Low Blood Sugar Geriatrics
Low blood sugar
can occur at anytime throughout your life but is more likely to happen
during middle age or seniority. This condition is also known as
Hypoglycaemia and is a result of insufficient amounts of glucose in the
blood. It’s quite common for Hypoglycaemia to effect sufferers of Type 1
and Type 2 Diabetes or people with symptoms of Diabetes.
Symptoms of
Hypoglycaemia:
-
Extreme hunger
-
Perspiration
-
Shakiness
-
Anxiety
-
Palpitations
-
Weakness
-
Speech problems
Hypoglycaemia
Treatment:
Usually a swift intake
of sugar, ideally in the form of a soft drink, fruit juice or sugar itself
will make excellent options. If after a few minutes the symptoms of
Hypoglycaemia still remain then urgent medical attention should be sort.
It’s common for people to treat Hypoglycaemia with more substantial sugary
foods like cakes or cookies. However, the body cannot absorb these types of
foods as quickly and therefore consuming them will only delay recovery.
Once blood sugar is
back to normal, a substantial carbohydrate like a healthy sandwich should be
eaten to help bolster the short lived effects of the sugar fix and therefore
maintain blood sugar levels.
Things to Avoid:
If you suffer from
persistent low blood sugar levels you should limit yourself from rigorous
forms of exercise and activities and also carefully monitor your alcohol
intake.
Causes of Low Blood
Sugar:
There are many things
that can contribute to low blood sugar levels; here are some of the more
common ones:
-
Too much insulin
-
Medicines
-
Excessive alcohol
intakes
-
Not eating
regularly
-
Organ problems
-
Cancer
Low Blood Sugar
Geriatrics
In most cases
prolonged low blood sugar levels occurs within people suffering from
Diabetes Mellitus but it is also apparent with patients diagnosed as having
cancer.
It’s therefore
extremely important not to miss meal times. This is especially true for
geriatrics and the elderly as a whole. Low blood sugar within geriatrics is
more common due seniors being more dependent on family or loved ones for
care and support.