What are the signs of blood sugar. High blood sugar: symptoms and first signs

Hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar) occurs with various physiological and pathological changes in the body, and in most cases this is associated with impaired carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, it is important to notice the first signs of an increase in blood glucose in time and contact a specialist.

All cells of the human body contain sugar (glucose), which is their main source of energy, which is especially important for the normal functioning of red blood cells and nerve cells. In order for the blood glucose level to be within the physiological limits (from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol / l), it is regulated by the physiological processes of carbohydrate metabolism and the interaction of the nervous and endocrine systems.

With an increase in blood sugar, at first no changes are felt or the patient does not attach importance to them, but at the same time, destructive changes occur in his body. Therefore, in order to maintain health, you need to know what symptoms can appear with an increase in blood glucose levels.

How to find out about high blood sugar?

The main warning signs of high blood sugar are:

increased urination with an increase in the amount of urine excreted;

constant strong thirst and dry mouth, including at night;

fatigue, lethargy and severe weakness;

nausea, rarely vomiting;

persistent headaches;

sudden weight loss;

there may be a sharp deterioration in vision.

With significant fluctuations in blood glucose levels:

when falling below 3.1 mmol/l;

with an increase of more than 30 mmol / l;

life-threatening conditions may develop, which are manifested by convulsions, respiratory and cardiac disorders. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner if symptoms appear that may indicate hyperglycemia.

Fatigue may indicate an increase in blood sugar

Causes of high blood sugar

Blood glucose levels may change:

Short-term during physiological processes in the body (increased physical activity, stressful situations), which is associated with an increase in energy metabolism in cells or when eating a large amount of carbohydrates in food;

Short-term in pathological conditions:

with an increase in body temperature (viral, bacterial and colds);

with persistent pain syndrome;

with burns;

against the background of the development of an epileptic seizure.

A persistent increase in blood sugar can occur:

with pathological processes of the gastrointestinal tract;

with liver pathology;

with inflammatory diseases of the endocrine glands (pancreas, hypothalamus, adrenal glands and pituitary gland);

with hormonal imbalance due to the development of endocrinopathies and during pregnancy.

Diabetes mellitus is also one of the causes of a persistent and prolonged increase in blood sugar.

Blood sugar can rise due to stress

Symptoms of high blood sugar

Signs of increased blood sugar appear gradually, and loved ones in most cases notice them earlier.

These symptoms include:

increased appetite (polyphagia) with a constant feeling of hunger and persistent weight loss;

drowsiness, blurred vision, marked weakness with irritability and sullenness;

numbness of the hands and feet;

the occurrence of skin itching, dermatitis, furunculosis;

slow wound healing;

frequent, recurrent inflammatory diseases of the female genital area (bacterial and fungal vaginal infections, causeless itching in the vagina and impotence.

Symptoms of Latent Diabetes

Often, an increase in blood sugar occurs without the manifestation of the main symptoms and signs. And patients feel absolutely normal for a long time, but at the same time, a latent form of diabetes (latent diabetes) develops in the body.

This disease is often diagnosed during preventive examinations or when patients come in with other complaints - frequent fatigue, decreased vision or slow healing of wounds and the addition of purulent inflammation.

An increase in blood glucose levels significantly reduces immunity, and the body becomes vulnerable to the development of various infections, and damage to small vessels (microangiopathy) causes disturbances in the normal nutrition of tissues and very slow healing of various skin and mucous membrane injuries.

Latent diabetes can be detected by testing carbohydrate tolerance.

The risk groups for diabetes include:

women suffering from polycystic ovaries;

people with low levels of potassium in the blood, especially often this disease develops in patients with arterial hypertension, due to the fact that increased pressure contributes to frequent urination and excretion of potassium from the body;

overweight or obese patients;

with a hereditary predisposition to the development of diabetes;

women who had a temporary form of diabetes during pregnancy.

If the increase in blood sugar caused by an increase in glucose tolerance (prediabetes) is detected in time and the necessary measures are taken to eliminate it, the development of the disease can be avoided.

How to eliminate the signs of high blood sugar?

The presence of signs of an increase in blood sugar requires timely examination, determination of the cause and the appointment of high-quality treatment, otherwise irreversible changes in tissues and organs may develop in the patient's body - vascular disease, neuropathy, sluggish infectious processes, skin diseases, sleep disturbances and depressive states.

Therefore, if one or more specific symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a general practitioner, and then an endocrinologist.

This visit will help determine what causes the increase in blood sugar, whether drug therapy, herbal preparations are necessary, or if it is enough to change the diet and lifestyle. In most cases, the right approach to nutrition, the elimination of stressful situations and uniform physical activity make it possible to reduce blood sugar to normal levels.

High blood sugar in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is manifested by the main clinical symptoms:

dry mouth and thirst (polydipsia);

frequent, profuse urination (polyuria), sometimes exceeding three liters of urine per day;

increased appetite (polyphagia) with progressive weight loss.

Diabetes mellitus or diabetes mellitus is characterized by a long-term persistent increase in blood sugar, and when certain indicators are exceeded, glucose appears in the urine.

