Hypoglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia
Whether it’s low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), or high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), both are bad for your overall health, and either may cause major complications that if left untreated, and could be potentially life threatening. Generally speaking, these conditions are common among diabetics. However, they may also affect non-diabetics as well. What are the differences between hypoglycemia vs. hyperglycemia, and are there any early warning signs or symptoms when you have these conditions? Consider the following chart:
A Comparison Chart of Hypoglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Definition Hypoglycemia is defined as a blood sugar (glucose) levels below 4 mmol/L, with
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That's because your brain needs glucose to function properly.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia early because untreated hypoglycemia can lead to:
• Severe confusion and disorientation
• Unconsciousness
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death Untreated hyperglycemia can cause long-term complications, including:
• Diabetic Retinopathy, or damage to the blood vessels of the retina, potentially leading to blindness
• Cataracts, or clouding of the normally clear lens of your eyes
• Problems in your feet due to poor blood flow or damaged nerves that may lead to serious infections, and in severe cases, amputation
• Tooth and gum infections
• Bone and joint problems
• Skin problems, including fungal infections ,bacterial infections, and non-healing wounds
• Nerve damage (neuropathy)
• Cardiovascular disease
• Kidney damage (diabetic nephropathy) or kidney failure
Hypoglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia: How to Beat Them?
Treatments of Hypoglycemia
200-220 words,
If You Have Low Blood Sugar
Then eat or drink any of the following items:
• Four to six pieces of hard candy (not
Some of the complications are foot injury, infections, ulcers, damage to nerve and bone, poor circulation, and possible amputation of the limb, and in this case sepsis (Mainhealth, 2018).
If the infection in the feet and toes entered the bones, it could cause them to soften, which could result in toes falling off; although, this was seen as an advantage because the feet could then be bound even more
Hypoglycemia: Low blood glucose level that results from too much insulin, not enough food, or excess activity. It is defined as the presence of Whipple’s triad: manifestations consistent with low blood glucose, a low plasma glucose concentration, and resolution of symptoms or signs after plasma glucose concentration is raised. Four common causes are: 1.) excess insulin, 2.) deficient intake or absorption of food, 3.) exercise, and 4.) alcohol intake.
These changes typically affect small blood vessels in the eye and compromise the blood-retinal barrier. When viewing the retina with the use of an ophthalmoscope or via retinal imaging, haemorrhages appearing as small red spots can be seen which are leaks in the blood vessels. Overtime these tiny leaks within the affected blood vessels create inflammation within the retina. As a result of these inflammatory processes, the retina releases angiogenic factors. Angiogenic factors include the production of new blood vessels within the eye. These new blood vessels don’t have tight junctions and are therefore extremely leaky. If diabetic retinopathy is not treated it can result in severe scarring on the retina which evidently gives reduction in
Uncontrolled blood glucose levels damage retinal blood vessels, impacting the light-sensitive tissue that allows people to see fine details. The small vessel disease will develop in more than half of all people who have either form of diabetes, and it is the most prevalent cause of irreversible blindness among working-age Americans, according to the American Society of Retina Specialist. Symptoms may
Diabetes is a disease that happens when your body’s pancreas does not produce enough insulin or respond to the insulin produced, which in turn boost the blood sugar levels over time. Although there are several types of diabetes, the most common are the type 1 and type 2 diabetes. They both affect sugar levels, and if not treated in a timely fashion, can cause many health issues in the long run. Hyperglycemia is the result of too much insulin, strenuous physical activity, insufficient food consumption or illness that causes blood sugar levels to drop. When hypoglycemia takes effect, one can feel weakness, rapid heartbeat, sweating, anxiety, hunger and trembling. It’s an elevation in blood glucose that damages blood vessels, nerves and tissues.
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases to this day. With over 171 million cases of diabetes all over the world, this disease is spreading exponentially fast. Lesser known as Diabetes Mellitus, this disease is all about the amounts of sugar in one's body. Glucose, in particular. Glucose is the powerhouse of the body. It helps run your body by transforming into the energy that we use to function on a daily basis. Whether or not one's diabetes is minor or even off the charts it can lead to terrible outcomes. These include stroke, blindness, vascular disease and heart disease. As mentioned before, the major symptom of diabetes is that too much sugar is in one's body. This is similar to a disease previously mentioned, hemochromatosis. However,
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by blocked blood flow to the eye, causing ischemia or increased permeability of the blood vessels in the eye. Macular edema is caused by swelling in the eye due to the increased permeability, and both of these are common causes of vision loss of those with diabetes. Some factors that can be seen in the retina from a fundoscopic exam that can cause these issues (all of which were detected in our patient), are micro-aneurysms, intrarenal hemorrhages, and hard exudates. All three of these can disrupt the blood-retinal barrier, causing issues with blood flow and swelling. Additionally, lipids and proteins both play important roles in the eye, and if there is improper breakdown of these molecules, they can make deposits in the outer layer eye. The more deposits (hard exudates) a patient has, the larger affect it can have on their vision.
Diabetes usually affects the blood vessels and nerves, which then eventually affect the organs that are supplied by them. Damage to the blood vessels increase the risk of KS to develop cardiovascular disease such as angina, stroke, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Besides the CVS, damage to the blood vessels can also affect the kidney and causes nephropathy. Severe damage to kidney can lead to kidney failure or end stage kidney disease which required dialysis or kidney transplant. Diabetic retinopathy is another complication of diabetes, which can lead to blindness. Other serious visions conditions that are cause by diabetes includes cataracts and glaucoma. Therefore, diabetes patient like KK
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease that can cause damage to many end organs, including the eye if it is not controlled.1 Diabetic macular edema is one of the many complications that can occur from Diabetes Mellitus. It defined as swelling or thickening of the eye’s macula, which results from blood vessels in the retina leaking fluids.2 The retina and macula work together to allow for sharp central vision.1 When individuals with Diabetes Mellitus have poorly controlled hyperglycemia, the blood vessels in the eye are weakened and can leak fluid.1 As a result, fluid is able to permeate into the retina and macula making these areas swell, which ultimately results in loss of vision.1 A consequence of diabetic macular edema involves the activation
The reason people with diabetes often have eye problems is because high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina—this is the main cause of diabetic retinopathy. Since many diabetics have high
Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by the body’s inability to metabolize glucose. Glucose is the body’s main source of fuel for energy. Too much or too little of it can cause some serious complications in the body. Normal glucose level in the blood should be between 70-120mg/dl. An increased level of more than 250 mg/dl is called hyperglycemia. Signs and symptoms “include the three ‘polys’: polyuria (excessive urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and polyphagia (excessive hunger)” (Rosdahl, 2012). Other signs and symptoms may include
This eye disease is usually diagnosed in the beginning stages of diabetes. Though it can happen at an age, it is more common in the elderly. It is caused by high blood sugar levels, which destroy the blood vessels that are in the retina. If it is left untreated, it can lead to blindness.
Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of vision loss among working adults (Cheunget al., 2010). It was ranked as the fifth most common cause of preventable blindness. In 2010, of an estimated 285 million people worldwide with diabetes, over one-third have signs of DR, and a third of these are defined as severe non-proliferative DR or proliferative DR (PDR) or diabetic macular edema (DME). These estimates are expected to rise further due to the increasing prevalence of diabetes, and increasing of life expectancy of those with diabetes (Yau et al., 2012).
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of developing primarily vascular complications that contribute to morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients. Poor glycaemic control leads to vascular complications that affect large (macrovascular), small (microvascular) vessels or both. Macrovascular complications include coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke. Microvascular complications contribute to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (kidney disease) and retinopathy (eye disease).