Hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, is a metabolic disorder that can be caused by a number of factors. Most people with diabetes will experience some sort of hypoglycemia at some point in their life.
People without diabetes can also experience hypoglycemia due to drug overdose or malnutrition. As nurses, we are constantly evaluating our clients for signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and taking appropriate steps to remedy the situation.
Clients with type 1 diabetes typically have frequent hypoglycemic episodes as they regulate their insulin intake manually. People with type 2 diabetes may not have any episodes due to the overproduction of insulin in the body.
Identifying the difference between alcoholic pseudoadipsis (APA) and Type 2 Diabetes can be difficult, as some symptoms overlap. APA is when a person experiences symptoms similar to Type 2 Diabetes, but does not have any underlying blood glucose issue.
This article will discuss signs and symptoms of both disorders and how to appropriately respond to each one.
Shaking
A hypoglycemic client may exhibit signs and symptoms of shakiness or trembling. This can be due to anxiety, low blood glucose levels, or low blood glucose levels combined with too much alcohol.
If a client reports symptoms of anxiety accompanied by these signs and symptoms, then they can be assumed to have low blood glucose levels. If the client does not report anxiety, then their level of comfort can be assessed.
If they appear uncomfortable or are shifting around a lot, then they may have low blood glucose levels. If they appear calm and comfortable, then additional assessment is needed to determine if they have low blood glucose levels or not.
Assessing their mood can also help determine if they have hypoglycemia. If they are acting irritable or aggressive, then they may have low blood glucose levels. If they are acting normal, then further assessment is needed.
Anxiety
When a person has hypoglycemia, they may experience symptoms of anxiety. This is a very common symptom that people with diabetes report.
Anxiety is a problem for many people with diabetes, especially those using insulin. Because insulin lowers the glucose in the blood, if a person has too little insulin in their system, they will have too little glucose in their blood.
People with diabetes have to learn how to manage this anxiety and keep their glucose level in the normal range. The best way to do this is by having education and support from nurses and doctors who understand diabetes.
Anxiety can be hard to recognize in people with diabetes because they are used to feeling some low level of anxiety all the time. A nurse can help identify and address this issue when it arises.
Irritability
When a person with diabetes experiences hypoglycemia, they may become irritable, angry, or agitated. This is a sign that their blood glucose levels are too low.
People with diabetes often learn how to check their glucose levels themselves. Most people who have diabetes have a glucometer that they can use to check their blood glucose level.
Others have to go to the doctor or hospital to get their blood glucose level checked. An easy way for nurses to check if someone with diabetes has hypoglycemia is by asking if they have checked their blood glucose level themselves.
If the answer is yes, then you can confidently tell them that they have hypoglycemia because you know that they know their blood glucose level.
Slow speech
When hypoglycemia occurs, the individual can experience slow speech. This is a sign that the glucose levels in the blood are low.
Individuals with diabetes may experience some confusion when their glucose levels are low. This is a serious sign and individuals should always check their glucose level if they feel confused.
People with diabetes know how to check their own glucose level, but anyone can experience hypoglycemia so this tip is important for everyone to know.
Individuals with diabetes use a device to check their glucose level in their blood. When the device says your blood sugar is low, you should trust it! It has been tested and proven to be accurate.
Anyone can have an incident of hypoglycemia so everyone should be aware of the signs and how to treat it.
Dizziness
When a person’s blood glucose levels are too low, he or she may experience symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and fainting. These are all signs that the body needs more glucose.
Confusion can be due to many factors, but is most commonly linked to abnormal glucose metabolism. People with diabetes who manage their condition through lifestyle changes, medication, and frequent monitoring of their glucose see fewer cases of confusion than those who do not monitor as often.
Dizziness can also be caused by other factors such as vitamin B12 deficiency or alcoholism. Therefore, checking if the client has had any previous symptoms of these conditions can help determine if the client is experiencing dizziness due to low blood glucose.
Preventing hypoglycemia requires constant monitoring of blood glucose and adequate amounts of insulin or other medications. A nurse would expect to find signs and symptoms of dizziness on a client with hypoglycemia.
Loss of concentration
If a client is experiencing hypoglycemia, you should expect to find loss of concentration as a sign or symptom of hypoglycemia. When glucose levels are low, the brain cannot process information as efficiently.
Clients may find it difficult to understand what you are telling them or to understand what information they receive from others. They may also have difficulty concentrating on their own thoughts or on doing something specific.
This is a sign that needs to be taken seriously and checked out by medical professionals. If someone is aware that they have difficulty concentrating when they have hypoglycemia, they should tell their doctor. They could then be given tips on how to cope with the lack of concentration when this happens.
Prevention tips include having a small meal before doing any strenuous activities and keeping snacks handy in case you feel symptoms of hypoglycemia after eating.
Memory loss
A client experiencing hypoglycemia may exhibit signs and symptoms such as memory loss. This can be either short-term or long-term memory that is affected.
Individuals with diabetes often have a plan for what to do if their blood glucose levels become too low. Some of these steps include eating a snack prepared with a certain amount of carbohydrates, drinking water, and contacting a doctor or medical professional.
If the individual with diabetes does not have a prepared plan, then the nurse can help them with this by providing them with information about what to do when their blood glucose levels are too low.
The nurse can also check the individual’s urine for ketone bodies to determine if they are entering diabetic ketoacidosis. If this is detected, then the nurse can inform the individual’s doctor so they can take appropriate action.
Headache
A headache is one of the most common signs of hypoglycemia. Many people experience headaches on a regular basis, so a client may not associate it with low blood sugar levels.
People with diabetes often report that their headaches are more severe than people who do not have diabetes. This is likely due to increased awareness of blood glucose levels.
A client may feel a slight headache starting, but may not associate it with hypoglycemia until other signs and symptoms appear. By that time, it may be too late to correct the situation!
Many people with diabetes check their blood glucose levels at different times of the day, which can help prevent this confusion.
Remember that a normal blood glucose level does not prevent headaches or other symptoms of hypoglycemia. A nurse checking your blood glucose level at any point in the day will not show any signs of hypoglycemia unless you have checked your own and reported it.
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