First aid for persons with diabetes
If the person with diabetes exhibits abnormal behaviour, they most likely have low blood sugar. To treat low blood sugar you need food or drink with sugar content. However, you can never insert food or drink into the mouth of an unconscious person, or a person in a low state of consciousness.
Identifying low blood sugar i.e. hypoglycaemia
A person is hypoglycaemic when their blood sugar drops to 4 mmol/l or less. Very low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness, a.k.a. insulin shock.
A person with diabetes, as well as their close relatives, should learn to identify the symptoms of low blood sugar. The usual symptoms of hypoglycaemia are:
- weakness
- hunger
- shivers
- sweaty, cold and moist skin
- incoherence
- abnormal behaviour
First aid for low blood sugar
- 4-8 sugar cubes or dextrose (Siripiri, Dexal, Glocobooster)
- a glass (1-2 dl) of juice or soft drink with sugar content
- medium sized fruit
- ice cream (cup or popsicle)
- a table spoon of honey or 1-2 tablespoons of raisins
If the symptoms do not ease in roughly 10 minutes, another dose is required. A person with diabetes should always keep food or drink with sugar content handy in case of unexpected circumstances.
Untreated low blood sugar may lead to unconsciousness, i.e. insulin shock. If a person with diabetes is unconscious, dial 112 immediately. Check that the unconscious person is breathing normally and turn them onto a recovery position.
An unconscious person is NOT to be given any food or drink because of the choking hazard. An unconscious person is a person that is lying limp or is convulsing.
Treating an unconscious person with Glucagon
Glucagon is a medicine that releases sugar stored in the liver into the blood stream. It is used when the blood sugar level of a person with diabetes is so low that they lose consciousness. Glucagon is a prescription drug that can be obtained from the pharmacy either as a syringe (trade name Glucagen) or a nasal spray (trade name Baqsimi).
All persons with type 1 diabetes should have Glucagon handy in case of an insulin shock.
The absence of, or an intensely increased need for insulin may on the other hand cause acidosis, i.e. diabetic ketoacidosis.
High blood sugar and ketoacidosis
High blood sugar, or hyperglycaemia, occurs when the blood sugar level is more than 10 mmol/l. Significantly high blood sugar levels are those that surpass 13,9 mmol/l.
If the blood sugar level is consistently high, changes need to be made to the diabetes treatment plan.
The absence or an intensely increased need for insulin may cause acidosis, i.e. diabetic ketoacidosis. Acidosis is for example caused by non-identified insulin deficiency diabetes, inflammatory disease, cortisone treatment, possible inefficiency of the insulin product or an interruption in the dosage of an insulin pump.
Some symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are:
- increased thirst and need to urinate
- shortness of breath
- nausea
- stomach pain
- fatigue
- sweet smelling breath (smell of acetone)
- redness in the face
- dry skin
- laboured breath, later on shallow breath
First aid for ketoacidosis
Primary first aid for ketoacidosis is always immediate hospital care. Call 112 (Finnish emergency services) immediately if you suspect ketoacidosis in a person with diabetes.
A layman can never administer insulin to the person in need of help.
A Diabetic Medical ID for your safety
If you are taking medication that may make you hypoglycaemic, you must always use a Diabetic medical ID. The ID can be a necklace or bracelet with clearly distinguishable information, for example the word “diabetes”. Browse Diabetic medical ID’s at the D-store (in Finnish).
Diabetic medical ID’s at the D-store(avautuu uuteen ikkunaan, siirryt toiseen palveluun)
I have a diabetes card at the D-store(avautuu uuteen ikkunaan, siirryt toiseen palveluun)