What is Diabetic Coma?

Being diagnosed with diabetes and no control of your blood glucose or blood sugar levels can be dangerous. Developing diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition that will cause not needed complications and one such complication is unconsciousness. This situation is caused by either low blood sugar levels or high blood sugar levels.

With diabetic coma, the symptoms are reversible, but the key to not reaching this stage is to control your blood sugar levels. This condition is a medical emergency which will need to be admitted to the hospital. There are three different types of diagnosed diabetic coma and they are:

1. Extremely low blood sugar levels in a diabetic patient
2. Being diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, which is prevalent in persons diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, though it can be present in type 2 diabetic patients also. This condition is a result of a shortage or absence of insulin and the body starts to burn fatty acids. When this occurs the body goes into shock, become dehydrated and the blood glucose levels are extremely high.
3. Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma which occurs when the blood sugar levels are considerably high and causes dehydration. The combination of these symptoms will cause unconsciousness in the diabetic patients.

Any of this diagnosis can become the situation that a doctor diagnosis in the emergency room because you are diabetic. Family members may be the ones to take you to the emergency room, while if you are wearing a diabetic bracelet, then the doctor will know what to treat.

An estimated of 2 to 15% of persons with diabetes will be diagnosed with diabetic coma in their lifetime. Persons with type 1 diabetes are more prone to diabetic comas as their diabetes is treated with insulin.They are more predisposed to hypoglycemia and may develop this condition swiftly. People with this condition will experience symptoms of dizziness, convulsions; they will be pale in color, soaked from excessive sweating, and rapid heartbeat. Persons with type 2 diabetes are also candidates for diabetic coma.

Some persons may lapse into a diabetic coma while sleeping and so need to be injected with a fast acting insulin shot. Others may have done too much exercise and thus lessen their intake of meals. This will cause the blood sugar level to drop dramatically causing an episode of diabetes coma. Symptoms may be unknown and reasons for this occurring may not be readily known either, so continuous monitoring of treatment is important.