Diabetes presents in two different ways; type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes<\/a> is an autoimmune disease where the pancreas loses its ability to produce the hormone insulin, which helps lower blood sugar to keep it in a healthy range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People with type 1 diabetes are known as “insulin-dependent” because they must inject insulin to live a healthy life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Type 2 diabetes is linked to insulin resistance<\/a> and is more likely to be passed along genetically, and can also occur due to lifestyle factors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People with type 2 diabetes don’t necessarily need to be on insulin in order to survive, unlike people with type 1 diabetes. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include age, ethnicity, family history, and lifestyle habits such as activity level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining healthy blood sugars is crucial for reducing risks of diabetes complications, such as kidney disease, heart disease, neuropathy, and amputations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When blood sugar levels are consistently high, the risk of developing these complications increases. One complication of high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes is diabetic hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome, or HHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n [bensnaturalhealthIinlineLeadGen id =”1″ event=”15 Food Blood Sugar eBook Download” image=”https:\/\/blog.bensnaturalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ipad-15-Foods.png” title=”Get Your FREE Diabetes Diet Plan” content=”##15 foods to naturally lower blood sugar levels ##3 day sample meal plan ##Designed exclusively by our nutritionist”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome, or HHS, is a complication from very high blood sugars in people with type 2 diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn’t occur in people with type 1 diabetes, who experience a different complication called diabetic ketoacidosis<\/a> when blood sugar levels are dangerously high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HHS is a condition of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, the kidneys help to filter out extra blood glucose by increasing the amount of urine removed from the body. This is why one of the symptoms of diabetes is increased urination<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When excess urine is removed from the body, it can lead to dehydration. When the body is dehydrated, it can’t make enough urine to flush out the extra sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This leads to hyperosmolality, where the blood has higher concentrations of glucose (sugar), salt, and other substances. This can cause water to be drawn away from other sources of fluid, such as the brain, which is why it can cause an altered level of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome is described as nonketotic, which means that ketones aren’t produced like in the case of type 1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. This is because people with type 2 diabetes often still produce a small amount of insulin<\/a>, unlike those with type 1 who are insulin deficient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Without any insulin available, the body breaks down fat for fuel, which leads to the production of ketones<\/a> as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many symptoms to watch out for when determining if someone just has high blood sugar or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome. Signs of the hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If blood sugar levels are above 400 mg\/dL and aren’t improving despite treatment or recommendations from your healthcare provider, it’s vital to seek emergency medical care right away to prevent diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Monitoring blood sugar levels regularly is an integral part of managing diabetes <\/a>to prevent these kinds of life-threatening conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People with uncontrolled diabetes tend to be more at risk for hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome. Other risk factors<\/a> include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If untreated, diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome can lead to life-threatening complications.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome is usually treated within a few hours. HHS is treated<\/a> with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Serum electrolyte levels are monitored to ensure they fall back to normal ranges after treatment with insulin infusion and fluid resuscitation. A\u00a0corrected serum sodium level\u00a0can be used in the case of hyperglycemia since it can alter these electrolyte levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Screening tests usually include a fasting blood glucose test and\/or a hemoglobin A1c<\/a> test. A normal fasting blood sugar is below 100 mg\/dL, and a normal hemoglobin A1c is below 5.7%. A fasting blood sugar indicative of prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose) is 100-125 mg\/dL, and a hemoglobin A1c indicative of prediabetes is 5.7-6.4%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Understand how medications affect your blood sugar. Certain medications raise blood sugar and cause blood sugar problems if taken for long periods of time. The most common class of medication known to cause increased blood sugar are steroids<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice good sleep hygiene. Lack of sleep or a disrupted circadian rhythm seems to interfere with the body’s insulin response, leading to insulin resistance and increased blood sugar levels. The National Sleep Foundation also recommends several things to improve sleep hygiene<\/a>, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetic hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome (HHS) is a condition that can occur in those with type 2 diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It can even present in people who don’t know they have diabetes. It occurs when blood glucose (sugar) levels rise to a very high level, usually greater than 600 mg\/dL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The drastic rise in blood sugar levels can cause dehydration and hyperosmolarity of the blood, meaning sugar, salt and other substances become too concentrated. The body tries to balance out this super saturation of substances by pulling water from other areas of the body, which can worsen dehydration and lead to confusion and altered mental status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HHS is often described as nonketotic<\/em> because the buildup of ketone bodies is absent. Ketone bodies are produced when there are insufficient insulin levels to break down carbohydrates for energy, so the body switches to burning fat for fuel, which produces ketones<\/a>. This typically affects people with type 1 diabetes, not type 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HHS is treated with fluid resuscitation and insulin administration to bring blood sugar levels back to a healthy level. It usually doesn’t have long-lasting complications unless blood sugar levels are lowered too quickly, which can disrupt the body’s balance and cause complications such as cerebral edema and blood clots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HHS is more common in people with poor control of their diabetes, underlying health conditions such as heart disease<\/a> and kidney disease, infections, and who have recently undergone other stressful health events. It’s also more common in elderly patients who may not drink as much water as they should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HHS can be prevented through good diabetes management, including monitoring blood sugars regularly, taking medications as prescribed, and implementing healthy lifestyle habits such as eating a healthy diet and being regularly physically active. Being screened for type 2 diabetes<\/a> can also help prevent HHS, as many people who have no idea that they have diabetes can present with HHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is Diabetic hyperglycemic <\/strong>hyperosmolar<\/strong> syndrome?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhat are the symptoms of hyperglycemic <\/strong>hyperosmolar<\/strong> syndrome?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhat happens if someone develops hyperglycemic <\/strong>hyperosmolar<\/strong> syndrome?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nHow can you prevent the development of hyperglycemic <\/strong>hyperosmolar<\/strong> syndrome?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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