A diabetic woman considered "high risk" by authorities is found after going missing. What are the risks of diabetic hypoglycemia?
'High Risk' Missing Person
On Saturday, 58-year-old Kay Williams was reported missing by family members, as she had apparently not been seen since 8 a.m. that day. Authorities immediately searched for the red-haired woman and informed the public of her vehicle and license plate just in case anyone sees her. She was considered a "high risk" missing person as she has diabetes, and family members worried that she might have been suffering from low blood sugar.
Fortunately, authorities reported that Williams has been found and is safe by Saturday evening.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease wherein the patient's blood sugar is too high. With Type 1 diabetes, a patient's pancreas naturally does not produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. It is usually children who are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, but adults may be diagnosed at any age as well.
On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes is the more common type of the disease, and is it marked by the non-production or misuse of insulin. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, this is often associated with obesity and unhealthy lifestyles.
People with diabetes often need to take insulin shots to regulate their blood sugar. Without it, the blood is left with too much glucose. If left untreated, diabetes may lead to serious health conditions.
Diabetic Hypoglycemia
In Kay Williams's case, family members did not specify what kind of diabetes she has, but their worries were more that she might be experiencing low, rather than high, blood sugar levels. Evidently, this condition may occur in patients who are diabetic and are taking insulin or other medications to control blood sugar levels.
The most common causes of low blood sugar include taking diabetes medications at the wrong time or taking too much of it, not eating enough or waiting too long before eating after taking medication, exercising a lot or at an unusual time, drinking alcohol, not checking blood sugar levels, and not adjusting insulin doses before exercising.
Though the danger of diabetes is often associated with blood sugar levels that are too high, having low blood sugar may also pose serious risks as it can cause fainting, seizures, and may even lead to comatose. This is why it's important for patients to regularly check blood sugar levels, and to recognize the signs of low blood sugar such as hunger, crankiness, weakness, shaking, anxiety, blurry vision, and fast or pounding heartbeat.
If blood sugar levels fall below 70 mg/dL, the patient must consume 15 grams of carbohydrates and wait for 15 minutes before eating more. If levels are still too low, the patient may eat another 15 grams of carbohydrates but must be careful not to eat too much. If it still does not improve, the patient must be taken to the hospital to receive proper care.
It's worth noting that a patient must not drive when experiencing low blood sugar.
