Diabetic coma is an extremely dangerous complication of diabetes mellitus , which comes as a result of insulin deficiency in the body of a sick person. This is a condition that threatens life and requires immediate medical attention.
Types and causes of diabetic coma
There are several types of diabetic coma.
Hypoglycemic coma
A condition that develops with a sharp decrease in blood sugar. This type of coma is often observed in patients who do not follow a regular diet or receive inadequate treatment of diabetes mellitus (an overdose of insulin, tableted hypoglycemic agents). Also, the cause of hypoglycemic coma may be alcohol intake, nervous overexertion or heavy physical stress.
Hyperosmolar (hyperglycemic) coma
The condition that occurs as a complication of type 2 diabetes, due to the severe stage of dehydration and too high a glucose level in the blood. As a rule, surplus sugar is excreted from the body by the kidneys through the urine, but when dehydrated, the kidneys "save" the liquid, which results in an increase in glucose level.
Ketoacidotic coma
Type of diabetic coma, most common in patients with type 1 diabetes. In this case, the cause of the dangerous state is the accumulation of substances formed during the processing of fatty acids - ketones (in particular, acetone).
Long-term accumulation of ketones leads to the launch of pathological processes in the body.
Symptoms of diabetic coma
The signs of different types of diabetic coma are similar, and the species can be finally determined after a medical examination.
The initial symptoms of diabetic coma are:
- strong thirst;
- frequent urge to urinate;
- pain and noise in the head;
- general weakness;
- drowsiness;
- decreased appetite;
- nausea, vomiting.
If such symptoms of diabetic coma are observed 12 to 24 hours without the necessary treatment, the patient develops a severe coma that has the following manifestations:
- impaired consciousness;
- indifference to what is happening;
- absence of reactions to external stimuli;
- loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of hypoglycemic coma differ slightly from other types of diabetic coma and are expressed thus:
- sharp bouts of hunger;
- trembling, chills;
- increased sweating;
- the appearance of a sense of fear, of concern;
- growing weakness.
Also in patients with developing diabetic coma, signs such as:
- lowering of blood pressure;
- weak pulse;
- dry and warm skin;
- soft-touch eyeballs;
- the smell of acetone from the mouth.
Consequences of diabetic coma
If a patient with a diabetic coma does not receive adequate medical care in time, this can lead to serious complications, the most common of which are as follows:
- partial or complete damage to brain cells left without food and oxygen;
- a lethal outcome without returning to consciousness.
Emergency care for diabetic coma
First aid for a diabetic coma, if the patient is unconscious, should be the following:
- Call for an ambulance.
- To check the patient's pulse and breath, in their absence, proceed to indirect heart massage and artificial respiration .
- In the presence of pulse and breathing, the patient should be allowed air access, put it on his left side and watch him if vomiting begins.
If the patient is conscious, it should be:
- Call for an ambulance.
- Give the patient a food or drink containing sugar, if it is reliably known that the cause is associated with low blood sugar.
- Drink the patient with water.