Hello Guys, today on Know Your Own Health, we are talking High Blood Sugar and its effect on our health. For the newbies, on KFB Know Your Own Health, we talk about health issues and how it affects us.
What then is High Blood Sugar?
What then is High Blood Sugar?
This is a disorder in which glucose (a simple sugar)
is abnormally high because the body doesn’t release or use the hormone insulin
adequately. This condition is called Diabetes
Mellitus.
is abnormally high because the body doesn’t release or use the hormone insulin
adequately. This condition is called Diabetes
Mellitus.
After fasting overnight, the blood sugar should
range between (60-100) mgldl, but about 2 hours after eating, it should range
between 80-160 mgldl. Once the value is above these ranges, then one is
considered to have high blood sugar.
range between (60-100) mgldl, but about 2 hours after eating, it should range
between 80-160 mgldl. Once the value is above these ranges, then one is
considered to have high blood sugar.
The classification is based on the release and the
use of hormone insulin as Type 1 and 11 Diabetes Mellitus respectively.
use of hormone insulin as Type 1 and 11 Diabetes Mellitus respectively.
Type I.D.M- this is as a result of insufficient release
or lack of insulin for the body’s utilization of glucose in the blood. It
occurs mostly in children and it is well known as Juvenile Onset diabetes
mellitus. This may be due to genetic
predisposition, viral infection in childhood, nutritional factor or immunity
condition in the body.
or lack of insulin for the body’s utilization of glucose in the blood. It
occurs mostly in children and it is well known as Juvenile Onset diabetes
mellitus. This may be due to genetic
predisposition, viral infection in childhood, nutritional factor or immunity
condition in the body.
Type 11 I.D.M- Insulin is being produced in this
type, but somehow the body develops resistance to its effects resulting in
relative deficienct. This occurs mostly in adulthood following infrctions
process or immune disorders or even diet and life style causing non-utilization
of the insulin produced.
type, but somehow the body develops resistance to its effects resulting in
relative deficienct. This occurs mostly in adulthood following infrctions
process or immune disorders or even diet and life style causing non-utilization
of the insulin produced.
Symptoms
When the fasting blood sugar rises above 160-180
mgldl, symptoms begin to appear and these include:
mgldl, symptoms begin to appear and these include:
1. Excessive
urination especially overnight
urination especially overnight
2. Excessive
thirst following excessive urination
thirst following excessive urination
3. Calories
are lost in excessive urine and as such leads to weight loss
are lost in excessive urine and as such leads to weight loss
4. To
compensate calories loss, there is abnormal hunger
compensate calories loss, there is abnormal hunger
5. Drowsiness
and decrease endurance during exercise with associated fatigue
and decrease endurance during exercise with associated fatigue
6. Bad
mouth breath
mouth breath
Treatment
There is no known medical cure for Diabetes
mellitus, so it has to be controlled using dietary measures and anti-diabetic
drugs as a life course. Although, there have been cases of metabolic syndrome
surgery to alleviate the condition if due to metabolic disorders.
mellitus, so it has to be controlled using dietary measures and anti-diabetic
drugs as a life course. Although, there have been cases of metabolic syndrome
surgery to alleviate the condition if due to metabolic disorders.
Complications
If diabetes mellitus is not controlled, or not
properly managed, the following comlicaions may occur:
properly managed, the following comlicaions may occur:
1. Diabetic
coma as a result of severely high blood sugar.
coma as a result of severely high blood sugar.
2. Overtime,
elevated blood sugar levels damage blood vessels, nerves and other intenstinal
structure that may lead to stroke, heart attack/failure, blurred vision, kidney
failure, tingling funny sensation with associated weakness of the hands and
legs, skin ulceration and infections
elevated blood sugar levels damage blood vessels, nerves and other intenstinal
structure that may lead to stroke, heart attack/failure, blurred vision, kidney
failure, tingling funny sensation with associated weakness of the hands and
legs, skin ulceration and infections
Diabetes mellitus is
however a condition that can be well managed.
however a condition that can be well managed.
Courtesy Dr Bankola Abiola, CKC Medical and Dental services