Showing posts with label Causes of Diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Causes of Diabetes. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Some common causes of diabetic coma

Diabetic coma is a reversible form of coma found in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a medical emergency. In most medical contexts, the term diabetic coma refers to the diagnostically dilemma posed when a physician is confronted with an unconscious patient about whom nothing is known except that he has diabetes.

A diabetic coma is a condition in which a person with diabetes lapses into a coma due to complications relating to diabetes. In most cases, low blood sugar is the primary reason why an otherwise health patient might lapse into a coma as a result of diabetes. However, other conditions, such as ketoacidosis (kEt-O-as-i-'dO-sis) or nonketotic hyperosmolar (non-kE-'tät-ik hahy-per os-moh-ler) coma occur. One should always use blood glucose test meter for knowing blood sugar levels. Because diabetics are frequently at risk for lapsing into an unconscious state, such as a coma, it is important for diabetics to tell their loved ones about their condition. Many diabetics will also have an emergency diabetes test kit on hand so that they can be quickly revived in the event that they lapse into a coma due to low blood sugar levels.

Here are some common causes of diabetic coma:

Hypoglycemia (hahy-poh-glahy-see-mee-uh)

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, especially effects Type 1 diabetics that take insulin syringes in order to control their blood sugar levels. In most cases, one can avoid falling into a low blood sugar coma by simply drinking juice or eating diabetic diet foods with carbohydrates at the first sign of low blood sugar levels.04820-1.jpg

In most cases, diabetics will have low blood sugar levels during sleep, after heavy drinking, after taking medications, diabetic nutritional supplements, or during intense periods of exercise. In order to revive an unconscious hypoglycemic patient, simply inject diabetic strips the individual with glucose in order to elevate the blood sugar back to a normal level.

Ketoacidosis (kEt-O-as-i-'dO-sis) Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs as a result any combination of high blood sugar levels, dehydration, shock and exhaustion. Coma generally occurs after a diabetic is already showing signs of illness, such as vomiting and hyperventilation.

When a patient has early or middle stages of ketoacidosis, he or she will be flushed and have deep, rapid breaths. Once the person lapses into a coma, the breathing will become shallow, the heart rate will increase and the body will become dehydrated. Treatment for ketoacidosis generally involves an intravenous saline drip that includes potassium and other electrolytes that the body needs in order to restore balance.

Nonketotic Hyperosmolar coma (non-kE-'tät-ik hahy-per os-moh-ler)Nonketotic hypersmolar coma is similar to ketoacidosis coma, but is usually accompanied by lethargy rather than signs of a serious illness (such as vomiting). Generally, the condition involves hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) combined with dehydration. Diabetic should use blood sugar meters for testing blood sugar levels. The condition most often occurs in patients that have Type 2 diabetes.Type 2 diabetics often already have signs of dehydration and lethargy, which may make nonketotic hyperosmolar coma difficult to detect before the onset.

Treatment for Nonketotic hyper molar (non-kE-'tät-ik hahy-per os-moh-ler) coma involves a gradual rehydration of the body combined with insulin medications. Use blood glucose monitors and test for Low Blood Sugar and avoid Diabetic Coma.BAL80103-1.jpg

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Friday, September 30, 2011

Have Diabetes? Don't Ignore Your Foot Problems

Peripheral Neuropathy is one of the common side effects of diabetes, which can cause insensitivity, or a loss of sensation in the extremities to feel pain, heat, and cold in a diabetic person. It is very important for a diabetic person to take care of foot related injuries and wear specially designed shoes for diabetic.

Diabetic foot problems have become common throughout the world today. People with diabetes are quite at risk of developing many different foot problems. Even the ordinary foot problem can become painful and can lead to serious complications. Minor injuries can easily become major infections among diabetics so it is always advised not to avoid your foot problems.

