What is the danger of blood sugar? Diabetes is a condition of the body characterized by excessively high levels of glucose in the blood. It is one of the causes of diabetes and occurs as a result of insufficient work of the pancreas, when insulin ceases to be produced by the body and, as a result, glucose cannot be absorbed by cells. This applies to type 1 diabetes. The principle of the appearance of type 2 diabetes is somewhat different. It is characterized by normal pancreatic function, but due to some reasons, the cells cease to perceive insulin, the receptors that perceive insulin are damaged.
In our time, we abuse foods containing a large amount of fast carbohydrates. This leads to constant fluctuations in blood glucose levels, which in the future leads to various types of diabetes and its complications. However, there are quite a few reasons for the appearance of diabetes: these are autoimmune processes that occur after an illness, heredity, obesity.
Type I diabetes and glucose metabolism
What is the danger of sugar? ForLet's start with glucose metabolism. When we eat something containing carbohydrates, under the influence of some enzymes contained in saliva and in the intestines, they are split into glucose and water. Glucose is absorbed by the intestines and enters the bloodstream, where, with the help of insulin, it is distributed to all organs of the body. A short-term increase in blood sugar is common. In a normal state, a person's glucose rises after he has eaten tightly, but then gradually decreases to normal values. If there is a systematic increase in blood glucose to large values, mainly due to the consumption of simple carbohydrates, then the load on the pancreas that produces insulin increases, and in the future this leads to the fact that it will not cope with its functions. Insulin insufficiency and hyperglycemia occur, so type 1 diabetes develops.
The reason for the development of diabetes, as already mentioned, may be an attack by the immune system of he althy pancreatic cells, which disrupts its work. Type 1 diabetes is also called insulin dependent, when the patient constantly needs hormonal injections.
Type II diabetes
Type 2 diabetes most often develops in old age due to the general aging of the body. At this age, cholesterol plaques accumulate on the walls of blood vessels and a violation of intracellular metabolism appears. There is a particularly high risk of developing diabetes in the elderly,obese. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a sufficient amount of insulin in the blood, but it does not benefit the body in the absorption of energy by it, because the cells have lost sensitivity to it. Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent.
Insulin doesn't help. Reasons
It also happens that after an injection of insulin, diabetics do not notice a change in their blood glucose levels, it also remains elevated. This is due to a number of reasons which are listed below:
- wrong dosage of insulin;
- not following a diet and ignoring the diet;
- non-compliance with the rules in the storage of the drug;
- bad injection and non-compliance, ignorance of the injection technique;
- treatment of the injection site with an alcohol solution;
- quick removal of the needle immediately after injection.
There are certain rules for the administration of insulin, which must be explained to the patient by his doctor. It is impossible, for example, to immediately remove the syringe after the end of the injection, such an action leads to leakage of insulin. Also, treating the injection site with alcohol reduces the effectiveness of the drug. Store insulin ampoules in the refrigerator. It is also not recommended to give an injection every time in the same place, because over time a skin seal forms on this place, which interferes with the normal absorption of the drug. An increased dose of the drug is fraught with hypoglycemia.
Causes of hyperglycemia
The causes of hyperglycemia include endocrine diseases, when the functionthyroid gland is overactive. This activity is called "thyrotoxicosis".
Also, causes include diseases of the pituitary and hypothalamus and tumors of these glands. In addition, inflammation of the liver and pancreas increases blood sugar.
Increases it and the intake of caffeinated products and medicines containing female hormones: estrogen and glucocorticoids.
More probable causes of increased glucose levels identified. These include malfunctions in the functions of the pancreas, poor nutrition and specific human activities. Risk factors include people who daily include simple sugars in their diet and who have fast food, soda, which immediately causes hyperglycemia. If you go deeper and separate the reasons, you get the following list:
- stress;
- avitaminosis;
- overweight;
- exceeding the allowable level of insulin during injection;
- jumping in body weight;
- age;
- heredity;
- taking hormonal drugs.
