What happens in a diabetic coma?

If you lapse into a diabetic coma, you're alive — but you can't awaken or respond purposefully to sights, sounds or other types of stimulation. Left untreated, a diabetic coma can be fatal.

Can you come out of a diabetic coma?

An untreated diabetic coma may also result in death. People who receive emergency treatment for a diabetic coma usually recover fully. Your doctor may recommend that you wear a medical identification bracelet that explains the nature of your diabetes and other health concerns.

Are you conscious in a diabetic coma?

In a diabetes-related coma, you're unconscious and unable to respond to your environment. You're either suffering from high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) or low blood glucose (hypoglycemia).

How long does it take for a diabetic to go into a coma?

For people with type 2, a diabetic coma may be caused by either hypoglycemia or very high blood sugar, called diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome. That's when your body tries to get rid of extra sugar by passing it into your urine. Over days or weeks, this can cause life-threatening dehydration and, eventually, a coma.

What does a diabetic coma feel like?

The severe symptoms of uncontrolled blood sugar that can come before a diabetic coma include vomiting, difficulty breathing, confusion, weakness, and dizziness.

Causes of Diabetic Coma

Is death by diabetic coma painful?

DKA is a horrendously painful way to die. It has been well documented that lack of health insurance and lower incomes are associated with higher rates of DKA.

How does diabetic coma cause death?

A diabetic coma results from either very high or very low blood glucose levels. This is a life-threatening complication which causes the patient to fall into a state of unconsciousness. The coma is reversible if treated immediately, but if left untreated they may receive permanent brain damage or potentially die.

What is the main treatment for diabetic coma?

Comas that result from HHS are characterized by severe dehydration and very high blood glucose. Treatment includes rapid administration of insulin to bring down blood sugar levels and correction of dehydration using intravenous fluids. Fluids should be given at least 30 to 60 minutes before insulin.

What does diabetic shock look like?

People experiencing hypoglycemia often experience headaches, dizziness, sweating, shaking, and a feeling of anxiety. When a person experiences diabetic shock, or severe hypoglycemia, they may lose consciousness, have trouble speaking, and experience double vision.

What are the three main diabetic emergencies?

What does a diabetic seizure look like?

To recognize a diabetic seizure, look for symptoms such as staring into space, confusion, muscle weakness, loss of consciousness, or uncontrollable body movements.

How Low Can blood sugar Go before you pass out?

You may become too weak or confused to eat something with sugar to raise your blood sugar level. If your blood sugar level drops very low (usually below 2.8 mmol/L), you may pass out (lose consciousness) or be unable to swallow. Or you may have a seizure or stroke.

What are the warning signs of diabetic ketoacidosis?

What is the difference between diabetic coma and insulin shock?

Diabetic coma is treated with insulin administered intravenously. This lowers the blood sugar level. Insulin shock is caused by too much insulin, a state that leads to hypoglycemia--too little blood sugar.

At what blood sugar level does damage occur?

First, the numbers. “Post-meal blood sugars of 140 mg/dl [milligrams per deciliter] and higher, and fasting blood sugars over 100 mg/dl [can] cause permanent organ damage and cause diabetes to progress,” Ruhl writes.

Can diabetes cause sudden death?

We conclude that diabetes mellitus does appear to be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Although this increased risk is relatively modest, given the large number of diabetic patients worldwide, the absolute number of sudden cardiac deaths attributable to diabetes mellitus remains significant.

How do you get someone out of a coma?

Some people come out of a coma without any mental or physical disability, but most require at least some type of therapy to regain mental and physical skills. They may need to relearn how to speak, walk, and even eat. Others are never able to recover completely.

What happens when your blood sugar drops to 30?

If blood glucose drops really low, the person is not able to function because physical and mental changes occur. They can have seizures or become unconscious. Hypoglycemia is the medical term used when the amount of glucose (sugar) in someone's blood is lower than 70 mg/dL, with symptoms and signs noted above.

What are the 9 signs and symptoms of high blood sugar?

How many days can a diabetic go without insulin?

For people with “traditional” T1D, particularly those diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, to survive without insulin, “they would need to stay on carbohydrate restriction and stay very hydrated,” Kaufman says. But their survival rate is “multiple days, to a few weeks, getting sicker and weaker as time goes on.

What drink lowers blood sugar?

When participants in the study drank one cup of chamomile tea after meals three times per day for six weeks, they showed a reduction in blood sugar levels, insulin, and insulin resistance.

Do diabetics smell?

The fat-burning process creates a buildup of acids in your blood called ketones, which leads to DKA if untreated. Fruity-smelling breath is a sign of high levels of ketones in someone who already has diabetes. It's also one of the first symptoms that doctors look for when they check for DKA.

At what sugar level is diabetic coma?

A diabetic coma could happen when your blood sugar gets too high -- 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or more -- causing you to become very dehydrated. It usually affects people with type 2 diabetes that isn't well-controlled. It's common among those who are elderly, chronically ill, and disabled.

At what blood sugar level does ketoacidosis start?

Diabetes-related ketoacidosis is generally diagnosed if you have the following four conditions: Your blood glucose (sugar) level is above 250 mg/dL. (It's possible for you to be in DKA even if your blood sugar is lower than 250. This is known as euglycemic diabetes-related ketoacidosis [euDKA], and it's not as common.)

What is the 15 15 rule in diabetes?

The 15-15 Rule

Once it's in range, eat a nutritious meal or snack to ensure it doesn't get too low again. If you have low blood sugar between 55-69 mg/dL, you can treat it with the 15-15 rule: have 15 grams of carbs. Check it after 15 minutes. Repeat if you're still below your target range.