austere depressed blood cabbage levels ( hypoglycemia ) can result in seizures and unconsciousness . Diabetic seizures are rare but potentially fatal and need emergency medical intervention .
Diabetic seizures can happen to anyone withdiabeteswho employ insulin or certain other glucose - lowering drug , in particular sulfonylureas . If you have diabetes , you may demand to learn your family line members , caregivers , friends , or coworkers how to react in an emergency .
Seizures triggered by hypoglycemia go by several dissimilar names , including :
The Signs and Symptoms of a Diabetic Seizure
multitude experiencing a diabetic seizure will be ineffective to treat their own symptoms — they will likely miss the presence of mind to understand their post , or the body control to fix it . Therefore , it is just as crucial for friends and family to be conversant with these symptoms .
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During a diabetic seizure , you may become unconscious , fall , or have convulsions that do muscles to contract involuntarily , making the body move and jerk out of control . Convulsions can be mild or dangerous . You may also appear to be in a trance or ineffectual to respond , with eyes blinking rapidly or staring into space , before slip into unconsciousness .
These symptoms demand immediate emergency aesculapian care .
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For most people with diabetes there will be prior warning sign as ancestry dinero levels drop towards unsafe levels . Everyone with diabetes should be well familiar with thesymptoms of ( restrained ) hypoglycemia , include the following :
Diabetic seizures can be prevented by notice some of the above symptom and respond appropriately . As long as the someone see low blood sugar can still safely eat and drink , treat the condition is often very well-heeled . Fast - play carbohydrates , like the gelt find in confect or pop , can bring blood sugar back up into a good range .
The Causes of Diabetic Seizures
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One of the most plebeian causes of severe low-spirited blood sugars are inadvertent insulin overdoses . Many people with diabetes , including everyone withtype 1 diabetes , use insulin multiple times a day , and accidents can happen :
Other lifestyle variables can cause profligate sugar levels to drop to severely low levels :
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There is no precise blood sugar spirit level below which diabetic seizure or unconsciousness is sure to occur . mensurable cognitive impairment typically begins at 50 milligrams per deciliter ( mg / dL ) or below . origin sugar grade at or below that kitchen range should be considered serious . They require contiguous attending .
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How to Prevent Diabetic Seizures
Many people with diabetes will never experience a seizure . Good diabetes management — prudently using diet , medicinal drug , and do to keep your blood sugar within your target range as much as potential — will dilute the risk of infection of passing low ( and high ) blood sugar levels .
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hypoglycaemia is also more severe overnight , because sleep dull our ability to sense the symptom of down rakehell wampum . In the hours before bedtime , some the great unwashed with diabetes annul the life style variable quantity that can cause hypoglycemia during sleep , such as carbohydrate - heavy meal ( and the large dosage of speedy - play insulin that they require ) , alcohol , and exercise .
One token of diabetes technology is specially helpful as a defense against severe hypoglycemia : A continuous glucose monitor ( CGM ) can alert a patient role if their blood sugar falls below a sealed level , sounding a loud alarm on a smartphone or dedicated receiver twist . These sensor stay attached to the organic structure and measure your blood sugar level at least as frequently as every five moment . An warning signal can wake you up before your blood sugar worsen to a severe level , giving you time to down bare sugar ( like candy or juice ) to bring your blood sugar back up . A CGM consternation can also potentially wake up a spouse , mate , or family extremity , giving them extra sentence to aid you if you are dull to respond .
Preparing for Emergencies
Severe hypoglycemia , especially when accompanied by seizure or unconsciousness , can not be treated by the item-by-item suffering from low blood sugar . If you miss the mental awareness or motor science to give yourself handling , then you will be completely reliant on the help of the mass around you . That ’s why you should make certain that the the great unwashed in your liveliness — class members , acquaintance , coworkers , neighbors — know what to do in case of an emergency .
Many people with diabetes , despite their best efforts , have found themselves in small blood sugar emergencies during which they could not treat themselves . It ’s a expert idea to always be prepared for that case . A span of tools can really help oneself :
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Emergency Treatment
In a low blood moolah emergency — when someone with diabetes can not swallow , run out , or has a capture — treatment expect emergency glucagon . If you are attempting to help but do not have admittance to exigency glucagon , or do not know how to use it , call 911 immediately . First responders are trained to help multitude know emergency related to diabetes and should carry emergency glucagon .
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Hyperglycemic (High Blood Sugar) Seizures
When the great unwashed talk about diabetic seizures or insulin shock , it ’s commonly in the circumstance of low blood simoleons emergencies . But it is also possible forhigh line sugar ( hyperglycemia)to causal agency seizures in hoi polloi with type 1 andtype 2 diabetes . Two aftermath in particular are link with this severe side effect :
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Though DKA and HHS are very unlike , they share many similarities . Both are usually company by severe eminent rip simoleons level . Both are often triggered by sickness with dehydrating symptom , such as vomiting or diarrhoea , and both have similar symptoms , including :
These symptom need hand brake medical care . finally , both DKA and HHS will lead to acute neurological symptoms , such as fury , seizure , and coma .
The Takeaway
Resources We Trust
Anna L. Goldman , MD , is a card - certified endocrinologist . She instruct first year medical scholarly person atHarvard Medical Schooland practise general endocrinology in Boston .
Dr. Goldman go to college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City , where she was also a principal resident . She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women ’s Hospital . She joined the faculty after graduation exercise and serve as the associate program director for the society programme for a number of years .
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