Elevated Blood Glucose Levels: Triggers, Signs, and Mitigation Strategies
In the management of diabetes, maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial to prevent severe long-term health complications. These complications, which often develop gradually over many years, can be life-altering and potentially life-threatening.
Regular exercise and a low glycemic index (GI) diet can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Exercise, when done consistently, uses up some of the excess blood glucose, while a low GI diet with strict portion sizes can help reduce the risk of blood sugar spikes. However, high-intensity exercise can lead to physical stress and blood sugar spikes, so it is advisable to engage in regular exercise instead.
Some medications, such as corticosteroids, diuretics, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, can raise blood sugar levels. If a strict medication and diet regimen does not prevent blood sugar spikes from occurring, a person should consult their prescribing doctor for potential adjustments to their prescription.
A range of pumps and smart pumps are available to provide continual, timed doses of insulin. These devices can respond to blood sugar spikes and work as an artificial pancreas when connected to a continuous glucose monitor. Manual inputs are still necessary during meals with the use of pumps.
People with type 1 diabetes will need to take supplemental insulin on a lifelong basis, and they use insulin pumps more commonly than those with type 2 diabetes. People with any type of diabetes must regularly monitor and manage their blood glucose levels to prevent spikes.
Sleep problems can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, and stress causes hormones that glucose and reduce the effectiveness of insulin, leading to blood sugar spikes. Keeping track of blood sugar levels, knowing when to call the doctor or seek emergency care, and recording blood sugar levels in a journal can help manage blood sugar spikes.
Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. This risk is heightened due to the damage high blood sugar levels inflict on blood vessels and nerves. High blood sugar can also cause diabetic nephropathy, a progressive kidney disease that may result in kidney failure, diabetic retinopathy, potentially leading to vision loss and blindness, diabetic neuropathy, causing nerve damage, foot complications like ulcers, infections, and in severe cases, amputations, cognitive decline, and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
In some cases, unchecked hyperglycemia can lead to complications like nerve damage, vision loss, kidney damage or failure, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and even death. Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) occurs when the body continues to produce insulin but the hormone does not work well or at all, leading to extreme dehydration, coma, and even death. High levels of ketones in the blood, a potential complication of uncontrolled diabetes, can cause symptoms such as fruity-smelling breath, shortness of breath, dry mouth, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and confusion.
People with one or more risk factors for high blood sugar may wish to consult a doctor to discuss their blood glucose levels. Native American, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and African American people are more at risk of high blood sugar than white people. People without diabetes can also experience blood sugar spikes due to factors like obesity, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a history of gestational diabetes, improper dosage or timing of diabetes medication, a sedentary lifestyle, the use of certain medications, and significant emotional stress.
References: [1] American Diabetes Association. (2021). Diabetes Care. [2] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Diabetes. [3] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS). [4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Diabetes.
- Maintaining stable blood sugar levels in diabetes is essential to prevent severe long-term health complications that can be life-altering and potentially life-threatening.
- Regular exercise and a low glycemic index (GI) diet can assist in maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
- High-intensity exercise can lead to physical stress and blood sugar spikes, so regular exercise is advisable.
- Some medications, such as corticosteroids, diuretics, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, can increase blood sugar levels.
- A person should consult their prescribing doctor for potential adjustments to their prescription if a strict medication and diet regimen does not prevent blood sugar spikes.
- A range of pumps and smart pumps provide continual, timed doses of insulin and respond to blood sugar spikes, working as an artificial pancreas when connected to a continuous glucose monitor.
- People with type 1 diabetes will need to take supplemental insulin on a lifelong basis, and they use insulin pumps more commonly than those with type 2 diabetes.
- Sleep problems and stress can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, and regular monitoring and management of blood glucose levels are necessary.
- Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, foot complications, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia.
- Unchecked hyperglycemia can lead to complications like nerve damage, vision loss, kidney damage or failure, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and even death.
- Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) occurs when the body continues to produce insulin but the hormone does not work well or at all, leading to extreme dehydration, coma, and even death.
- High levels of ketones in the blood, a potential complication of uncontrolled diabetes, can cause symptoms such as fruity-smelling breath, shortness of breath, dry mouth, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and confusion.
- People with one or more risk factors for high blood sugar, such as Native American, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and African American people, or those without diabetes but with factors like obesity, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a history of gestational diabetes, improper dosage or timing of diabetes medication, a sedentary lifestyle, the use of certain medications, and significant emotional stress, may wish to consult a doctor to discuss their blood glucose levels.
- Regular fitness and exercise, proper nutrition, and science-based medical care and management are essential for people with various health-and-wellness conditions like diabetes, asthma, migraines, multiple sclerosis, depression, Alzheimer’s, dermatitis, and COPD to maintain their health and well-being, and fit persons can benefit from the same approach to live a healthy life.
