The Danger of Diabetes Mellitus – Advice on How to React

Recent Advice from the St Johns Ambulance Brigade on how to recognise and deal with diabetes problems:

Eating provides your body with fuel to give enough energy to derive pleasure from an active life. Normal folk produce insulin to convert blood sugar into energy. For diabetics, the body does not put out sufficient insulin, and glucose increases instead of turning into energy.

People with diabetes need to be meticulous with diet and exercise and may have to take insulin at regular intervals to master their disorder.

Sometimes a sufferer from diabetes can get into a medical crisis due to the presence of too much insulin. This dangerous event occurs when the blood sugar level has fallen to dangerous low levels. This condition can be life threatening and is often the result of by injecting too much insulin, not eating regularly or or excessive exercise..

How to spot insulin shock

* The heart rate and breathing are shallow and rapid.
* The patient’s skin is sweaty, colorless and the temperature is low.
* The person is perturbed, irritable or confrontational.
* The patient might seem drunk, shudder or experience difficulty speaking.

Emergency first aid for insulin shock
The right medical procedures in a insulin shock crisis just might save lives.

* Settle the sufferer and call the emergency services.
* Place an unconscious patient into the recovery position and keep a constant check on pulse and breathing.
* If the patient is fully conscious, and is able to tell you what they want, assist them to locate and administer their medication.
* If the person is too dazed to comprehend what is required, try to get them to injest something sweet, e.g. a soft drink high in sugar may help.

St. john ambulance has medical courses to assist you to to have the skills to save someone’s life. To discover more, see the office near to your area or browse the web page at www.sja.org.uk

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