Hyperglycaemia
Ishyperglycaemia serious?
The aim of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels as near to normal as possible. But if you have diabetes, no matter how careful you are, you're likely to experience hyperglycaemia at some point.
It's important to be able to recognise and treat hyperglycaemia, as it can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
Occasional mild episodes aren't usually a cause for concern and can be treated quite easily or may return to normal on their own. However, hyperglycaemia can be potentially dangerous if blood sugar levels become very high or stay high for long periods.
Very high blood sugar levels can cause life-threatening complications, such as:
- diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) a condition caused by the body needing to break down fat as a source of energy, which can lead to a diabetic coma; this tends to affect people with type 1 diabetes
- hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) severe dehydration caused by the bodytrying to get rid of excess sugar; this tends to affect people with type 2 diabetes
Regularly having high blood sugar levels for long periods of time (over months or years) can result in permanent damage to parts of the body such as the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.
If you experience hyperglycaemia regularly, speak to your doctor or diabetes care team. You may need to change your treatment or lifestyle to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), a common problem that affects people with diabetes. Find out its causes, symptoms and treatments.
Ishyperglycaemia serious?
The aim of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels as near to normal as possible. But if you have diabetes, no matter how careful you are, you're likely to experience hyperglycaemia at some p
Symptoms of hyperglycaemia
Symptoms of hyperglycaemia in people with diabetestend to develop slowly over a few days or weeks. In some cases, there may be no symptoms until the blood sugar level is very high. Symptoms of hyperg
Whatshouldmy bloodsugar level be?
When you're first diagnosed with diabetes, your diabetes care teamwill usually tell you what your bloodsugar level is and what you should aim to get it down to. You may be advised to use a testing de
What causes high blood sugar?
A variety of things can trigger an increase in blood sugar level in people with diabetes, including: stress an illness, such as a cold eating too much, such as snacking between meals a lack of e
Treating hyperglycaemia
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes and you have symptoms of hyperglycaemia, follow the advice your care teamhas givenyou to reduce your blood sugar level. If you're not sure what to do, contact y
When to geturgent medical attention
Contactyour diabetes care team immediatelyif you have a high blood sugar level and experience the following symptoms: feeling or being sick abdominal (tummy) pain rapid, deepbreathing signs of
How to prevent hyperglycaemia
There are simple ways to reduce your risk ofsevere or prolonged hyperglycaemia: Be carefulwhat you eat be particularly aware of how snacking and eatingsugary foodsor carbohydrates can affect your
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