Diabetic coma is today considered one of the most common and most dangerous complications of diabetes. Modern medicine divides such conditions into several groups - hypoglycemic, ketoacidotic, hyperlactacidemic and hyperosmolar.
Diabetic coma - what is it? Diabetic coma is a serious condition that can develop in a person with diabetes mellitus for completely different reasons. Most often, a diabetic coma develops as a result of treatment being started too late, as well as with improper treatment or a sharp and gross malnutrition. In addition, a serious infectious disease, severe nervous experience, hormonal imbalance (for example, during pregnancy), etc., can become the cause of coma.
Diabetic coma: symptoms .
In most cases, a diabetic coma develops gradually and has a number of important precursors, noticing which you can stop the process. All the symptoms are somehow related to the poisoning of the body, in particular the central nervous system, ketone bodies, as well as changes in the acid-base balance of the body and dehydration.
First, a sick person begins to complain of severe headaches and becomes too excited. Then insomnia appears. In addition, the symptoms include abdominal pain, which is often accompanied by diarrhea. A person is constantly thirsty, so the frequency of urination to urinate gradually increases. If you sniff, you can see that the air exhaled by the patient has a faint smell of acetone.
With the further development of such a condition in a person, convulsions can begin. Over time, the state of apathy, depression and indifference replaces the excitation of the nervous system. It is after this that the complete loss of consciousness sets in.
A person in a coma is stationary, his breathing is weakened. Muscle tone is reduced. Eyeballs are soft to the touch, and when examining the eyes, you can see that the pupils are noticeably narrowed. The patient’s skin is very dry.
Depending on the form of the disease, a precomatous state may have other symptoms. For example, a hyperosmolar coma develops as a result of very severe dehydration, as the patient vomits and carries heavily. Hypoglycemic coma develops with a sharp drop in insulin and is most often diagnosed among people using insulin.
Diabetic coma: treatment methods .
People with a suspected development of a diabetic coma, or those who have already lost consciousness, need urgent transportation to a hospital hospital. First of all, a person needs to enter a dose of insulin, and in a fast-acting form. You also need to eliminate the symptoms of dehydration, resume the amount of fluid in the body. For this purpose, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride solutions are used. With the proper implementation of emergency care, sick patients pass quickly enough into themselves.
Treatment can be prescribed only after all necessary tests, including blood and urine tests. It is also worth remembering that during the rehabilitation period, patients need complete peace of mind and the absence of stress, since even the slightest nervous shock can lead to a re-development of a coma.
It is worth remembering about proper nutrition in diabetes, not only during the rehabilitation period, but throughout life. Patients with diabetes need to completely abandon the food that contains easily digestible carbohydrates - this is sugar, honey, confectionery, jelly, stewed fruit. It is also worth limiting the amount of coffee and other substances that have an exciting effect on the nervous system.
As for the rules for insulin administration, you should always adhere to the doctor’s instructions, as even the slightest deviation from the dosage or regimen of the drug can lead to the development of coma.