Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar is a medical term used to denote the presence of high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood compared to normal values. Regular blood glucose values (blood glucose) are between 70 and 100 milligrams / deciliter (mg / dl) after 8 hours of fasting. Diabetes is diagnosed when fasting blood glucose levels are higher than 126 mg / dL at least twice.
In people with fasting blood glucose between 101 and 125 mg / dl we speak of “prediabetes”. Hyperglycemia can occasionally also be present in non-diabetic people who have had a stroke or heart attack. In people with diabetes, hyperglycemia must be carefully treated with the goal of keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
It is important to be able to recognize hyperglycemia, as if left untreated it can lead to serious health problems.
High blood sugar: here are all the symptoms that few people know to recognize it
Mild episodes of hyperglycemia are usually not cause for concern and can be treated fairly easily or they can return to normal on their own. However, hyperglycemia can become dangerous if the blood sugar is so high or stays high for long periods. Hyperglycemia is very often asymptomatic or limited symptomatic.
The classic disturbances of increased diuresis (polyuria) and then of thirst (polydipsia) or involuntary weight loss usually appear for high and prolonged values of hyperglycemia. More often, hyperglycemia is accompanied by: fatigue, abdominal pain, unexpected mood manipulations ranging from irascibility to depression. But there may also be the appearance of skin lesions such as dark spots on the legs, redness of the face, dry skin and difficult wound healing.
These symptoms, as well as sexual problems in both men and women (erectile deficit, vaginal dryness, painful sexual intercourse), are additional alarm bells. Much more often diabetes is detected as a result of unexpected loss of vision, blurred vision or difficulty focusing on nearby objects.
Neurological symptoms can worsen from weakness, extreme tiredness, drowsiness to mental confusion and loss of consciousness (coma) with worsening glycemic values. So here’s how to recognize hyperglycemia through its symptoms.
Pay attention to these alarm bells and above all do not underestimate them but rather go to your family doctor and request an examination.