Also, this disease is manifested by additional symptoms - increased fatigue, drowsiness, decreased performance, persistent headaches, irritability, various types of sleep disorders, dizziness, itching, a bright blush of the cheeks, night pains in the limbs and cramps of the calf muscles. There may be numbness of the extremities, paresthesia, seizures, nausea, less often vomiting, spastic abdominal pain, an increased tendency to inflammatory diseases of the skin, oral cavity, urinary tract, kidneys, which often transform into a chronic form.

diabetes mellitus in pregnant women

In the body of a woman during pregnancy, hormonal changes occur and this leads to the development of physiological resistance of many tissues to the action of insulin and diabetes mellitus in pregnant women develops.

This pathological condition stands out as a separate form of diabetes mellitus - preeclampsia, which is first diagnosed according to laboratory parameters during pregnancy and, as a rule, proceeds without clinical manifestations.

Therefore, it is especially important to prescribe and monitor blood sugar levels in pregnant women. It is important to remember that with the development of this pathology in the early stages of pregnancy, the risk of the formation of multiple malformations in the fetus (diabetic fetopathy), often incompatible with life, which lead to early miscarriages, may be realized. With a late manifestation of diabetes mellitus in a pregnant woman and / or in the absence of normalization of elevated blood glucose levels, organic lesions of the fetal organs may develop - congenital cataracts, heart defects, cerebral palsy.

Diabetes in pregnant women occurs due to hormonal changes in the body

The risk group includes pregnant women:

with a family predisposition (diabetes mellitus in the next of kin);

with obesity;

with arterial hypertension;

with a history of chronic miscarriage;

patients whose pregnancy proceeds against the background of polycystic ovaries or mastopathy.

Diabetes mellitus in pregnant women most often develops in the period from the 4th to the 8th month of pregnancy, so women at risk should be examined by an endocrinologist and constantly monitor blood sugar.

Diabetes mellitus in children

In childhood, a severe form of diabetes develops - type 1 diabetes mellitus and the incidence of this pathology is growing from year to year. Therefore, with any manifestations of signs of an increase in blood sugar in a child, it is necessary to consult the baby with a doctor and examine the child. The severity of diagnosis is associated with a long asymptomatic period of diabetes mellitus in childhood and the manifestation of symptoms of the disease is already severe with the development of coma, lesions of the vessels of the eyes, nervous system, mucous membranes of the oral cavity and skin.

If a person is completely healthy, nothing will bother him. However, today, unfortunately, there are very few such people. In this article, I want to talk about such a problem as high blood sugar. Why is this happening, and how to behave in this case?

Main

The cells of the human body will necessarily possess sugar. However, it is very important that it does not exceed the permissible limits. If we talk about numbers, then glucose should not “step over” the mark of 100 ml per deciliter. If the indicators are slightly too high, the patient may not feel anything. However, with a pathological increase in sugar, certain symptoms appear. It is also important to say that a one-time increase in blood sugar is not yet an indicator that the patient has a disease such as diabetes mellitus.

Where does sugar come from?

Doctors say that there are two main sources of high blood sugar.

Carbohydrates that enter the body with food.
Glucose, which passes from the liver (the so-called "depot" of sugar in the body) into the blood.

Symptoms

If the patient has high blood sugar, the symptoms may be as follows.

Profuse and rather frequent urination. In medical practice, this is called polyuria. If sugar exceeds a certain mark, the kidneys begin to work actively and remove excess fluid from the body. In this case, the following symptom occurs.
Strong thirst. If a person is constantly thirsty and cannot get drunk, this is an occasion to consult a doctor. Since this is the first symptom of high blood sugar.
Skin itching.
If the patient has high blood sugar, the symptoms may also affect the genitourinary system. So, it can be itching in the groin, as well as discomfort in the genital area. The reason for this is frequent urination, which can lead to the multiplication of various microbes in the genital area. Inflammation of the foreskin in men and vaginal itching in women are also important symptoms that may indicate high sugar levels.
In patients with high blood sugar, scratches do not heal for a long time. Even worse is the situation with wounds.
Another sign of high blood sugar is an electrolyte imbalance. This is because the patient's urine leaches important trace elements for the body. In this case, the following symptoms may be observed: muscle and calf cramps, as well as problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
If the patient has high blood sugar, the symptoms will be as follows: lethargy, loss of strength, drowsiness. The thing is that with increased sugar, glucose is not absorbed by the body, and accordingly, a person has nowhere to get a boost of strength and energy.
Another symptom is a constant feeling of hunger and, as a result, an increase in body weight.

Causes

What can cause high blood sugar levels? What are the causes of this problem in this case, physicians?

Hereditary factor or genetic predisposition. Those. if a patient in the family had similar diseases, he is at risk.
Autoimmune diseases (the body begins to perceive its own tissues as foreign, attacking and damaging them).
Obesity (can be both a cause and a consequence of high blood sugar).
Injuries of a physical and mental nature. Most often, blood sugar rises after experienced stress or strong feelings.
Violation of blood supply in the pancreas.

target organs

So high blood sugar. The symptoms of this disease are clear. What will this jump in glucose primarily affect? So, the eyes, kidneys, and limbs can suffer as much as possible from this. Problems arise due to the fact that the vessels that feed these organs are affected.

