Diabetes mellitus is a serious pathology, which today is widespread. This ailment is extremely dangerous. Inattentive attitude of patients to their state of health can provoke serious complications. This article describes the characteristic symptoms of an attack of diabetes mellitus, methods of care and prevention of exacerbation.
The main features of the disease
The pathology in question has a chronic course. Its appearance is associated with metabolic disorders. The disease occurs due to a lack of insulin, a hormone that the pancreas produces.
As the initial signs of this condition, experts list:
- Increased need for fluid intake.
- Frequent and copious urine output.
- A constant feeling of hunger.
- Dizziness.
- The feeling of overwhelming.
This pathology is characterized by a progressive course. An attack of diabetes is an exacerbation of the disease. Its cause is a sharp change in blood glucose, due to which metabolic disturbances occur.
Varieties of pathology
There are 2 categories of the disease. Type 1 diabetes occurs, as a rule, in young people under thirty years of age. The initial symptoms of the disease appear in adolescence or youth. This type of pathology is associated with an insufficient amount of insulin. In this case, the pancreas either produces little substance, or does not produce it at all. This is a rare form of the disease. It occurs in only five percent of patients. In adults, the development of the disease is unlikely.
With the second type, specialists are faced much more often. When this condition occurs, the pancreas produces a little less hormone than necessary, but the body cells do not absorb it sufficiently. Usually the disease progresses slowly. Its victims are often people aged 50 years and older. The risk group includes individuals who have excess kilograms.
The first attack of diabetes indicates that the disease has become serious, threatens the health and even human life.
Why does pathology arise?
The disease can develop under the influence of the following factors:
- Pancreatic Disorders
- Binge eating. Abuse of products containing a large amount of fat and sugar (sweets, chocolate, confectionery) is reflected especially badly on the state of health.
- Alcoholism.
- Emotional stress.
- Intoxication (e.g., drug poisoning).
Attacks of diabetes in men and women have approximately the same symptoms. However, the largest number of patients with a similar diagnosis are women.
Typical manifestations of pathology
How to recognize the presence of an ailment? In the early stages, diabetes can be suspected in the presence of the following symptoms:
- Frequent excretion of a large amount of urine (1 time per hour). This is due to the fact that the kidneys rid the body of excessive amounts of glucose. The patient is even forced to wake up in the middle of the night to visit the toilet.
- Increased need for fluid, a feeling of dryness in the oral cavity.This process is explained by the dehydration of body tissues as a result of the fact that excess sugar takes water from the cells.
- Sensation of itching in the genital area and skin.
- Slow wound healing.
- The accumulation of excess weight, and then its sharp decrease. This trend is explained by the fact that the nutrients that enter the body with food are not well absorbed.
- Poor immune system function. It leads to frequent infectious pathologies (flu, SARS, pneumonia).
In some cases, the onset of diabetes is preceded by symptoms such as pain in the head, a pale shade of the skin, profuse outflow of sweat and a feeling of weakness. These symptoms occur after a physical overstrain or prolonged lack of food. After drinking or drinking sweet tea, a person feels relief.
The danger of exacerbation of the disease
Deterioration in these patients can cause a seizure or coma. Therefore, people who have had an attack of diabetes mellitus need qualified medical help. There are several types of exacerbation of the disease. These include:
- Increased blood glucose concentration.
- Hypoglycemia.
- The appearance of ketone bodies in the urine.
The reasons for the development of these conditions can be various internal or external influences. This, for example, a violation of the functions of the pancreas, improper use of drugs or an erratic diet, physical overload. An attack of diabetes in women sometimes occurs during the period of gestation. This form of the disease is called gestational.
In the future, patients with this diagnosis are more likely to develop a 2nd type of pathology.
Manifestations of hypoglycemia
This condition is explained by a sharp decrease in the concentration of glucose in the blood. Various factors can provoke it, for example:
- Failure to follow the medication schedule.
- The use of products containing ethanol.
- Ignoring dietary recommendations.
- Violations of the functions of the organs of the urinary system.
- The period of gestation.
- Lactation.
- Pathologies of an infectious nature.
- Sudden changes in climatic conditions (e.g. warming).
The disease usually begins suddenly. Sometimes a person may not feel unwell, and then suddenly faint.
In this case, they talk about the development of a coma. With such attacks of diabetes mellitus, the symptoms are individual in nature and depend on the characteristics of the patient's body. However, the presence of hypoglycemia can be suspected in the presence of the following signs:
- Change in emotional state (irritability, anxiety).
- Increased hunger.
- An increase in the frequency of myocardial contractions.
- Trembling limbs.
- Attacks of convulsions, the occurrence of visual hallucinations.
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- Pale shade of the skin.
- Loss of sensation of the tongue and lips.
- Disorders of the organs of vision.
- Excessive sweat.
Help with an attack of diabetes should be immediate. In order to prevent the development of a coma, which often develops against the background of a strong decrease in glucose concentration, it is necessary to call an ambulance as soon as possible.
Manifestations of hyperglycemia
This condition is characterized by an increase in blood sugar. The following symptoms are characteristic of it:
- Dry feeling in the mouth.
- Increased need for fluid.
- Frequent excretion of large amounts of urine.
- Odor of acetone from the oral cavity.
- Disorders of the functions of the organs of vision (the patient sees the surrounding objects vaguely, vaguely).
- Severe nausea, bouts of vomiting.
- Spasms in the abdominal region, having a paroxysmal character.
Possible complications
An attack with type 2 diabetes is a condition that is extremely dangerous for the patient's life. It often leads to the appearance of ketone bodies in the urine. Ketoacidosis occurs against the background of infectious pathologies, surgical interventions, injuries, the use of hormones or diuretics. For such an ailment, the occurrence of severe headaches and repeated attacks of vomiting, which provoke dehydration, are characteristic.
Assistance Methods
What to do with an attack of diabetes? To understand what the exacerbation is associated with, you must first check the concentration of glucose in the blood. For this, a special medical device is used. Then, depending on the situation, you need to help the patient. In case of hypoglycemia, it is necessary to give the patient sweet tea or a slice of white bread as soon as possible. You can apply glucose paste to the gum surface. If a person has lost consciousness, an ambulance should be called. Prior to the arrival of a doctor, the following measures should be taken to alleviate the patient's condition:
- Inject glucagon.
- Put the patient on his side (to prevent the contents of the stomach or saliva from entering the airways).
- If a person has a seizure, a spoon or piece of wood is placed between the teeth.
In the event of an increase in glucose, 4 units of the insulin preparation are administered to a person. In the presence of severe symptoms, the dosage can be increased. To reduce the excessive concentration of acid in the digestive tract, the patient should be given mineral water or a solution of baking soda.
If the patient has an attack of diabetes, he is sent to a hospital for further examination and therapy. Treatment consists of glucose injections, medication, and special dietary intake.
How to prevent the development of complications?
The most effective prevention of exacerbation is the constant monitoring of glucose concentration using medical equipment. It is also necessary to strictly adhere to all the recommendations of the doctor (eat right, drink prescribed medications on time).
Patients are recommended walking, moderate physical activity. Mineral water should be included in the diet. If you feel worse, you need to seek medical help on time.
An attack of diabetes is a serious condition that can provoke formidable complications (serious violations in the functioning of the urinary system, to whom). In order to prevent exacerbations, the patient needs to take care of his health.