Diabetes and foot pain are very closely related, and foot pain can be taken as the warning sign of diabetes. Diabetes can limit blood supply to your feet and cause a loss of feeling. Proper foot care with wearing diabetics shoes is very essential for a diabetic person, as wounds to the feet may take much longer to heal. Therefore, it is very important to prevent them in the first place. So a diabetic person is always advised to do a routine self-inspection of each foot.

As the connection between diabetes and foot problems is clear, there are hundreds of diabetic footwear options available in the market. These diabetic shoes for men are designed in such a way so as to provide complete support to the feet while also helping in improving the circulation and blood flow. Choosing and wearing proper fit diabetic shoe, complete with custom insoles, can prevent the feet from injuries and further irritation. By wearing diabetic shoes on a regular basis, you can make sure that your feet won't have complications in the future. Diabetic footwear plays an important role in helping your feet, even if you are taking good care of your health getting your sugar levels checked regularly.

A healthy diet along with regular exercises with men's & women's diabetic shoes is vital for all the diabetic people in order to improve one's cardiovascular health, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Always remember that making some small changes in your life if you have diabetes can surely help you to reduce your blood sugar levels for a longer run.

You should consume diabetes specific food available in the market that can help you in reducing the impact of diabetes by helping to regulate your blood sugar. You are also advised to have a carbohydrates free diet to prevent diabetes in the future. A healthy eating plan, exercise and medication on the regular basis can help a diabetic person live a healthy, happy and fit lifestyle.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Tobacco smoke and diabetes are happy companions

Tobacco and diabetes I'm Deborah Susan, a dietician and personal trainer specializing in nutrition and physical fitness for diabetics. I've written over three dozen blogs covering various aspects of diabetes including symptoms, monitoring, explaining glycaemic index, carbohydrate counting, and correlation between body weight, lifestyle and diabetes and so on.

The other day one of my clients walked into my clinic with a half smoked cigarette in his hand. He put it out as he walked in but I used the opportunity to talk to him about the effect of cigarette smoke on his family members. He said he smokes inside the house only during winter. During other times of year he smokes a single cigarette after dinner while relaxing in the porch. "What about other family members?" I asked. "Well, we all sit in the porch and discuss something or the other" he admitted sheepishly.

The problem with cigarette smoke is that it induces type 2 diabetes for the smoker as well as those around him. More the smoke greater the risk and this not mere hearsay; research carried out by various government and non-government agencies is quite conclusive, has been well established and has not been disputed even by the cigarette manufacturers. Obviously, due the volume of cigarette smoke entering the lungs, the cigarette smokers are first to get diabetes type II and people inhaling secondhand smoke are next in line.

In the case of women, cigarette smoke presents an even bigger problem. Not only can the smoke induce diabetes, it (diabetes) can also be passed on to any unborn or future child.

For those who quit smoking cigarettes, the probability of getting diabetes is only slightly reduced. The only real solution is to not smoke at all and to avoid second hand smoke effects to whatever extent possible. If you have just started smoking then quit now before your internal organs are permanently impaired. This is not to say that people who have been smoking for many years should not quit. The earlier you quit the less damage your internal organs suffer.

Those who smoke, especially if you smoke in excess of 2 packs of cigarettes a day, and have been doing so for more than a few years, the chances are you will be insulin resistant. Research has also proved conclusively that the risk of diabetes increases with every year you spend smoking or inhaling 2nd hand smoke. And here's the final nail in the coffin for cigarette smoke inhalers: you have an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy.

Patients suffering from Diabetes Type II who are or were heavy smokers, usually also suffer from macrovascular complications, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Also, achieving glycemic control in smokers or ex-smokers suffering from diabetes is always a challenge and requires consultation of senior doctors.

At the end of my short lecture, he said "if I'm certain to get diabetes, what does it matter if I smoke or not?"

Unfortunately it does matter – smoking continues to degrade your internal organs and in the process creates further unnecessary complications. Imagine tobacco and diabetes in combination with lung or throat cancer – do you really want that kind of complication?