Over the past year, the Changxindian 120 Emergency Station in Fengtai District has noted a significant number of emergency cases related to hypoglycemia. This condition has developed rapidly and posed a serious threat to people’s lives.
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below 2.8mmol/L in healthy adults or below 3.9mmol/L in individuals with diabetes. Common causes include malnutrition from irregular eating habits, prolonged fasting, or extreme dieting. It may occur in patients with diabetes resulting from excessive use of glucose or injecting insulin in diabetic patients without timely food intake. Additionally, individuals with weakened immunity, severe pancreatic diseases, or malignant tumors may also experience sudden hypoglycemia.
Many people are unaware that untreated hypoglycemia can severely impact the central nervous system, leading to dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, slurred speech, abnormal behavior, confusion, and even seizures or coma, which can be life-threatening.
In case of hypoglycemia, it is necessary to take measures to increase blood sugar. If the patient is conscious, it is recommended to quickly consume sugar-containing foods or drinks, such as candy, biscuits, fruit juice, or sugary beverages. Symptoms generally improve within 15 minutes. If symptoms persist, have some food again. Once the symptoms are relieved, follow up with staple foods like bread or steamed buns to prevent another drop in blood sugar.
If the patient is unconscious, first, check their airway for any obstructions. If there is any obstruction, it is necessary to take first-aid measures, such as tilting the head back to keep the airway open and prevent choking on vomit to avoid choking. Seek immediate professional medical help by medical personnel and transport the patient to the hospital immediately for further treatment.
120 Medical Advice: To prevent frequent occurrences of hypoglycemia, it is recommended that patients regularly and appropriately supplement their nutrition, maintain a consistent three-meal-a-day routine, and avoid intense physical activities such as bathing or running on an empty stomach. Additionally, they should carry sugar cubes, chocolate, or other sugary foods to quickly replenish blood sugar levels in case of symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, or heart palpitations, thereby preventing unexpected incidents.