Eyes. If the patient has an increase in blood sugar, the symptoms will concern the eyes. So, with a long-term such condition, the patient may experience retinal detachment, then optic nerve atrophy will develop, after which glaucoma. And the most terrible variant of the development of events is complete irreparable blindness.
Kidneys. It is important to say that these are the most basic excretory organs. They help to remove excess glucose from the body at the beginning of the disease. If there is too much sugar, the renal vessels are injured, the integrity of their capillaries is disrupted, and the kidneys are getting worse and worse every day. If the increase in sugar is strongly launched, then proteins, red blood cells and other substances important for the body are also excreted along with the urine, which leads to the development of kidney failure.
Limbs. Signs of high blood sugar may also affect the limbs of the patient. The condition of the blood capillaries of the legs worsens, as a result of which various kinds of inflammatory processes can occur, which lead to the development of wounds, gangrene and tissue necrosis.

Short-term causes of high blood sugar

The patient may also have a brief rise in glucose levels (high blood sugar). Symptoms in this case can cause the following conditions.

Pain syndrome.
Acute myocardial infarction.
Epilepsy attacks.
Burns.
Liver damage (which leads to the fact that glucose is not fully synthesized).
Traumatic brain injury, when the hypothalamus suffers first.
Stressful conditions that cause the release of hormones into the blood.

In addition to the above problems, a short-term increase in sugar can be caused by taking certain medications (thiazide diuretics, glucocorticoids), as well as oral contraceptives, psychotropic substances and diuretics. If you take these drugs for a long time, a disease such as diabetes mellitus may develop.

Tolerance Test

As mentioned earlier, if a patient has an elevated blood sugar level, this does not mean that he has a disease such as diabetes. However, it is best to consult a doctor at the first symptoms. After all, if you start timely treatment, you can avoid irreversible processes. So, in this case, the doctor will refer the patient to tests, the main of which will be a tolerance test. By the way, this study is indicated not only for patients with symptoms of high sugar, but also for the following categories of people:

those who are overweight;
patients over 45 years of age.

The essence of the analysis

The test must be carried out with the presence of pure glucose in the amount of 75 g (it can be bought at a pharmacy). The procedure for this will be as follows.

The patient donates blood on an empty stomach.
After that, he drinks a glass of water, where the required amount of glucose is diluted.
Two hours later, blood is donated again (often this analysis is carried out not in two, but in three stages).

Conditions

In order for the test results to be correct, the patient must fulfill a list of simple but important conditions.

You can't eat in the evening. It is important that at least 10 hours pass from the moment of the last meal to the delivery of the first blood test. Ideal - 12 hours.
On the day before the test, you can not load the body. Excluded sports and heavy physical exertion.
Before taking the test, the diet does not need to be changed. The patient should eat all the foods that he consumes regularly.
Stress and emotional overstrain should be avoided.
You need to take the test after the body has rested. After a night shift, the test results will be skewed.
On the day of blood donation, it is also best not to overexert yourself. It is better to spend the day at home in a relaxed atmosphere.

Test results

The test results are very important.

The diagnosis of "tolerance disorder" can be made if the indicator is less than 7 mmol per liter on an empty stomach, as well as 7.8 - 11.1 mmol per 1 liter after drinking a solution with glucose.
The diagnosis of “impaired fasting glucose” can be made if on an empty stomach the indicators are in the range of 6.1 - 7.0 mmol / l, after taking a special solution - less than 7.8 mmol / l.

However, in this case, do not panic. To confirm the results, you will have to do another ultrasound of the pancreas, take a blood test and an analysis for the presence of enzymes. If you follow all the recommendations of the doctor and at the same time adhere to a special diet, the signs of high blood sugar may soon disappear.

Prevention

In order not to face such a problem as high blood sugar, a person must adhere to special preventive measures. So, a special diet will be very important, which must be adhered to without fail.

If the patient's body weight is excessive, the diet should be low in calories. At the same time, proteins and fats should be present in the menu every day. Carbohydrates should not be ingested in excessive quantities.
With high sugar, you need to eat food often and in small portions.
It is necessary to completely abandon products such as crackers, chips, fast food, sweet sparkling water.
You need to keep track of your calorie intake. If a person leads an active lifestyle, plays sports, the diet should contain a normal amount of calories. Otherwise, the food should be low-calorie.
Consume better boiled, stewed foods. It is necessary to refuse fried foods, smoked meats, alcohol. Especially avoid flour products, sweets and alcohol.
The food should contain a minimum amount of salt and animal fats.
The last meal should be no later than two hours before bedtime.
From drinks you can coffee and tea without sugar, you can also take herbal teas and freshly squeezed juices.

If a person has an elevated blood sugar level, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor. However, you can also deal with this problem yourself. To do this, it is enough to use traditional medicine.

Collection. To reduce blood sugar, you need to take one part of flaxseed and two parts of the following ingredients: bean pods, dried blueberry leaves, and oat straw. All this is crushed. To prepare the medicine, you need to take three tablespoons of the collection, pour 600 ml of boiling water, simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. After that, the liquid is filtered and cooled. It is taken three tablespoons three times a day before meals.
Dandelion. If the patient has a slight increase in blood sugar, he should eat about 7 baskets of dandelion daily.
In order for sugar to always be normal, you need to grind one tablespoon of buckwheat in a coffee grinder, pour it all with a glass of kefir, insist overnight. In the morning, the medicine is drunk half an hour before meals.

