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Diabetic coma was a more significant diagnostic problem before the late 1970s, when glucose meters and rapid blood chemistry analyzers were not available in all hospitals. In modern medical practice, it rarely takes more than a few questions, a quick look, and a glucose meter to determine the cause of unconsciousness in a patient with diabetes.
The main risk factor is a history of diabetes mellitus type 2. [4] Occasionally it may occur in those without a prior history of diabetes or those with diabetes mellitus type 1. [3] [4] Triggers include infections, stroke, trauma, certain medications, and heart attacks. [4] Other risk factors: Lack of sufficient insulin (but enough to prevent ...
Diabetic ketoacidosis may be diagnosed when the combination of hyperglycemia (high blood sugars), ketones in the blood or on urinalysis and acidosis are demonstrated. [6] In about 10% of cases the blood sugar is not significantly elevated ("euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis"). [3] A pH measurement is performed to detect acidosis.
Diabetic coma is a medical emergency in which a person with diabetes mellitus is comatose (unconscious) because of one of the acute complications of diabetes: [24] [25] Severe diabetic hypoglycemia Diabetic ketoacidosis advanced enough to result in unconsciousness from a combination of severe hyperglycemia , dehydration and shock , and exhaustion
Chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) injures the heart in patients without a history of heart disease or diabetes and is strongly associated with heart attacks and death in subjects with no coronary heart disease or history of heart failure. [22] Also, a life-threatening consequence of hyperglycemia can be nonketotic hyperosmolar syndrome. [16]
In insulin-dependent diabetic patients this phenomenon is termed hypoglycemia unawareness and is a significant clinical problem when improved glycemic control is attempted. Another aspect of this phenomenon occurs in type I glycogenosis , when chronic hypoglycemia before diagnosis may be better tolerated than acute hypoglycemia after treatment ...
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Symptoms and effects can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on how low the glucose falls and a variety of other factors. It is rare but possible for diabetic hypoglycemia to result in brain damage or death. Indeed, an estimated 2–4% of deaths of people with type 1 diabetes mellitus have been attributed to hypoglycemia. [2] [3]