This happens because the body either cannot produce enough insulin to process the sugar in the blood or it cannot use the insulin effectively enough.
What causes hyperglycaemia?
There are several reasons why your blood sugar levels may be too high. It may be that:
- you have missed a dose of your medication
- you have eaten more carbohydrates than either your body or medication, or both, can cope with
- you're stressed
- you're unwell from an infection
- you have over-treated a hypo
- your body is reacting to something you may not be aware of.
Overeating and a not moving enough can also lead to high levels of blood sugar. Maintaining high levels of blood sugar makes it even more difficult for your body to produce the insulin needed to process it.
Signs and symptoms of hyperglycaemia
When your blood sugar levels are slightly higher than normal, you will not usually experience any symptoms. But as they rise, symptoms may include:
- passing more urine than normal, especially at night
- being very thirsty
- tiredness and lethargy
- thrush or other recurring bladder and skin infections
- headaches
- blurred vision
- weight loss
- feeling sick.
Symptoms of hyperglycaemia build up slowly over time as your sugar levels rise, meaning you may not notice them until your blood glucose is very high, at which point you should take action straight away to reduce your blood sugar levels.
How to prevent hyperglycaemia and lower your blood sugar levels
Testing your blood sugar levels regularly can help you spot the signs of hyperglycaemia. But there are some steps you can take to either prevent a hyper from happening or to bring down your blood sugar levels.
You can start by making sure you are aware of your carbohydrate portions and how they may be affecting your blood sugar levels after eating. Carb counting is one of the ways you can manage this. Avoid foods that have a high glycemic index (GI) and choose low GI foods that can help manage your blood sugar levels more effectively. Increase the fibre in your diet. This can help slow down carbohydrate digestion, which can help limit the rise in your blood sugars.
Try to maintain a healthy weight as this promotes regular blood sugar levels in the body. Be as active as possible, regular exercise can help your body process more of the sugar.
Remember to take your insulin and other diabetes medication, and always take them correctly. Continue to take your diabetes medication even if you are ill and not eating.
Concentrate on your emotional wellbeing, get a quality night’s sleep and find ways to manage your stress. Stress can cause hormones to be released, which keep your blood sugar levels high.
If your blood sugar levels continue to be high, or you’re unsure of what to do, contact your doctor for further guidance.
Can drinking a lot of water lower your blood sugar levels?
Although feeling very thirsty is a symptom of a hyper, drinking a lot of water will not bring your blood sugar levels down. It will only help to reduce your risk of dehydration.
It’s important that you take your diabetes medication to bring your blood sugar levels down. If you have consistently high blood sugar levels, you will need to follow the advice below and speak to your diabetes healthcare team.
Treating and managing hyperglycaemia
If your blood sugar level is slightly high for a short time, emergency treatment won’t be necessary. But if it continues to rise you may need to act fast to avoid developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
If your blood sugar level is 15 mmol/l or more, you should check your blood or urine for ketones. If ketones are present, it is likely that you do not have enough insulin in your body. This means you may need to increase your dose or give yourself an extra dose. Talk to your diabetes team about how to do this if you are unsure.
You should also try to drink plenty of sugar-free fluids to prevent dehydration. And if you are feeling unwell, especially if you are vomiting, you should follow any ‘sick day rules’ you have been given and contact your diabetes healthcare team for advice.
If you regularly have high blood sugar levels
Having high blood sugar levels regularly is not something you should live with. This is because in the long-term it can increase your risk of developing diabetes complications, such as neuropathy and retinopathy.
If you notice that your blood sugar levels are often high, (above 10mmol) you should contact your diabetes healthcare team. They will review your treatment and provide you with advice on how to get your blood sugar levels back within your target range. This advice may include increasing your medication.
In the video below, Lynsey talks to Khalida about feeling anxious after getting a high blood sugar level reading. If you’re finding it hard to deal with similar feelings, we’ve got information on emotional health that you may find helpful.
1. Give them something sweet to eat or a non-diet drink.
If someone has a diabetic emergency, their blood sugar levels can become too low. This can make them collapse.
Giving them something sugary will help raise their blood sugar levels and improve their bodily function. Avoid giving them a diet drink, as it won’t have any sugar in it and will not help them.
2. Reassure the person. Most people will gradually improve, but if in doubt, call 999.
If you can’t call 999, get someone else to do it.
Watch how to help someone who is having a diabetic emergency (1 minute 47 seconds)
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a medical condition that affects blood sugar levels. Normally, people’s bodies maintain the ideal blood sugar levels automatically. When a person has diabetes, their body fails to maintain the blood sugar balance, so they need to manage it through diet, tablets or insulin injections.
Sometimes, a person who has diabetes can suffer diabetic emergencies, which require first aid.
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What are the signs and symptoms of a diabetic emergency?
Signs and symptoms vary, but common ones include:
- hunger
- clammy skin
- profuse sweating
- drowsiness or confusion
- weakness or feeling faint
- sudden loss of responsiveness.
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What happens in a diabetic emergency?
In most cases, the person’s blood sugar levels become too low. This is called hypoglycaemia. It can happen when the person has missed a meal or exercised too much. If left untreated, a diabetic emergency can become very serious.
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What should I give them to eat or drink?
You can give them sugary drinks such as cola, lemonade, fruit juice and isotonic sports drinks, and sweet foods such as jelly beans, chocolate and sugar cubes. The person may also be carrying glucose gel or tablets. Avoid giving them a diet drink, as it won’t have any sugar in it and will not help them.
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But some people have high blood sugar levels, so won’t giving them sugary drinks or food make their diabetic emergency worse?
Some people do have high blood sugar levels, but giving them sugary drinks or food is unlikely to do any harm.
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How will I know if this is a long-term condition for the person?
They should be able to tell you, so listen to what they say. They may have some form of identification on them (e.g. a card, bracelet or necklace) that will give you information about their condition, or they may be carrying an insulin pen, glucose gel or glucose tablets.
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What should I do if they become unresponsive as a result of a diabetic emergency?
Find out:
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How should I decide when to call 999?
Call 999 if the person’s condition doesn’t improve or they become unresponsive.
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Email us if you have any other questions about first aid for someone having a diabetic emergency.