Periodic or constant increase in blood sugar, which is a sign of its insufficient absorption by tissues or insulin deficiency, negatively affects the functioning of internal organs, blood vessels and nerve fibers.

Until a certain time, elevated blood sugar does not manifest itself with specific symptoms, although irreversible destructive processes in the most vulnerable organs - the heart, blood vessels, and visual organs - may already begin in the body. Controlling the level of sugar and preventing it from rising to dangerous levels is the most affordable measure for the prevention of diabetes.

In contact with

Classmates

Sometimes an impending disease is nevertheless “declassified”, and when blood sugar is elevated, it signals with quite distinguishable symptoms (signs). These manifestations are almost the same in representatives of opposite sexes.

It is believed that diabetes mellitus is more dangerous for its consequences for women than for men, since the former lose their sight faster, lose their emotional balance, and turn into “hysterical persons”. They are much more likely to have complications from the genitourinary system. Strong thirst (polydipsia), increased appetite against the background of rapid weight loss, increased diuresis, dry mucous membranes - these are the symptoms that a woman has with high sugar.

The first sign of high blood sugar in men is usually an increase in urine output (polyuria). The consequence of frequent urination is the gradual dehydration of the body, which entails irresistible thirst. These are the most characteristic signs of high blood sugar, which are symptoms in men. In addition, obesity or, conversely, weight loss, irritability or lethargy, prolonged suppuration of wounds and increased fatigue can be observed.

The main symptoms of diabetes

Signs of a spike

With a sudden and sharp increase in blood sugar, usually occurring as an initial symptom of type 1 diabetes, the patient's condition is life-threatening. It is accompanied by:

sudden onset of fatigue;
increased heart rate;
drop in blood pressure;
often - epigastric pain;
blurred vision;
dry skin, tongue and mucous membranes;
the smell of acetone from the oral cavity;
skin itching;
drowsiness, inhibition of reflexes, fainting.

Both the sick person and the people around him should know what to do in circumstances where sugar is elevated, especially if it happened abruptly.

What does it rise from?

Elevated significantly higher, manifested by characteristic symptoms, is called hyperglycemia. To understand how to treat this condition, it is necessary to find the cause of hyperglycemia. Not always high sugar levels indicate the onset of diabetes, but this factor is at the top of the list of reasons for the increase in this indicator. Other factors that increase blood sugar include:

beriberi with a deficiency of biotin, vitamin B7;
malnutrition, gluttony (often with bulimia nervosa, manifested by an uncontrolled passion for satiety);
drug therapy with corticosteroids, protease inhibitors, phentamidine, niacin, thiazide diuretics, beta-blockers, some antidepressants, antitumor agents from the group of monoclonal bodies;
non-diabetic hyperglycemia on the background of stress after a stroke or myocardial infarction;
inflammatory, infectious or organ diseases, accompanied by a decrease in insulin resistance of tissues (atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, etc.);
chronic insufficiency of the adrenal cortex.

It is possible to determine exactly why sugar is rising only through careful differential diagnosis, history taking and testing.

What does a high level mean and why is it dangerous?

Let's take a closer look at the issue of high blood sugar. As noted above, when this indicator becomes sharply increased, this means that hyperglycemia has developed and the question arises of how to treat it.

Normally, 2 groups of hormones are involved in the regulation of blood sugar:

insulin is the only hormone that has hypoglycemic (sugar-lowering) properties;
hyperglycemic (increasing sugar) - growth and adrenal hormones (glucocorticosteroids), glucagon.

Insulin, to a greater or lesser extent, affects all links of metabolic processes in the body, the first of which for him is carbohydrate. This process provides the body with energy for all other functions - blood circulation, respiration, movement, etc. The activation of insulin production by the endocrine cells of the pancreas occurs when the sugar content rises, from which the tissues acquire the ability to absorb this carbohydrate.

Mechanism of action of insulin

What are the levels considered high? To answer this question, let's recall the normal ranges: 3.5–5.5. Indicators that are above the upper limit of the reference range are considered elevated.

Most patients understand that if blood sugar is high, something needs to be done to stabilize it, but few understand the danger of its high level. Sustained elevated plasma sugar potentiates the violation of all types of metabolism:

protein;
fatty;
carbohydrate;
water-salt and mineral.

Having acquired a chronic course, hyperglycemia progresses to diabetes mellitus, which threatens with such multiple organ disorders as:

diabetic angiopathy, including increased fragility and permeability of blood vessels, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, coronary disease, encephalopathy;
diabetic foot syndrome - trophic ulcers, pain in the calf muscles, destruction of the joints and bones of the feet due to circulatory disorders in the lower extremities;
nephropathy - damage to the vessels of the kidneys, with a violation of their functions up to insufficiency (observed in 40-45% of patients after 15-20 years from the diagnosis);
retinopathy - damage to the vessels of the eyes, destruction of the retina and its detachment, leading to loss of vision, is found in 80-95% of patients
polyneuropathy - damage to peripheral nerve endings, leading to impaired sensitivity, chilliness and swelling of the extremities, paresthesia (sensation of "crawling", tingling or burning on the skin), occurs in 75% of patients.

Of all these unpleasant consequences of diabetes, a pathological condition called "diabetic foot" stands out. As a result of progressive damage to the vessels of the extremities and the formation of trophic ulcers, patients develop infection of the soft tissues and purulent-necrotic processes (gangrene), in severe cases leading to amputation of the limb.

