High Blood Sugar

What is high blood glucose (hyperglycaemia)

When glucose can not get into the cells, it stays in your blood. Lots of sugar in your blood is known as high blood glucose or “hyperglycaemia”. High blood glucose occurs when your blood glucose rises above 7 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) when you are fasting or above 11.0 mmol/L if you had a meal.

What are the symptoms of hyperglycaemia

Other frequent symptoms :
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Frequent or recurrent infections.

What causes high blood glucose

1. Too much food containing carbohydrates.
2. Too little physical activity.
3. Skipped or not enough diabetes tablets or insulin.
4. Infection.
5. Taking stress medications like steroids.
6. Poor stress management.

How can I avoid hyperglycaemia

1. Measure your blood glucose regularly.
2. Take your diabetes tablets or insulin according to your health care team recommendations.
3. Follow a healthy life style.
4. Visit your healthcare team regularly (at least 4 times a year).
5. Taking stress medications like steroids.
6. Drink plenty of water.
7. If you have type 1 diabetes please check our diabetes and illness section.

Why should I treat high blood glucose

Short term risks:

High blood glucose over the short term increases your chance of getting very sick. People with type 1 diabetes are at risk of developing diabetes ketoacidosis.People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk of getting sick when blood sugars stay high but are less likely develop ketones (See our diabetes and illness section).diabetes-and-sick-days.html

Long term risks:

Research in both type 1 DM (Disease Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and type 2 DM (The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) shows us beyond doubt that high blood glucose for long periods put you at risk of developing complications in the eyes, kidneys, nerves, blood vessels leading to heart attack and strokes. Even your sex drive will be affected.

Help Yourself- Be Smart

If your blood glucose is more than 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) for 3 days in a row, your treatment needs to be adjusted.Try to brain storm as what might have led to high blood glucose.