Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar which occurs when an abnormally high amount of glucose circulates in the blood. This condition can occur due to many varying factors and is a common problem with diabetes patients. Hyperglycemia can be dangerous if not taken care of, but luckily there are a few telltale symptoms to watch for in advance.
Symptoms
There are numerous symptoms associated with hyperglycemia. The most common symptoms are pronounced hunger, excessive thirst and excessive urination. Other common ones are blurred vision, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, weight loss, poor wound healing, headaches, rapid breathing, abnormal heart beat, dry mouth or itchy skin. While these are all common signs of hyperglycemia, other diseases or conditions have similar symptoms so precaution needs to be taken to correctly diagnose hyperglycemia.
Long-term Effects
If prolonged symptoms are ignored, hyperglycemia can turn into more serious problems. Kidney, neurological and cardiovascular damage may develop and remain indefinitely due to the chemical imbalances created by excess glucose in the body’s system. Permanent loss of vision is another example of detrimental effects from hyperglycemia.
Causes
Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of hyperglycemia. In this disease, an insufficient amount of insulin is created by the body. Insulin converts the glucose in the blood to the storage form glycogen, but without the proper amount of insulin high amounts of glucose remain in the blood. Other causes of hyperglycemia can be eating too much food, exercising too little, stress, illness, strenuous physical activity or the use of some medications.
Treatment
While the treatment of hyperglycemia depends on the underlying cause, there are some relatively easy ways to lower blood sugar levels in general. Drinking more water, exercising, changing eating habits, and altering your medications may provide easy and quick fixes to hyperglycemia. It should be noted, however, that in certain cases of diabetes, there can be a build up of ketones which are broken down fat waste that can accumulate in the body. In the presence of such ketones, exercise should be avoided.
Prevention
Whether or not the cause of hyperglycemia is caused by diabetes, preventive measures can be taken to avoid the unpleasant symptoms and effects of this condition. A healthy meal plan, regular exercise program and plenty of fluids are often enough to prevent the onset of hyperglycemia. Those with diabetes mellitus should carefully monitor their insulin levels and follow their medication schedule as well.