Loss of limbs, loss of vision, kidney failure - the list of consequences of diabetes is frightening, but it does not end there.

With a sharp increase in glucose concentration to a dangerous level, a person can fall into a hyperglycemic coma. In some cases, this ends in death. That is why, when sugar levels are high, everything necessary should be done to regulate its concentration in the blood.

Interpretation of glucose content

When talking about blood glucose, it means the same as sugar content, since glucose is the end product of the breakdown of carbohydrates, serving as the most convenient source of energy for the body. To give you an idea of the dangerous levels of blood glucose, let's compare different versions of the results of blood tests for sugar.

Owners of such a result of a blood test for sugar do not have to worry - the value of 5 mmol / l is within the reference values and does not require correction. In units of measurement accepted in many countries of the world - milligrams per deciliter - this figure corresponds to 90 mg / dl.

Test strips for glucometer

An indicator of 6 mmol / l is also normal, but is a borderline value. This means that there is a risk of finding high blood sugar in the future. In international units, the indicator corresponds to 108 mg / dl. If such a value is found, in-depth blood tests may be required.

If the result for sugar is 7 mmol / l, this is an increased glucose, which, as a rule, means a diabetic debut in an adult. In milligrams per deciliter, this is 126 mg/dL. The condition refers to a mild degree of hyperglycemia. Confirmation of diabetes mellitus involves the mandatory passage of additional studies:

blood stress test for glucose tolerance;
for glucose and ketone bodies in the urine;
on insulin and C-peptide in the blood.

The most complete diagnostic picture of diabetes mellitus is given by the analysis of glycated hemoglobin - the average value of sugar in the blood, determined over 3-4 months.

A value of 8 mmol/l (or 144 mg/dl) indicates moderate hyperglycemia and requires immediate action. What a person should do with such results, an endocrinologist, neurologist or therapist will explain, depending on what provoked high sugar.

What to do?

If test results show high blood sugar, this does not necessarily mean that a person needs medication. The decision to prescribe hypoglycemic agents or insulin is the prerogative of a specialist, so the first thing to do when you find characteristic symptoms and an increased sugar concentration is to consult a doctor. All further actions should be coordinated with a medical specialist.

If the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus has already been made, drug therapy is being carried out, and the sugar has nevertheless jumped, all the more so you should resort to the help of your doctor in order to avoid life-threatening situations. Such patients should adhere to the following rules before visiting a doctor:

keep your glucose level under control;
drink more water;
and to a minimum
if glucose is not higher than 14-15 mmol / l, do feasible physical activity;
if the glucose content is above 15 mmol / l, physical activity should be refrained from.

When blood sugar is very high (20-33 mmol / l), and it rises spontaneously, the first thing to do is call an ambulance.

Treatment of hyperglycemia usually consists of a range of comprehensive measures to lower blood glucose levels, improve metabolism, or eliminate the causes of high sugar:

if he was provoked by medication, find an adequate replacement for these drugs that does not have such side effects;
when the cause lies in somatic or other diseases, treat them;
if overeating served as the impetus for the increase, connect the mechanisms of diet regulation ();
to improve metabolism and normalize body weight, individually selected physiotherapy exercises are recommended.

Insulin hormone replacement therapy is prescribed only for diagnosing type 1 diabetes.

The issue of prescribing medicines should not be decided by the sick person on their own - the types of drugs, as well as their dosage, can only be selected by a doctor.

Since glucose is absorbed by the body only through a hormone (insulin), no food or food is possible. Therefore, if intensive glycemic control is necessary, one should rely exclusively on the postulates of evidence-based medicine. To effectively control blood sugar, medicine uses a number of antidiabetic, or hypoglycemic agents:

insulin preparations intended for intramuscular injection;
meglitinides - active ingredients nateglinide, repaglinide;
alpha-glucosidase inhibitors - miglitol, acarbose;
thiazolidinediones - pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, diaglitazone, etc.;
biguanides - metformin, buformin;
sulfonylurea derivatives - glipizide, gliquidone, chlorpropamide, etc.

The drugs listed below insulin are for oral use in type II diabetes.

Due to a hormonal imbalance in women in position, a special kind of hyperglycemia can develop - gestational diabetes. At the same time, glycemia remains normal on an empty stomach, but rises sharply after eating. Such drops in blood sugar are unsafe for the intrauterine development of the fetus, as they can be complicated by abnormalities of the brain and cardiovascular system in the child. In order to detect pathology in advance, pregnant women are shown a glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks.

No special preparations should be made for the procedure for taking a blood sample for sugar. The analysis is taken on an empty stomach, you can’t have breakfast on the day of blood donation. A few days before the procedure - the usual diet, habitual lifestyle, and preferably - do not starve, so as not to provoke a false increase in glucose due to its compensatory production by the liver. Restrictions apply only to actions on the eve of taking blood samples:

do not eat or drink sugary drinks 8-10 hours before donating blood;
limit physical and emotional stress 2-3 hours before the procedure;
on the day of the test, do not eat, you can drink, but only clean water.

Any other drinks (tea, juice) drunk before a visit to the laboratory can distort the results of the analysis.