Stress has a specific effect. During stress, the human body switches into a state of catabolism, when energy is released through the breakdown of glycogen and fat stores in the body. The state of catabolism is the opposite of anabolism, which means that insulin production is also suspended. This is a normal condition, but with frequent stress, when the body is in a state of catabolism for a long time, the pancreas may malfunction, and infurther production of insulin will stop.
As already mentioned, in some cases, hyperglycemia is a normal condition. For example, right after a person has eaten something, especially something sweet. It can also be observed in athletes during training or intense physical exertion. A number of diseases also cause short-term hyperglycemia - epilepsy, heart attack, angina pectoris.
Children who are allowed excessive and uncontrolled consumption of sweets will also have high sugar levels. Weak immunity, taking certain medications can provoke a state of hyperglycemia.
Diabetes is a hereditary disease. If you had diabetics in your family, then you need to monitor your he alth more scrupulously.
The dangers of high blood sugar
There are indeed reasons for excitement and urgent action. Why is high sugar dangerous? High sugar levels (hyperglycemia), which last for a long time, in general, has a devastating effect on the body. Cellular metabolism in organs and tissues is disrupted.
Why is high sugar dangerous for blood vessels and tissues? The destructive effect of increased glucose levels is experienced by the vessels, peripheral nerves. Ulcers appear on the legs, this can be aggravated by a person's obesity and the specifics of his activity, when he has to stand on his feet for a long time. An infection can join the ulcers, and then gangrene begins. In the absence of timely amputation of the body part wheregangrene has begun, it can spread to he althy tissue.
What is the danger of high sugar for the excretory system? Increased blood glucose over time will lead to diabetic nephropathy, which can result in complete kidney failure. Then you have to put an artificial kidney (hemodialysis) or do a kidney transplant.
What is the danger of increased sugar for the organs of vision? With a high level of glucose, vision also rapidly decreases, complete blindness can occur.
When a glucose level is detected above 15 mol/l, it is worth considering and starting to take measures to lower it, otherwise it will develop into diabetes. High blood sugar will negatively affect the organs: the kidneys, heart and, most importantly, the pancreas.
What is the danger of sugar? When it rises above an acceptable level, the body continues to release energy, drawing it from fat reserves. But during the oxidation of fats, ketone bodies containing acetone also enter the bloodstream, and this is a poison for the body, it circulates with the bloodstream and penetrates into organs and tissues, causing intoxication of the body. In addition, there may be cases of fainting in a person, as well as various disorders in the activity of the heart.
Is blood sugar dangerous? Yes, an increase in blood sugar is dangerous by the appearance of various types of coma. How dangerous is sugar? If the condition does not go into remission, then a hyperglycemic or ketoacytodic coma will occur. The latter is characterized by an increase in the level of ketone bodies in the blood, which cause a state of coma, getting along with the bloodstream intobrain.
What is the danger of sugar for children? Children, as a rule, are immoderate in the consumption of sweets, and if they are not controlled, then in the future this can lead to the early development of diabetes. This is especially true for those children who are hereditarily predisposed to diabetes. These children need constant monitoring and regular testing for blood glucose.
Hyperosmolar coma occurs, as a rule, when glucose exceeds the upper value of 50 mol / l. True, this phenomenon happens in rare cases. Its essence lies in the dehydration of the body, as a result of which the blood thickens in the vessels, and therefore in the vessels of the brain. Blood clots appear that clog the vessels, and blood flow to a certain area stops. Coma states occur.
Lactacidemic coma rarely occurs in humans, unlike hyperosmolar coma, and again it is caused by an even greater increase in blood glucose. Such a coma is caused by an excess accumulation of lactic acid in the blood, which is toxic in itself and causes vasoconstriction and loss of consciousness.
Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis occurs at blood sugar levels above 10 mol/l. The reason for this is that the cells stop receiving nutrients due to insufficient insulin in the blood. The body tries to compensate for energy starvation by breaking down its energy reserves in the form of fat and protein. But during the breakdown of fats, by-products are formed - ketone bodies containing acetone. Getting into the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body, they provoke intoxication of the body.
