetes. Kids with type 2 diabetes also can get another type of emergency called hyperosmotic hyperglycemic state HHS.

Both conditions need treatment in the hospital and are very serious. Untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious health problems later in life. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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How does high blood sugar hyperglycemia feel? Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. What is it? Symptoms How does it feel?

Causes Typical blood sugar Low blood sugar Consulting a doctor FAQs Outlook If a person has high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, they may feel unusually thirsty and urinate more than usual. What is hyperglycemia? Share on Pinterest. What does high blood sugar feel like? Share on Pinterest Gestational diabetes can occur during pregnancy.

Normal blood sugar. Share on Pinterest Regular blood sugar testing can help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels within the target level. Preventing high blood sugar. Share on Pinterest Monitoring your diet and exercise alongside blood sugar levels can help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. When to consult a doctor. Frequently asked questions. Diabetes Type 1 Type 2. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

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This produces chemicals called ketones, which make your blood more acidic. DKA is dangerous. Too much acid in your blood can make you pass out diabetic coma or even cause death. If you notice these or any of the other signs of hyperglycemia listed above, you are at risk of or may already have DKA.

You can use a urine test strip or blood ketone meter and ketone test strip to test for ketones at home. Testing either urine or blood is important, but when possible, a blood test is preferred because it gives you and your care team more precise information about your ketone levels. Because urine may have been in the bladder for some time, the results from these tests may show levels that are either higher or lower than the ketone levels that are actually circulating in your body.

It is also very important to know that urine test trips degrade over time, so if you are using this method, you need to look at expiration dates carefully.

At-home urine test strips will change color to show the level of ketones in the urine. The following ranges are generally used:. You should call your diabetes care team immediately if your urine test results show you that you have moderate or large levels of ketones or your blood ketone test shows 1.

You should go to the emergency room if you have high levels of ketones and have vomited at least twice in the last 4 hours. The first thing you should do to treat hyperglycemia is take insulin.

If you take insulin by syringe or pen, and your blood sugar has not responded within 2 hours, you can take a second dose using the same correction dose. Remember that insulin takes 20 to 30 minutes to work and will continue to work for 4 to 5 hours. If you get hyperglycemia often, talk with your doctor.

They might adjust your medication or suggest you talk with a dietitian about meals and exercise. Also, a CGM can help you keep track of changes in your blood sugar throughout the day.

Your body releases stress hormones when you are sick, which can cause hyperglycemia. Keep taking your insulin and other diabetes medications, even if you are throwing up. They might also want you to call if:. Managing blood sugar during and after physical activity is important and is something that a lot of people with T1D have questions about.

JDRF has a number of resources available for people with T1D and their families, many of which can be found here. If you are using an insulin pump, talk to your diabetes team about how to best manage hyperglycemia.

In general, be sure to check your pump first. Make sure all parts are connected and working correctly. Check your bolus history and temporary basal rate. Also check your insulin to make sure it has not expired or gotten too warm.

If you use a CGM, try not to react to it too often. Controlling blood sugar is very important in children with T1D. Long-term hyperglycemia damages the eyes, heart, kidneys, and nerves, so it is important to maintain good glucose control to minimize the chances of this damage.

Importantly, they should test their blood sugar before driving a car. Click here for a downloadable guide on causes, symptoms and treatments of hyperglycemia.

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Skip to content T1D Resources Newly Diagnosed T1D Basics Life with T1D Daily Management For Healthcare Professionals Recursos en Español. T1D Resources Overview Newly Diagnosed T1D Basics Life with T1D Daily Management For Healthcare Professionals Recursos en Español.

These include :. Read more about diabetic skin conditions. Consistently high blood sugar can damage the nerves in several ways:. Read more about the types of neuropathy. People with diabetes with consistently high blood sugar levels might experience diabetic retinopathy. This causes damage to blood vessels in the back of the eye, leading to vision loss and possible blindness.

Having diabetes significantly increases the risk of both glaucoma and cataracts. DKA is a life threatening condition that occurs if a person does not treat severe hyperglycemia. It is most common in people with type 1 diabetes.

If a person with diabetes does not take steps to control their blood sugar levels, cells become less sensitive to insulin. When there is insufficient insulin in the body or the cells do not respond, and glucose cannot access the cells, the body uses fats for energy instead.

The body produces ketones by breaking down fats. The body cannot handle a high level of ketones. While it can get rid of some in the urine, ketones may eventually build up, causing the blood to become too acidic.

This can lead to complications, such as DKA. DKA increases levels of acid in the body. Without treatment, it might lead to a diabetic coma. Some symptoms of DKA include:. Anyone with diabetes who suspects DKA should speak with their doctor about their symptoms and when to seek emergency care.

Learn more about diabetic ketoacidosis. Hyperglycemia is high blood glucose that can occur in people with diabetes due to several conditions, including insufficient or ineffective insulin, diabetes medications, or diet and lifestyle changes.

People without diabetes may also experience hyperglycemia. Symptoms include frequent urination, intense thirst, and high blood sugar readings during self-monitoring. If a person does not address high blood glucose, they might develop ketoacidosis, a dangerous buildup of waste products that can lead to diabetic coma.

Treatment may include adjustments in diabetes medication, exercise, and eating less during meals. Wearing a medical ID is essential for people with diabetes, as this can impact other treatments. Low blood sugar symptoms range in severity and some cases can be life-threatening.

Both diabetes and non-diabetes related hypoglycemia decrease blood…. Brittle diabetes is a rare form of diabetes that involves severe changes in blood sugar levels.

Learn about its causes, risk factors, symptoms, and…. Researchers said baricitinib, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, showed promise in a clinical trial in helping slow the progression of type 1…. A new review indicates that insulin—used to manage diabetes—can be kept at room temperature for months without losing its potency.

A study in rat models of diabetes suggests that spinach extract — both water- and alcohol-based — may help promote wound healing, which occurs very…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. What is hyperglycemia? Symptoms, treatments, causes, and all else you need to know. Medically reviewed by Adam Bernstein, MD, ScD — By Adam Felman — Updated on May 15, Symptoms Treatment Causes Hypoglycemia With diabetes Complications Summary Hyperglycemia refers to high levels of sugar, or glucose, in the blood.

Hyperglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia with diabetes. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.

You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Share this article.

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How gastric bypass surgery can help with type 2 diabetes remission. Atlantic diet may help prevent metabolic syndrome. Related Coverage. What are low blood sugar symptoms? Medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, M.