A home meter is useful for monitoring blood sugar. Today, portable glucometers for private use are popular. These devices are equipped with a glucose oxidase biosensor capable of calculating blood glucose levels (glycemia) within seconds. There are several types of glucometers from the first to the latest generations. Complete with the measuring apparatus, as a rule, there are additional means of manipulation - scarifiers for finger puncture, semi-automatic syringe pens for dosed administration of insulin, replaceable cartridges with the active substance. There are devices that measure blood sugar levels without a puncture.

Useful video

The video will talk about the need for an integrated approach to the problem of high blood sugar:

Conclusion

Elevated much above normal blood sugar is called hyperglycemia.
The causes of hyperglycemia can be disorders of carbohydrate metabolism and hormonal balance, somatic, endocrine and infectious diseases, taking certain medications, chronic overeating.
Treatment of hyperglycemia is a complex of measures, including drug therapy, diet and lifestyle improvement.

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Symptoms of high blood sugar in women may indicate not only the development of diabetes. Throughout life, the female body undergoes a number of dramatic changes. The perinatal period and childbirth, possible termination of pregnancy (artificial or spontaneous), premenopausal period, menopause, all this, one way or another, affects the health of the hormonal system.

In addition, according to statistics, women are more prone to obesity, which is one of the causes of hyperglycemia (high sugar). An incorrect approach to the fight against extra pounds can also disrupt the stability of glucose levels in the body. Due to hormonal disruptions, the body is able to respond inadequately to the production of its own hormone insulin and glucose supplied with food. Thus, a violation of carbohydrate metabolism develops, against the background of which blood sugar levels increase.

Blood sugar levels for women

Normative indicators for women of reproductive age should be within the range of 3.3 to 5.5 mmol / l (millimoles per liter - the value adopted in Russia for fixing sugar indicators). Depending on age, sugar values increase slightly. This is not a pathology, since it is due to an age-related decrease in tissue sensitivity to insulin.

Predicted increase in glycemia in women

In the perinatal period, blood sugar in women can increase due to an increase in the level of steroid hormones that inhibit the production of insulin at the cellular level. Also, the cause of an increase in glucose levels may be a temporary insulin resistance that occurs due to an excessive load on the pancreas in the process of providing the fetus with nutrition. With consistently high sugar levels, a pregnant woman is assigned an additional examination to determine gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

The increase in indicators during menopause is also associated with a change in the synthesis and absorption of hormones. At the age of 50+, the functionality of the ovaries for the production of sex hormones progesterone and estrogen, as well as thyroid hormones, decreases in a woman. The sex hormone estradiol is replaced by estrone, which is synthesized by fat cells. There is an involuntary deposition of fat. Insulin synthesis, on the contrary, increases.

With such a hormonal imbalance, it becomes difficult for the body to keep metabolic processes under control. A woman is actively gaining weight, which serves as a trigger for the development of type 2 diabetes. In most cases, diabetes during menopause is provoked by obesity. To detect diabetes mellitus, a comprehensive laboratory diagnosis is carried out, including several tests.

Laboratory manifestations

When conducting basic blood microscopy for quantitative sugar content, venous or capillary blood is analyzed, which the patient donates on an empty stomach. This is the main condition for obtaining objective data, since when processing any food, the level of glucose in the blood increases.

Important! A single increase in sugar indicators requires re-analysis. With stable hyperglycemia, an extended diagnosis is prescribed.

Additional tests include glucose tolerance testing (GTT), blood levels of HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin). The glucose tolerance test is aimed at determining the degree of its absorption by the body. If the values deviate from the norm, a woman is diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition. Testing consists of two blood draws:

on an empty stomach:
two hours after loading.

The load is an aqueous solution of glucose in the ratio of 75 g of the substance per 200 ml of water. The results obtained are compared with the table of standard indicators. Glycated (glycosylated) hemoglobin is a "sweet protein" that is formed by the interaction of hemoglobin and glucose. HbA1C analysis determines the retrospective content of sugar in the blood, evaluating the time period of 120 days elapsed.

Norm and deviations

A slight age-related increase in indicators is the norm. The borderline state, when sugar levels are overestimated, but “do not reach” diabetic ones, indicates the development of prediabetes. It is not classified as a separate disease, but it poses a real threat of degeneration into true non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes. Early detection of prediabetes is reversible without medical treatment.

To stop the development of endocrine pathology (diabetes mellitus) according to the second type, changes in eating behavior and lifestyle help. The frequency of scheduled examinations for sugar is determined by the terms of mandatory medical examination - once every three years. In the perinatal period, the expectant mother is tested during each screening.

Obese people, as well as menopausal women (50+), are advised to control sugar annually. Hyperglycemia rarely manifests itself suddenly and pronouncedly. A woman's ailments are attributed to fatigue, pregnancy, menopause, etc., while prediabetes or true diabetes, which occurs in a latent form, actually develops.

Feeling unwell is a reason to seek medical help and find out your blood sugar levels

Symptoms to look out for

Signs by which high blood sugar levels can be suspected can manifest themselves with different intensity. The primary symptom is most often polydipsia, or a persistent feeling of thirst. Glucose molecules attract moisture to themselves, so when they are in excess, dehydration (dehydration) occurs. In an effort to make up for the lack of fluid, the body constantly requires its replenishment from the outside.