Symptoms:
- sluggishness;
- alternating frequent urination with anuria;
- acetone smell coming from the mouth and sweat;
- nausea;
- increased irritability;
- presence of drowsiness;
- headache.
Ketoacidosis is treated by injecting insulin and restoring fluid in the patient's body, and the treatment is also by restoring the acid-base balance and replenishing micronutrients.
How dangerous is blood sugar yet? Cancer cells also need active nutrition, just like he althy ones. And a dangerous level of sugar leads to an increased release of insulin and IGF, which metabolize glucose. Therefore, if there are already cancer cells in the body that are in the early stages of development, then the presence of increased energy only stimulates them to grow. Dangerous blood sugar leads to serious consequences, which are then very difficult to deal with.
Optimal sugar levels
Determining the level of sugar in the blood, we determine one of the indicators of our he alth. Blood samples are taken either from a finger or from a vein. Immediately before the procedure, it is forbidden to eat and there should not be excessive physical activity. For men and women, normal glucose levels are identical, but there are amendments regarding the place of blood sampling:
- from a finger - from 3.3 to 5.5 mol/liter;
- from a vein - 4-6 mol/liter.
But if the values are exceededinsignificant, this does not always mean the presence of a deviation. As it was said, if a person took food shortly before the test, then the indicators will shift slightly - up to 8 mol / l.
Which blood sugar is dangerous?
When taking tests on an empty stomach, a value of 5.5 mol / l will also be considered normal, but above 6.5 is a deviation. This will indicate failures in the susceptibility to sugar cells. With such values, it is necessary to take initial measures to lower it in order to exclude the appearance of diabetes in the future. Values above 6.5 mol/L would mean diabetes has already developed.
If you have children, then it is better to take a sugar test with them, it will be a good prevention and suppression of diabetes in the future. For children, the values of the optimal blood glucose level will be slightly lower than for adults. For example, in one-year-old children, the glucose level should be in the range of 2, 2-4, 4 mol / l.
Pregnancy
What is the danger of high sugar during pregnancy? During pregnancy, there are also shifts in sugar levels. Glucose can fluctuate at the level of 3.8-5.8 mol / l, and this will be normal, because. hyperglycemia occurs due to the fact that the child must be provided with adequate nutrition. During pregnancy in women, the upper normal will be 6 mol / l, higher will already mean deviations.
Great difficulties arise already in the first stages of pregnancy. In women with diabetes, there are abnormalities in the functioning of the kidneys and heart, and these organs must work in an increased mode whenpregnancy. So the condition of her baby directly depends on the he alth of a woman.
There is also a high probability of developing pyelonephritis, diseases of the renal pelvis and parenchyma. There is such a definition as diabetic fetopathy - this is the totality of all the deviations of the child. Diabetes affects the size of the unborn fetus and its weight, it will reach 4-4.5 kg, which will damage the mother's genitals.
Complications
Why is sugar dangerous for other organs? Diabetes mellitus accompanies a huge number of comorbidities. These are diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, organs of vision, kidneys. These include:
- polyneuropathy;
- angiopathy;
- retinopathy;
- ulcers;
- gangrene;
- high blood pressure;
- diabetic nephropathy;
- coma;
- arthropathy.
They are difficult to treat. It is aimed in most cases at maintaining the current state and preventing further complications. Very often, complications lead to the removal of limbs, loss of vision, heart attacks and strokes, even death.
Prevention
For he althy people who do not yet have significant jumps in blood sugar levels, you need to carefully monitor your daily routine, nutrition and eliminate bad habits. It is necessary to give preference to complex carbohydrates in the diet in the form of cereals. With already existing elevated values, it is necessary to dose the drugs correctly and carry outregular examination of the body, including for the presence of complications. If you have any doubts about your he alth, the most important thing is to see a doctor in time. After all, it is in the early stages that you can cure almost any disease, without harm to your body.