Important! Constant thirst, not associated with the use of salty foods, is an alarming sign of hyperglycemia.

An equally important symptom, which many women do not attach importance to, is rapid physical fatigue. Decreased ability to work and tone, general weakness arise due to insulin resistance. Tissues and cells lose the ability to fully perceive and use insulin, as a result of which they are left without glucose, the main source of nutrition and energy. This also includes drowsiness that occurs after eating.

The food eaten is broken down into its constituent nutrients, while the resulting glucose accumulates in the blood, and is not consumed as an energy resource. A woman does not have enough strength for physical and mental activity. Deficiency of brain nutrition entails a violation of neuropsychological stability, insomnia appears at night. Thus, dysania (sleep disorder) occurs, when you want to sleep during the day, but you can’t fall asleep at night. This provokes a feeling of chronic fatigue.

Other symptoms of hyperglycemia include:

Pollakiuria (frequent urge to urinate). With an abundance of glucose and a violation of its proper absorption, the process of reverse absorption of fluid by the renal apparatus slows down, therefore, the volume of urine output increases. Constant quenching of thirst also causes rapid emptying of the bladder.
Frequent headaches caused by increased blood pressure (BP). Due to the interaction of a large amount of sugar and water, the composition of the blood changes and its normal circulation is disturbed. There is a process of destruction of the smallest capillaries. Given the unstable functioning of the kidneys, the body cannot cope with the load, which leads to a hypertonic reaction.
Polyphagia (increased appetite). The feeling of satiety, neuroendocrine activity of the brain and homeostasis of the body are regulated by a small area of the brain called the hypothalamus. Control is carried out by the quantity and quality of insulin produced by the pancreas. Due to insufficient production of the hormone or the inability of cells to fully perceive and implement it, the hypothalamus loses the ability to control appetite.
Hyperkeratosis (decrease in the protective and regenerative qualities of the skin, and thickening of the stratum corneum of the skin on the feet). A high concentration of sugar and an excess of ketone bodies (poisonous products of glucose metabolism) lead to a loss of elasticity of the epidermis, the skin becomes thin and dry. Due to a violation of the outflow of tissue fluid, the skin loses its regenerative qualities. Even minor injuries (scratches, abrasions) are scarred for a long time and are easily infected by pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, a process of suppuration develops, which is difficult to treat.
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). High blood sugar negatively affects the work of the central nervous system (central nervous system) and the autonomic system. The regulation of heat transfer and the work of the sweat glands are disturbed. This symptom is especially pronounced in women during menopause.
Systematic colds and viral infections. Frequent illnesses are caused by a decrease in immunity. Inadequate work of the body's defenses is associated with a lack of vitamin C. According to its chemical structure, ascorbic acid is similar to glucose, therefore, with hyperglycemia, one substance is replaced by another and the cells of the immune system mistakenly begin to use glucose instead of vitamin C.
Vaginal infections (candidiasis, vaginal dysbiosis). Against the background of hyperglycemia and low immunity, the homeostasis of the vaginal microflora is disturbed, the pH of the mucous membrane shifts to the alkaline side.
OMMC (disorders of the ovarian-menstrual cycle). The irregularity of menstruation is associated with a general imbalance of the hormonal background of a woman.

Failure to manage eating behavior leads to overeating and weight gain

External manifestations of elevated sugar levels are a change in the structure of nails and hair, the appearance of age spots on the face. Disturbed metabolism prevents the normal absorption of micro and macro elements and vitamins, which provokes fragility of the nail plates and hair. If we neglect the primary signs of high sugar, then the symptoms of CNS destabilization join in the future:

psycho-emotional instability and unmotivated irritability;
deterioration of visual perception;
memory disorder;
distraction;
ataxia (impaired coordination);
asthenia (neuro-psychological weakness).

Somatic manifestations of progressive deterioration in health include:

decreased sensory (sensitivity);
uncontrolled muscle contractions of the lower extremities (convulsions);
paresthesia (numbness of the legs);
increased heart rate (tachycardia);
joint pain not associated with inflammatory diseases of the skeletal system (arthralgia);
spider veins on the legs (telangiectasia) and itchy skin;
decreased libido (sex drive).

In the future, hyperglycemia becomes dangerous for the reproductive system of women. Hormonal failure interferes with the natural ability to conceive a child. As diabetes progresses, numerous complications develop, classified into acute, chronic, and late. The instability of glycemia at the initial stage of the disease carries the risk of an acute condition called a diabetic crisis.

Symptoms of acute complications in unstable glycemia

A diabetic crisis is a forced change in the state in which the concentration of glucose in the blood drops sharply (hypoglycemic crisis) or increases sharply (hyperglycemic complication).

Hypoglycemic crisis

The critical sugar level is 2.8 mmol/l on an empty stomach. With these indicators, the patient has the following symptoms:

tremor, otherwise trembling (involuntary rapid contraction of muscle fibers);
inappropriate behavior (anxiety, irritability, fussiness, back reactions to external stimuli);
ataxia;
decreased visual acuity;
dysfunction of the speech apparatus (weaving speech);
hyperhidrosis;
pallor and cyanosis (cyanosis) of the skin;
increase in blood pressure and heart rate (heart rate);
loss of consciousness (short-term or prolonged fainting).

Acute complications of diabetes can lead to coma

Hyperglycemic crisis

It has three main forms (hyperosmolar, lactic acid, ketoacidotic). Symptoms of a hyperosmolar crisis: dehydration of the body against the background of polydipsia and pollacuria, skin itching, dizziness, loss of strength (physical weakness). The lactic acid crisis is characterized by the following symptoms: rapid loose stools (diarrhea), heaviness of the epigastric (pituitary) region, reflex ejection of stomach contents (vomiting), noisy and deep breathing (Kussmaul breathing), a sharp decrease in blood pressure, loss of consciousness.

The ketoacidotic form of the crisis is manifested by symptoms: polydipsia and pollakiuria, asthenia, decreased body tone and physical capabilities (weakness), lethargy and sleep disturbance (drowsiness), smell of ammonia from the oral cavity, nausea and vomiting, Kussmaul breathing.

Important! In a state of a sharp change in the concentration of glucose in the blood, the patient needs urgent medical attention. The crisis carries the risk of developing diabetic coma and death.

Diabetes mellitus is an incurable disease. The initial stage of the disease can be asymptomatic, so you need to be attentive to your health, listening to the slightest changes in well-being. Regular monitoring of sugar indicators is a chance to detect the development of the disease in a timely manner.

A high glycemic index or a sudden increase in the amount of dextrose in the circulatory system causes a pathology such as xerostomia, with the regular occurrence of which a man or woman must be concerned about their condition, find out additional signs of high blood sugar and make an appointment with a therapist for advice. Symptoms of high blood sugar are alarming prerequisites for diseases of the endocrine system and violations of its functions.

What is high blood sugar

High dextrose content is a dangerous situation in which the concentration of a substance exceeds the norm. The main reasons for this change can be insulin-dependent or independent diabetes mellitus, endocrine system dysfunction, overweight problems, alcoholism, and smoking. Without proper treatment, hyperglycemia will lead to ketoacidosis, microangiopathy, reduced immunity, and in especially severe cases, to hyperglycemic coma. According to statistical studies, endocrinologists were able to establish the normal range before and after eating foods:

Diabetes mellitus is the main disease associated with an increase in glucose due to a small amount of insulin. This dangerous disease can be acquired or hereditary. Diabetes is accompanied by a decrease in the ability to heal wounds, which can lead to the formation of ulcers, and then trophic ulcers. In relation to type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, hormonal drugs are used, which, thanks to insulin, reduce the level of dextrose.

Symptoms of high blood sugar

Problems with the urinary system, abnormalities in the work of the stomach, deterioration of the brain, weight loss, emotional instability - all this makes up the main symptomatology of an increased level of dextrose. It is important to know how this disease manifests itself at the beginning of its development in order to start the correct treatment in time. Signs of high blood sugar in adults are a signal to contact a qualified physician in the near future.

First signs

The first symptoms of high blood sugar are determined by a sharp dryness of the oral mucosa and viscous saliva, since glucose has the ability to remove water from cells. Further, excess fluid enters the extracellular space, begins to be actively filtered by the kidneys, which causes frequent urination (polyuria). Water after leaving the cells can no longer nourish them, which will cause deterioration of the hair or the development of skin diseases. Without proper drug therapy, the condition can worsen at times, leading to the death of the patient.

Feeling good with high blood sugar

The patient feels the first signs of high blood sugar - tingling in the hands, it becomes difficult for him to concentrate his attention on anything for a long time. There may be disturbances in sexual activity and vision. A person with an increased glycemic index experiences constant thirst and hunger, thereby provoking weight gain and swelling of the limbs. Excess glucose in the body affects the incorrect functioning of the membranes of the brain, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system.

Symptoms of high blood sugar

A spontaneous increase in sugar causes dehydration, furunculosis, polyphagia (increased appetite), erethism, and weakness. At night, the amount of urination increases. In addition, excess glucose is accompanied by constant fatigue, skin itching and recurrence of infections of various etiologies. Feeling of numbness and muscle spasms of the lower extremities are characteristic symptoms of hyperglycemia.

How does high blood sugar manifest?

Like any pathological condition, hyperglycemia is accompanied by clinical as well as psychosomatic symptoms. By the appearance of a person and his behavior, one can make assumptions about the disease of diabetes mellitus. The patient is constantly irritated, prone to causeless anxiety, and without proper treatment, acute psychoses and schizophrenia can develop. Shortness of breath, an unnaturally pale face, the smell of acetone, and being overweight are clear signs of problems with glucose. In accordance with gender and age, characteristic signs of high blood sugar may appear.

Among women

Representatives of the weaker sex in the modern world are forced to work constantly, so they rarely attach importance to changes in well-being. Candidiasis is the most common of the signs indicating problems with glycemic balance, which is initially mistaken for a separate disease. Latent types of diabetes are manifested by hypertrichosis of the body, due to the fact that hormones cannot be adequately synthesized by the endocrine glands. There is gestational diabetes, called gestational diabetes, which leads to overdevelopment of the fetus and problems with childbirth.

In men

In addition to the general clinical manifestations, men with high sugar suffer from impotence. Problems with hormonal balance and dextrose levels are the main prerequisites for male infertility and an increase in estrogen. Signs of high blood sugar in men are more blurred than the symptoms of high blood sugar in women, due to the peculiarities of the genitourinary and hormonal systems.